Our kitchen sink has a garbage disposal that is stuck or not working. It is an InSinkErator Badger 5 model. My wife says that a service rep who came out the last time it malfunctioned said that all he had to do was press a reset button. But I cannot locate it. Can anyone instruct me? Thanks.
It's little, red, and I think it is on the bottom of the unit. Only
2mm iirc. If you don't have any other mirror, your wife probably has a mirror in her compact. Mirrors are very useful. Or just feel around.Also if it is jambed there is hex shaped socket in the bottom which accepts an Allen wrench or the special insinkerator wrench. Turn it back and forth until it turns freely.
(My mother gave me a stack of about 6 mirrors that came with purses she bought over the years. I've been using them for 40 years and haven't broken one yet. At this rate they'll last me 240 years, at least.
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
Hmmm. Ever read a manual for it? When it's not popped, harder to feel but it's underneath. Use a mirror with flash light. And find and keep that hand crank hex key to use it when jammed. Tony
How old? Just had a clients InSinkErator 333 Pro (pro model of the 444) go bad. It was humming and I thought good easy fix. Got the hex tool from the lady (she had no idea what it was for but kept everything). It turned freely however. I opened up the electrical input plate and it was full of water. So was the motor housing. She called InSinkErator and was told her warranty was a year past, 4 years I think. I Googled that model, esp places like Epinions. Then emailed their customer service including a known history of this leaking, how the dripping water had ruined her cabinet, how dangerous this was in the electrics etc. They responded the next day and promptly sent out a brand new unit with apologies. Uhh same model unfortunately but it was free. Richard
Yep, we pressed the little red reset button and it works fine again. Glad that's all it was. Thanks, everyone for responding.
tenplay wrote: ..
Thank you for returning to tell us the outcome. Not everyone is that considerate.
And a couple of other things...........................
Get a ratchet with a long extension. Get the socket for the turntable that spins in there. When it is really stuck, sticking the ratchet and socket in from the top and twisting it backwards will usually free up the spinner.
Get a flashlight and a long set of forceps. Look into the top when something gets in there, and use the forceps to get it out.
I had always had luck in just grinding up what was in there without having to reach in there and actually pull it out. My fat hand will just barely go in there, and it is painful and difficult to reach in there and get things by the very tips of my fingers. But I can do it. So, mainly I use the flashlight and forceps method. But, when it spins, I just usually let it grind up the offending food part.
A few weeks ago, something was rattling around in my dishwasher. I turned it on, and figured it would grind up whatever it was. It was a small colored rock from my driveway. I do not know how it got in there. It spun perfectly in the space between the spinner and the outside case. It poked a nice hole in there. Water, water everywhere under the sink, counter, and floor.
Time for a new disposal. Well, it was time anyway, but you hate for it to go that way.
So, use the additional tips I posted here. Ratchet, flashlight, and forceps.
Steve
Still, get a small flashlight and long set of forceps to retrieve stuff that goes down and won't grind up.
Steve
Thanks for the tips about th forceps and he ratchet extension.
I'd never thought about those.
For a time they sent out thousands of these with bad seals. I had one. Water leaked down into the motor locking it up. Called the 800# at Insinkerator & they knew exactly what model I was talking about. They sent someone out _that day_ & replaced it. I couldn't find a reciept. The tech didn't care. But with other work I'd done at about that time was able to determine it was 3-4 years old.
They extended the warranty to 4 years on the new one. I thought it was damn good customer service.
The below is a guide on how to remove a dime from your Badger 5-81 Insinkerator.
You will need the following things:
Small hands Strong fingers The Allen wrench dealie that comes with your badger. A flat head screw driver A pair of needle-nose pliers A working flashlight A chisel and ultimately A hammer
To be fair it is only in the extreme situation in which a dime is wedged between the drain and the turning mechanism of the Badger In which this technique is necessary.
Step 1. Use the Flashlight and locate the dime.
Step 2. Once located take a screw driver and attempt to wedge the flathead against the wall of your insinkerator and the dime. Using leverage bend the dime out toward the center of the sink.
Step 3. Place your small hand inside the garbage disposal and attempt to grasp the coin and pull it out with your strong fingers.
ATTENTION: the makers of inskerator strongly urge you to never place your hands in the garbage disposal. Although this is wise advice (especially if your garbage disposal is in the on position). what the makers of the badger 5-81 don?t tell you is that although you may have a warranty for 2 years that warranty is null and void if "foreign objects" are lodged in your machine. With a service charge of something like 150 bucks to remove 10 cents. You might also find this technique more lucrative.
Step 4. Take your left hand place it inside the drain grasping the coin, and your right hand under the sink with the Allen wrench dealie firmly in place. SLOWLY rock the wrench back and forth while wiggling the dime. Repeat for about this for about half an hour. You may have to place your face on the counter to perform this particular technique. NOTE: laying on your stomach on top of the counter and performing this action is NOT more comfortable
Step 5. Have a cigarette (you might want to wash your hands in order to do this... in fact washing your hands regularly during this procedure is probably a really good idea.)
Step 6. Repeat step 4.
Step 7. Throw away your needle nose pliers. (The concept that needle nose pliers will fit inside a sink drain is a logical fallacy. As the pliers go in the nose of them closes making grasping the dime absolutely impossible)
Step 8. Repeat step 4 until the dime is significantly bent toward the center of the drain in an about a 45 degree angle.
NOTE: Do not turn on the disposal in an attempt to dislodge the dime. If you do this repeat step 4 about five more times
Step 9. Get fed up!!!
Step 10. Take a chisel and place it on the dime.
Step 11. Smack the chisel firmly with the hammer.
Step 12. Once the dime is really close to dropping beyond the metal edge of the disposal smack it again... this time down the drain!!!
Step 13. remove all "foreign objects" and tools from your sink.
Step 14. Turn on the water.
Step 15. Turn on the disposal and let the 2 and 1/2 horsepower of your badger 5 do the rest.
Step 16. Listen to your Badger Purr.
Step 17. test out your Badger with various fruits and non metal/wooden objects.
Congratulations you Now have a fully functional badger 5-81 Inskereator Garbage disposal... and you're out only 10 cents.
replying to tenplay, Donna wrote: I have a nail stuck between the turntable and ring can't get it out. Should I remove the disposal and see if I can get it from there? Rather not have to do it if I try something else. It is bent also
Sometimes using a broomstick handle to reverse the grinder will dislodge something stuck like this.
Good Luck........
Some have an allen socket on the bottom, so you can turn it backwards.
Removing the disposal won't make access much easier, you still have to reach in through the opening.
I'd be thinking pliers or something to reach in and grab it to pull it out. You can crank it from the bottom using the allen wrench usually supplied, but I don't think that's going to help much.
I was thinking of saying the same thing, but then I thought about it again. They have the flange that goes in the sink, then the disposal hangs from it. You might have some more room with it off, but I'm not sure. Some you can pull the rubber flap thing out too, maybe some you can get that out when it's off, IDK. Taking it off might not make it much easier, but sometimes you only need a wee bit to get it done. Reversing it with the allen wrench would seem to be the best hope to me.
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