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#1
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my poor garbage disposal
I am an amateur artist, just beginning to learn this craft. Last night
I made the boneheaded mistake of pouring leftover acrylic paint into my garbage disposal. Now my poor garbage disposal appears to be jammed tight - it only hums when I switch it on (which I only do for a second, because I don't want to burn out the motor). I don't actually have any direct proof that the paint caused the problem, but my gut instinct tells me it did. Acrylic paint can be dissolved with acetone, but if I pour this into the garbage disposal, won't it all just run through and go down the drain? (The drain itself isn't plugged; water still flows through, but the unit won't spin). Does anyone have any suggestions? tiger |
#2
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my poor garbage disposal
The acetone could be harmful to pvc. There should be a hex shaped hole on
the bottom of the unit to put the once included wrench into to clear a jam. Procure the proper hex (allen) wrench, and see if you can free it that way. -- Steve Barker wrote in message ups.com... I am an amateur artist, just beginning to learn this craft. Last night I made the boneheaded mistake of pouring leftover acrylic paint into my garbage disposal. Now my poor garbage disposal appears to be jammed tight - it only hums when I switch it on (which I only do for a second, because I don't want to burn out the motor). I don't actually have any direct proof that the paint caused the problem, but my gut instinct tells me it did. Acrylic paint can be dissolved with acetone, but if I pour this into the garbage disposal, won't it all just run through and go down the drain? (The drain itself isn't plugged; water still flows through, but the unit won't spin). Does anyone have any suggestions? tiger |
#3
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my poor garbage disposal
I don't see the alleged hex-shaped hole there, but your suggestion has
made me think I should possibly contact the manufacturer and ask them what they recommend for clearing a jam in general (I don't think I'll mention the paint just yet - don't want to look like more of an idiot than I already do). Unless you can think of another method for clearing a jam? Or somewhere else to find that hole? tiger Steve Barker LT wrote: The acetone could be harmful to pvc. There should be a hex shaped hole on the bottom of the unit to put the once included wrench into to clear a jam. Procure the proper hex (allen) wrench, and see if you can free it that way. -- Steve Barker wrote in message ups.com... I am an amateur artist, just beginning to learn this craft. Last night I made the boneheaded mistake of pouring leftover acrylic paint into my garbage disposal. Now my poor garbage disposal appears to be jammed tight - it only hums when I switch it on (which I only do for a second, because I don't want to burn out the motor). I don't actually have any direct proof that the paint caused the problem, but my gut instinct tells me it did. Acrylic paint can be dissolved with acetone, but if I pour this into the garbage disposal, won't it all just run through and go down the drain? (The drain itself isn't plugged; water still flows through, but the unit won't spin). Does anyone have any suggestions? tiger |
#4
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my poor garbage disposal
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#6
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my poor garbage disposal
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#7
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my poor garbage disposal
I run latex paint down the drains all the time when I'm cleaning
brushes and stufff.... just run a tremendous amount of water to dilute the stuff. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm sure I'm violating some sort of environmental law somewhere. As far as acetone goes...that stuff is wicked strong. I can't imagine it doing anything good to your disposal or pipes. Here's my solution, make sure there isn't a spoon or rag in there before you go to much trouble. (UNPLUG IT FIRST, THEN PROVE IT SAFE BY OPERATING THE SWITCH. Treat putting your hand in a gargage disposal the same as a loaded gun.) If that isn't the case, take the disposal off and take it apart if you can. (loosen the three screws, usually slot head, from the bottom...the unit will rotate then fall right off. There's probably illustrations online if you're concerned) Once the disposal is taken down and apart, you'll see your acrylic paint all over the the blade impeller thingymajig. At this point, start cutting it away from the shaft until the blades rotate freely. Then pat yourself on the back, you've successfully colored the blades of your disposal. Also note, new disposals aren't that expensive. It may be time for a new one anyhow if yours doesn't have a hex lug on the bottom to clear a jam. I find this a useful feature once a month. |
#8
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my poor garbage disposal
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#9
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my poor garbage disposal
Mine's a badger.... I guess I (and a few others I know) are in the 20%
minority. It does have a hex thing at the bottom though. |
#11
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my poor garbage disposal
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#12
