Anyone know about sink garbage disposers ?

[LoneRanger]

Disposer quit working, but only immediately after new dishwasher installed. Free install (dishwasher) from big box store using their contractor appliance installation service.

We have an insinkerator brand disposal, model is "badger." Estimate it to be maybe 5 yrs old. We bought house late 2018 and moved in early 2019. Prior owners did major kitchen remodel in 2015, new sink, counters, etc., so that's why I estimate age of the unit to be 5 yrs, plus it looks very good still.

So here's a head scratcher for you. It's been working perfect, no problems no weird noises. Yesterday we had a new dishwasher installed which is under cabinet next to sink. It was a Bosch 300 DXL which requires a special Bosch supplied junction box be installed on electric wire that supplies current to dishwasher. The previous dishwasher, also a Bosch (Ascentia) did not have nor require this box and was direct wired from Romex wire coming out of wall. That wire now goes into junction box and junction box output wire is a special Bosch supplied one that plugs into dishwasher underneath. Installers put in the junction box.

The dishwasher and the disposer are the only two appliances on the circuit with 20 amp breaker in the house's panel.

Tried the RESET button bottom of disposer, no joy. My wife said all she heard when flipping disposer on after breakfast was a "click" under the sink but no action from disposer. It's DOA for now. There are two Romex wires coming out of wall, one for disposer, one for dishwasher, as mentioned only two on the 20a circuit (#16 on panel). It is not tripping the breaker. The disposer's wire is ran in a metal conduit, wall-to-disposer.

I cannot see anything from the dishwasher install that would have borked the disposer, but it's just very coincidental that a 5 yr old disposer would fritz out at this particular time right in sync with install of the new dishwasher.

What am I missing?

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

The blades could be jammed/stuck. Use the double ended allen wrench that came with the disposer to unjam it. You stick it in the middle of the disposer at the very bottom and rotate it until you get it to rotate on its own.

 

[tomcat27]

jammed. or a loose wire (since it sounds like they did some rewiring.) are you comfortable taking apart access and checking to ensure that the wires are tight in the wire nuts? do you have a test meter?

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by tomcat27
jammed. or a loose wire (since it sounds like they did some rewiring.) are you comfortable taking apart access and checking to ensure that the wires are tight in the wire nuts? do you have a test meter?

If it were an electrical issue the dishwasher wouldn't work/run. He stated both appliances were on the same circuit.

 

[LoneRanger]

Going to try the allen wrench trick first and see it if turns freely. If so, then will check wiring. I wish the builder had done this more conventionally and put a GFI receptacle on the wall under the sink for regular plug-ins, instead of direct wiring the thing to the romex wire coming out of the wall. Thing is, there's no slack in the romex wire and conduit, so to check if the wires are securely affixed into the disposer I pretty much have to leave it mounted and try to get to it that way, which for my size and the confines of the space in the cabinet under the sink is probably going to be a no-go.

I'm telling you, this house is turning out to be a money pit. It's just one thing after another.

 

[wog]

Check reset button in center of unit. Find it underneath,if it hums it is jammed shutoff and use allen wrench back and forth in center underneath.

 

[wog]

Check reset button in center of unit. Find it underneath,if it hums it is jammed shutoff and use allen wrench back and forth in center underneath.

 

[JohnG]

So they screwed up the wiring. I don't see a big mystery here. Sorry.

 

[ragtoplvr]

There is a knockout that must be removed to attach the dishwasher. It is hard plastic. If it is left in the disposer it will jam over and over, too hard to grind.

Check reset button and use the wrench to unstick.

You can drop it very easy to look inside at the gross mess inside the grind chamber.

Rod

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by wog
Check reset button in center of unit. Find it underneath,if it hums it is jammed shutoff and use allen wrench back and forth in center underneath.

He tried that already. It just clicked. That's why I think the blades are jammed/stuck.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Is anyone here, besides me, ACTUALLY reading his post from beginning to end?

 

[DBMaster]

I would test the wires the disposer is connected to just to make sure you have your 110V there. If not, and it isn't jammed, it IS possible that the thing went out on you. But, in my experience, the Badger 5 models generally last about ten years. The Badger models have stainless steel blades and weights, but regular steel turntable, which rusts. If it rusts enough, the weights can stick.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Is anyone here, besides me, ACTUALLY reading his post from beginning to end?


Having replaced a few Badgers in my time, yes. I'm your Huckleberry. Eagerly awaiting news!

 

[Inspecktor]

It may just be a coincidence. My disposer locks up maybe twice a year, just hums and refused to turn. Socket on extension inserted through sink opening and turn nut on end of shaft a wee bit, back in operation.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by Chris Meutsch
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Is anyone here, besides me, ACTUALLY reading his post from beginning to end?


Having replaced a few Badgers in my time, yes. I'm your Huckleberry. Eagerly awaiting news!

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by LoneRanger
but it's just very coincidental that a 5 yr old disposer would fritz out at this particular time right in sync with install of the new dishwasher.

What am I missing?

These kind of "coincidences" are very rare. It's pretty clear that somehow the installers goofed up or something.

 

[Oildudeny]

if you have power at both appliances and breaker is not tripped. has to be a jam in the disposer.

if the reset button was in a "resettable" position, than i'd say a jam caused that to trip.

if you lost power check connections in the newly installed splice box..

does the dishwasher have some sort of a GFCI? some dishwashers have their own built in. possibly the power is coming in through dishwasher and spliced in the junction going to the disposer.

 

[walterjay]

Sounds like a power problem to me.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by walterjay
Sounds like a power problem to me.

If the dishwasher works and the disposal doesn't, is it still an electrical problem?

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Originally Posted by walterjay
Sounds like a power problem to me.

If the dishwasher works and the disposal doesn't, is it still an electrical problem?

Yes, it could be. Loose wire in the disposal. But if he says it hums, then it's probably just jammed and you need the allen wrench to free it up. If that doesn't work, then it's toast. 5 years isn't bad, probably contractor grade disposal and those only come with a one year warranty anyway.