I have a garbage disposer that is not working.?

Question

I have never had a garbage disposer before and this one sounds like it wants to work but I can't get it to do anything. I reset the little red button and it makes a humming noise for a few minutes then it shuts back off. It isn't a big deal to have or not but that side of the sink sometimes takes 6-8 hours to drain and its starting to stink at times. Any ideas would be helpful.

Answer 1

The reason the little red button pops back out is because it is overloaded. The button is designed to pop out at high amperage. It sounds like you have something jammed inside the disposAL. Take a flashlight and look to see if something is stuck in there. Using the wrench to try and free the jam is a good idea, as is keeping your fingers out of there. If you do reach in, make darned sure the switch is off.

Best is to call a plumber to check it out being you say you are not familiar with the unit.

BTW, the reason it drains so slowly is probably because of the jam.

Answer 2

Yeah, you need to fix it so the drain will clear. There is an object of some sort that has locked the rotor. Get a flashlight and look in the bowels of the thing for whatever is locking it up. Might be a piece of metal or bone. If you spot it, remove the object and reset the red reset button and flip it on. NEVER use the thing without the water running full blast. If you can't spot the problem, use a stout broom stick, handle of a plumber's helper or other stick and turn the rotor to the left a half a turn. Turn onthe water and flip on the switch. Keep doing that until it clears itself. It IS possible that the bearings are locked up because the seal leaked but more than likely there is something blocking the rotor.

Answer 3

The disposer is simply stuck. At the bottom of a garbage disposal is a set of grinding wheels. The wheels can get stuck and then they will cause the breaker to trip. When you reset it, it's still stuck so it continues.

Here's what I do when it happens:
. Get a broom or a thick long wooden spoon (I really like a broom handle)
. Put the broom in at an angle and try to set the bottom of it next to one of the 'bumps' on the top grinding wheel. They often look like little metal "hinges".
. Put pressure on the broom at an angle and attempt to "push" the wheel along it's normal circular line.
. Be careful not to OVERPUSH as you can cause it to unseat.
. Provided you get it to move a little bit, it should unstick and then work.

ALTERNATIVE.
Many garbage disposers come with a little "bolt like" opening at the bottom of it. They usually come with a little "dohickey" kind of wrench you can put in it and manually turn the disposer. If you are lucky to have one hanging out under the sink somewhere, try to use that first. 99% of the time, the little 'wrench' has long been lost so... Broom Handle!!

Good Luck.

I Hope This Is Helpful.

Take Care,

Jim

Answer 4

I think you may have to buy a new one. As far as the stink goes try one of those chemical drain cleaners to clean the drain. If that does not work then you need a plumber.
P S If you get the drain to work then the disposer might work because it had been stuck in the garbage that is blocking the drain.

Answer 5

By the time you read this, you will have already got the message that it is stuck and how to get it unstuck. So I won't repeat the messages. Once you do get it cleared, you can take a piece of citrus like an orange or a lemon and run it through the disposal, that should give you a nice smell in the room. good luck

Answer 6

on the bottom side of the disposal there is a hole to put a wrench into so you can turn the disposal manually. The humming is from it being jammed. Usually it takes an allen wrench to turn it manually. You can also use a broom handle, stick it into the disposal (while it is off) and work the handle back and forth and see if you can get the impellors to turn.

Answer 7

You have a bone or piece of silverware stuck in the blades and every time you turn it on, it trips the overload(Little Red button). Turn the power off to the disposal, reach in and find what is sticking the blades and remove it, make sure the blades move freely then turn power back on, should work OK. The blades will not hurt you, they are not sharp......Nuf Said

Answer 8

Use an allen wrench to try and spin it from the bottom (on the outside), forcing it to get past the jam. It may just be jammed with glass or a small rock. The disposal may be just fine. The wrench is "L" shaped with a hexagonal end that comes with the disposal, or you can buy one.

Answer 9

Something either jammed the blades or the motor is seized.
DON'T KEEP RESETTING IT!!
There's a manual access on the bottom that allows you to turn it manually, try that, if that does'nt work, call a repair person.
When you push the reset, the motor is trying to turn, but can't, so it cuts off on thermal overload. If you keep doing that it could fail to cut off & possibly start a fire.
Hope this helped, good luck!!

Answer 10

Start with one of these, it is much easier than a broom handle.

http://www.azpartsmaster.com/shopazp/Garbage+Disposal+Wrench+(9666C).html

Most of the others gave good advice as to how to look inside it and remove what ever is blocking it. Once it is free and running, you might not see what it was.