YOu can do this in a much easier way too. Use a plunger on the drain. Shut off the unit, as it can't work well in a vacuum. Turn on the water, plunge the drain sharply a couple of times, then try the unit again. If that doesn't work, turn off the unit and move the fly wheel manually as the article suggests. Do this a few times and most debris cleans out quite easily. YOu can sharpen your disposal blades by running ice cubes through it, as well. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Boyce, Ray" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 9:23 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] How To Fix a Jammed Garbage Disposal
> Hi > Garbage disposals are simple machines--basically a motor and a flywheel > with impeller arms that spin and shred whatever they touch. Sometimes, > though, the > machine can jam on a bottle top or other debris, or trip a circuit breaker > when it's overloaded. If that happens, you just need to take a quick step > or > two to repair it. > > Steps: > 1. > Turn the garbage disposal on and off quickly and check to see if it has > power. If it hums, the power is on but the impeller is jammed. Move on to > step 3. > If it doesn't hum, it may have overheated and tripped a circuit breaker. > Move on to step 2. > > 2. > Restore power to the machine. Most disposals have an overload switch that > trips when the motor starts to overheat. To reset the switch, look for a > small > red button on the bottom of the housing, and if it's there, push it in > (see A). If your disposal doesn't have an overload switch or the machine > still won't > run after you reset the switch, reset the circuit breaker that serves the > disposal. > > 3. > Clear the jam from underneath. On many disposals, you can insert a > 1/4-inch (6-mm) Allen (hex) wrench into the bottom of the housing and > manually move the > motor shaft and flywheel to dislodge the jam. If your disposal has an > opening for an Allen (hex) wrench, insert the wrench and move it back and > forth until > the motor and flywheel turn freely. > > 4. > Clear the jam from above. Press the end of a short broomstick against one > of the impellers, and jab in one direction and then the other until the > jam breaks > loose > > 5. > Remove the debris. Turn off the circuit breaker that controls the garbage > disposal. Reach inside with a pair of long-nose pliers and pull out > whatever jammed > the machine. > > 6. > Turn on the cold water--this hardens any grease inside and helps the > disposal chop it up--and run the disposal until all the remaining garbage > is gone. > > Overall Tips: > > Never use a chemical drain cleaner to try to clear debris from the garbage > disposal. The caustic chemicals can damage gaskets and other parts. > > To avoid jams, keep the opening to your disposal covered with a rubber > strainer when not in use. > A garbage disposal is supposed to eliminate odors by chopping up garbage > and sending it down the drain. But occasionally the disposal itself > becomes the > source of smells. If the smell is caused by garbage collecting inside a > jammed disposal, see > How to Fix a Jammed Garbage Disposal. > Otherwise, the steps here should fix the problem. > > Steps: > 1. > Inspect the black rubber cover that fits in the disposal. Sometimes bits > of garbage collect under the flaps and create a smell. > > 2. > Clean the rubber cover, if necessary. If yours lifts out, remove it and > clean away debris with a scrub brush and warm, soapy water. If your rubber > cover > is installed permanently, lift up each flap and clean it with soapy water > and an old toothbrush. > > 3. > Deodorize the disposal. Cut a lemon in half and drop the fruit and a > handful of baking soda into the disposal. Turn on the cold water faucet > and then the > disposal. The unit will clean itself as it grinds up the mixture. > > Overall Warnings: > > If you need to work anywhere near a garbage disposal's blades, shut off > the switch or turn off the circuit breaker first. > > > ********************************************************************** > This message and its attachments may contain legally > privileged or confidential information. If you are not the > intended recipient, you must not disclose or use the > information contained in it. If you have received this e-mail > in error, please notify the sender immediately by return > e-mail and delete the e-mail. > > Any content of this message and its attachments which > does not relate to the official business of Eraring Energy > must be taken not to have been sent or endorsed by > Eraring Energy. No warranty is made that the e-mail or > attachment(s) are free from computer virus or other defect. > ********************************************************************** > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > Various List Members At The Following Address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! 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