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my poor garbage disposal
On 16 Nov 2006 05:36:54 -0800, "
wrote: Mine's a badger.... I guess I (and a few others I know) are in the 20% minority. Badgers are made by insinkerator. P&M because the group filss moves so fast. It does have a hex thing at the bottom though. |
#13
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my poor garbage disposal
On 16 Nov 2006 10:46:57 -0800, "Kyle" wrote:
wrote: I am an amateur artist, just beginning to learn this craft. Last night I made the boneheaded mistake of pouring leftover acrylic paint into my garbage disposal. Now my poor garbage disposal appears to be jammed tight - it only hums when I switch it on (which I only do for a second, because I don't want to burn out the motor). You haven't mentioned in the discussion whether or not you were running water when you poured the paint, or just poured it. If you were running water, chances are something else is jamming it, if you just poured the paint, then, yeah, you may have painted the sucker stuck. If you go the hex wrench route in trying to free up the disposal, MacGyver yourself a long handle for the wrench - at least 12". You want as much leverage as possible to free up the blades. The problem with that is, when I tried it, that I was afraid I would break the connection to the drain pipe, or the drain pipe itself. There is no doubt that the whole disposal was moving and the pipes were challenged by that. I tried to hold on to the disposal while I turned but I was alone and it was stuffed under the sink with a cabinet around it, so no success there. If I used the thing more often, it wouldn't gather rust. This time it had been more than 3 months. After the first one rusted/froze shut after 19 years, and disassembling it led nowhere, I gave up and just replaced this one (maybe 10 years old). I too would think he could break the paint if that was the problem. Whether or not you do that, I would recommend pouring acetone down the disposal only under the following conditions: (1) that the disposal has no plastic pipe leaving the disposal chamber, What about the fact that most disposals have plastic tops to the food chamber? and (2) that you remove the disposal from the sink and drain and pour the acetone in the unit outside. That might take care of it. And I'd like to put in my 2 cents' worth about not putting stuff other than water down the kitchen drain. Garbage disposals are more problems than they're worth - all that food doesn't get ground up finely enough and if you have any kind of low spot or belly in your sewer line, it lays there, hardens and blocks the drain. Since I stopped using my garbage disposal two years ago, I haven't had to have the plumber out to auger the line... I don't actually even intentionally grind anything up. Thbat's why I use it so rarely. And I keep a strainer in the sink which I empty into the waste basket. But food sneaks in and makes it hard for the water to drain. Then I run the disposal. I think if I would remember to run it once a week, it would last for 40 years. I lost my own clothes washer once because for 3 or 6 months I went to a neighbor building where I could do 2 loads at once and where there were dryers. The Whirlpool Cool Line spent lots of time with me, but the main bearing had rusted no-rotate and rusted in place as well, so I couldn't even get the thing out. I think the same thing happens with garbage disposals. |
#14
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my poor garbage disposal
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:58:17 -0500, mm
wrote: [...] And I'd like to put in my 2 cents' worth about not putting stuff other than water down the kitchen drain. Garbage disposals are more problems than they're worth - all that food doesn't get ground up finely enough and if you have any kind of low spot or belly in your sewer line, it lays there, hardens and blocks the drain. Since I stopped using my garbage disposal two years ago, I haven't had to have the plumber out to auger the line [...] Hear. hear! I hardly use mine at all. Table scraps and veg peels, etc. (non-meat or fat) go into the compost jar. Meat, fat, bones go in the trash. Only thing that goes down the disposal is lemon rinds for disinfecting. Am still recovering from a big Thanksgiving dinner I threw 'n' years ago, when, night before dinner, all preparations on track, I put CELERY down the disposal! Even as I did it, a dull bell tolled in the back of my mind. Too bad it wasn't in the front of my mind. Whole story would make a strong man cry.. I got through the dinner next day somehow, with a stopped-up sink... whatta nightmare! |
#15
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my poor garbage disposal
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:40:12 -0800, aspasia wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:58:17 -0500, mm wrote: [...] And I'd like to put in my 2 cents' worth about not putting stuff other than water down the kitchen drain. Garbage disposals are more problems than they're worth - all that food doesn't get ground up finely enough and if you have any kind of low spot or belly in your sewer line, it lays there, hardens and blocks the drain. Since I stopped using my garbage disposal two years ago, I haven't had to have the plumber out to auger the line [...] Hear. hear! I hardly use mine at all. Table scraps and veg peels, etc. (non-meat or fat) go into the compost jar. Meat, fat, bones go in the trash. Only thing that goes down the disposal is lemon rinds for disinfecting. Am still recovering from a big Thanksgiving dinner I threw 'n' years ago, when, night before dinner, all preparations on track, I put CELERY down the disposal! Even as I did it, a dull bell tolled in the back of my mind. Too bad it wasn't in the front of my mind. Whole story would make a strong man cry.. I got through the dinner next day somehow, with a stopped-up sink... whatta nightmare! If you don't use the thing, why not take it out entirely? |
