My insinkerator garbage disposer will not work. It put out a puff of smoke
when I tried to restart it. Does this mean that it is burned out?

there should be a hex key lug in the bottom of it so you can turn the
blades manually. Make sure the blades turning freely.

Then check the breaker (the red button on the bottom). Push it in if
it's "out".

outside of that, ya, I guess it's shot. Especially if it's smoking...
but I can't imagine how you could get smoke from the drain, you should
see it well up under your sink if anywhere.


pathsmith23 wrote:
My insinkerator garbage disposer will not work. It put out a puff of smoke
when I tried to restart it. Does this mean that it is burned out?

Actually it did come from under the sink. It was just a small puff and
smelled electrical. The red reset button is not out and I was trying the
use the hex wrench when the smoke came out. I immediately turned the wall
switch off. I checked the outlet and it still works but when I flip the
switch there is no sound. Is there some place on the disposer itself that
I need to check? Thanks for your response.

pathsmith23 wrote:
Actually it did come from under the sink. It was just a small puff and
smelled electrical. The red reset button is not out and I was trying the
use the hex wrench when the smoke came out. I immediately turned the wall
switch off. I checked the outlet and it still works but when I flip the
switch there is no sound. Is there some place on the disposer itself that
I need to check? Thanks for your response.

Did you free it up with the hex wrench yet?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

Yes but when I turn it on there is no sound. The reset button is not
"out". Should I just buy a new one, if so is it hard to install?

"pathsmith23" wrote in message
news:dbf8b910f3a915a0d09eac74bac2427d@homerepairli ve.com...
Actually it did come from under the sink. It was just a small puff and
smelled electrical. The red reset button is not out and I was trying the
use the hex wrench when the smoke came out. I immediately turned the wall
switch off. I checked the outlet and it still works but when I flip the
switch there is no sound. Is there some place on the disposer itself that
I need to check? Thanks for your response.

I don't think it would be very safe to use the hex wrench while
the power to it is on.

Bob

The reset button on these doesn't really
pop out when it shuts down.
You have to press it pretty hard before
it resets. Anyway, that's the
way mine was.

pathsmith23 wrote:
Yes but when I turn it on there is no sound. The reset button is not
"out". Should I just buy a new one, if so is it hard to install?

In article om, "pathsmith23" wrote:
Yes but when I turn it on there is no sound. The reset button is not
"out". Should I just buy a new one, if so is it hard to install?

If the old disposal is 5, 10 or more years old, don't waste
any more time it. Just replace. If it's relatively new,
check out the warranty situation.

If it's in between those extremes, I'd lean towards getting
a replacement since these units are not very expensive.

Installation is relatively straighforward for someone who
has done a little plumbing and electrical work. However,
if the new unit is different size and/or has slightly
different geometry, you may have to rework the drain lines
slightly to get everything hooked up. You'll need some
basic plumbing tools and some plumbers putty. More if
you have to replace part of the drain lines and/or
fittings.

Installation is well beyond the capabilities of many
otherwise intelligent people (including my wife and my
Dad).

Unless you have some relevent experience with plumbing and
electrics or are willing to invest the time taking this
very slowly and learning all you can along the way, I'd
be inclined to get it done professionally. Many of the
places selling these units offer a fixed price installation
service option (e.g. Sears).

You should be able to get a decent mid-range disposal
(including installation) for around $200.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"pathsmith23" wrote in message
news:7a8750e5497393583412b706dc328fca@homerepairli ve.com...
Yes but when I turn it on there is no sound. The reset button is not
"out". Should I just buy a new one, if so is it hard to install?

That's because all the smoke got out. Once the smoke is released, most
motors are crap. (larger industrial motors can be rebuilt and have the
smoke re-charged)

Allow a couple of hours to put in a new one. They are not difficult to do
and since most are made by the same company, the drain line will probably
line up as well. The most difficult part is working under the sink and
lifting the new one into place from an awkward position.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
et...

"pathsmith23" wrote in message
news:7a8750e5497393583412b706dc328fca@homerepairli ve.com...
Yes but when I turn it on there is no sound. The reset button is not
"out". Should I just buy a new one, if so is it hard to install?

That's because all the smoke got out. Once the smoke is released, most
motors are crap. (larger industrial motors can be rebuilt and have the
smoke re-charged)

Allow a couple of hours to put in a new one. They are not difficult to do
and since most are made by the same company, the drain line will probably
line up as well. The most difficult part is working under the sink and
lifting the new one into place from an awkward position.

For what it's worth, after much struggling I finally got over the problem of
trying to hold the disposal in place while hooking it up. Got one of the
small jacks out of the car and used it to lift and hold the disposal in
place. Have to be very careful that you don't lift too high and screw up the
sink.
MLD