#16
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my poor garbage disposal
Hey man I have a pretty good site with some user manuals on it and its
free. http://www.theusermanualsite.com/ I use it for items I find at garage sales or e-bay that need to be fixed. Hope this helps! Josh |
#17
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my poor garbage disposal
aspasia wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:58:17 -0500, mm wrote: Am still recovering from a big Thanksgiving dinner I threw 'n' years ago, when, night before dinner, all preparations on track, I put CELERY down the disposal! Oooh, my sympathies. What finally ended my wife and I using our disposal was a combination of buying a composting unit, and my spending 2 hours Thanksgiving morning - three hours before we were expecting both families for dinner - disassembling the sink drain (it's complicated because of having to move the sink when we re-did the kitchen) and fishing the hand-cranked auger down the drain to find six feet down under the floor a clump of shredded asparagus had blocked the line. Grrr. |
#18
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my poor garbage disposal
On Mon, 20 Nov 2006 11:28:48 -0500, Goedjn wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:40:12 -0800, aspasia wrote: On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 13:58:17 -0500, mm wrote: [...] And I'd like to put in my 2 cents' worth about not putting stuff other than water down the kitchen drain. Garbage disposals are more problems than they're worth - all that food doesn't get ground up finely enough and if you have any kind of low spot or belly in your sewer line, it lays there, hardens and blocks the drain. Since I stopped using my garbage disposal two years ago, I haven't had to have the plumber out to auger the line [...] Hear. hear! I hardly use mine at all. Table scraps and veg peels, etc. (non-meat or fat) go into the compost jar. Meat, fat, bones go in the trash. Only thing that goes down the disposal is lemon rinds for disinfecting. Am still recovering from a big Thanksgiving dinner I threw 'n' years ago, when, night before dinner, all preparations on track, I put CELERY down the disposal! Even as I did it, a dull bell tolled in the back of my mind. Too bad it wasn't in the front of my mind. Whole story would make a strong man cry.. I got through the dinner next day somehow, with a stopped-up sink... whatta nightmare! If you don't use the thing, why not take it out entirely? See above - I "hardly"use it except for lemon rinds, but want it available when & if needed for something else. Why go to the trouble & expense of removing it? |
#19
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my poor garbage disposal
but your suggestion has made me think I should possibly contact the manufacturer and ask them what they recommend for clearing a jam in general (I don't think I'll mention the paint just yet - don't want to look like more of an idiot than I already do). So to save your pride, in front of a stranger, and after you've already told the hundreds or thousands who read this group what you did, you're going to waste the time of the manufacturer's employee?? As a person who spent a number of years working for a company that did warranty repair services for appliances and computers, I have exactly ZERO qualms about wasting that employee's time. It's what they get paid for. Would you go to a doctor for stomach cramps and leave out the fact that you ate poison? No. Or are you trying to build a long-term relationship with whoever reads your email? No idea what you just said right there. First, it's not going to do them or you any good to discuss jams in general, without discussing your jam. Second, don't waste a person's time, who can't do better than send you a copy of what someone else there has already written. If you want, read what it says about jams in the instructions if you have them, and on their webpage. Third people here told you what you can do. Take that wrench (just a hex shaped rod, bent once or twice) and turn the rotor back and forth until it frees up. They presumed you had plastic drain pipes and not metal. If you do have plastic, you can remove the whole disposal (easy. Turn off the fuse or circuit breaker first) and try the acetone. Then flush out the acentone well before putting the disposal back. This assumes your disposal is old enough that IT has a metal case, or that the plastic case it has won't be ruined by acetone. You don't want the whole thing melting. Unless you can think of another method for clearing a jam? Or somewhere else to find that hole? It's in the middle. Use a mirror, or get down low. I had a better idea: I took the whole thing out, threw it away, and bought a brand-new one. It wasn't terribly expensive, and I consoled my wife by telling her she didn't have to buy me anything else for Christmas. Maybe you think that's wasteful, but my problem is solved now, and I don't have to sleep on the couch anymore, either. tiger |
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