TearDown: Dissecting a Garbage Disposal

[@TheVintageEngineer]

It’s a split phase induction motor. Resistive start windings only give it like a 30 degree phase angle during startup so torque is way less than a capacitor start that gives a 90 degree phase angle. Usually you don’t see them in 1/2 HP motors. I see them mostly in 1/3 HP and lower. This motor has 4 poles so it runs at about 1780-1800 RPMs unloaded. I’m betting the more commercial ones are capacitor start. Big issue with a split phase is since the start windings are resistive they burn up super quick if something gets hung up.

[@heatherlynn4652]

What about the badger 5xl? Do you know what type that is or if it'll burn out fast? Our garbage disposal in our new house just burned out after the blades were rusted stuck. I got the blades free and everything spinning freely but the motor just hums. Reset does nothing. I need a good somewhat cheap replacement

[@TheVintageEngineer]

@@heatherlynn4652 unfortunate I don’t know for sure but looking at a parts website it doesn’t show a capacitor. When you say new do you mean NEW New or new to you? Most builders give like 2 year warranties on appliances, have you tried contacting them?

[@spabarr]

You just saved me hours of heartache, my friend.

[@TVZoltron]

This is EXACTLY what I needed today. Going to go disassemble my jammed Badger 5 right now! THANK YOU...

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Thank you for this video. I was hoping for a capacitor. Buzzing with no movement. Not locked up. Can't even spin it up

[@tnbspotter5360]

After 18 years, mine developed rust holes on the top motor cover causing it to leak. When I tried to separate the top half of the shell like you did, it had quite a bit of tar holding it to the bottom half and was a bit of work to get them apart.

[@stevenreznick4394]

Good video. The torque wrench you used to take the e6s off to free the top, what size tool is that?

[@Delta5MTF]

I know late reply but if it helps u can use pliers

[@Scubaduude]

I have an SS-1 can that be disassembled like this one? I do not see any bolts that would allow me to do so? My guess is that it is covered up by all the "coating" TO MAKE it quite. However, I do not want to risk anything until I know for sure and that is why I am reaching out and asking.

[@c182SkylaneRG]

Thank you for the teardown. Mine recently started leaking through so badly that it trips the GFCI outlet it's tied to. It's good to know what the guts are like to know how to try and fix it. I've got another one on order, but if I can stretch mine another two or three weeks until it gets here, it'll be really helpful.

[@lurkersmith810]

Thank you for this teardown! I was wondering if I could just take mine apart and oil bearings and otherwise "rebuild" or repair it, but your video has convinced me to just buy another one. (Mine's got at least 30 years on it.) I can't believe that anyone who has cats is so easily grossed out by what's in a garbage disposal, since my cats can create much worse! Thanks again for the informative video.

[@oxanalangley9131]

I know this is old what was rhe torx size if those screws

[@RudyDePaz-ty7kx]

3/16 six point works, they thread into the sheetmetal bottom, no nuts.

[@marcioreis2648]

I appreciate the teardown video. It saved me from wasting my time. I'll buy a new one. Once again thank you. 👍👍🍺🍺

[@user-ku4gp2xd5y]

I have a broken insinkerator in the garage that I pulled from the garbage, and another under the kitchen sink that's leaking. These are good for restaurants, but I would never put one under my kitchen sink (I am currently renting). Absolutely amazing teardown. Thanks for the info.😊

[@chloeludvigsen6338]

Thanks!

[@CatusMaximus]

Thank You

[@SlicedSlappy]

The two spinning theeth in mine are super loose (vertically) they spin as designed. It’s violently loud because of this, can they be tightened down?

[@johng1077]

Awesome video appreciate you taking the time to make this video I have been using the 5xl for years and this will help me potentially fix one i have that just leaks, works perfect other then water leaking through the bottom of the unit. Question is have you seen the seal for sale by itself at which you speak, I believe that is my issue. The unit works perfect otherwise just weeps water out the bottom casing by the electrical connection, yikes...I just realized i had been putting my hand there to feel the water...won't be doing that again without rubber gloves on...;)

[@maniaclxllegendcallofduty8520]

I've searched high and low, but I can't find anything. Is there a part number for the internal seal? Mine recently started leaking out the bottom screw and from what research I've done, it says it's usually because of a worn out internal seal. I can't seem to find one... thanks for the video breakdown.

[@chloeludvigsen6338]

Thank you so much for this video because of this video I was able to take apart my garbage disposal and properly fix it and I hope to see more videos later in the future thank you

[@dror-giladi]

Can a garbage disposal work with only one free-swinging lugs, aka hammers? One of them broke and I was able to pull it completely out including it's broken rivet.

[@RudyDePaz-ty7kx]

Yes, the vibraton of imbalance really isnt that noticable and once rust and shit colectivo under the disc it really wont be noticeable...😊

[@jonathanbain2575]

i think its the switch thats arcing on my disposal though only intermittently so its kinda turning of and on while its running almost like a loose connection though i seen a blue flash under the sink. if it is the switch what can i do to sort that?

[@paulbeach7129]

You should hear the noise of a metal jar lid inside of one of these! Silverware will usually stick up out of the top so you are able to see it before you turn it on.

[@charliekkendo]

As others have said, thank you for this video; I don't think there's many like it on KZbin. It was helpful when I had to take mine apart to get, of all things, a rusty screw out that had fallen in. Ever put one back together? I got mine back together, working, leaking only a little from a crack in the top half. Should last a little longer til I can replace it.

[@douglasgrant8315]

I have a Badger 5-84 and it totally went toast on me. It started leaking at the screws on the bottom and then it stop doing that after no power and then ni humming no reset when pressed. Impellar won't turn- totally jammed. I tried to use a ratchet with a hex bit to get it to unjam and it just won't budge.. So much so that I darn near twist it off its EZ mount.. When it was operational the dishwasher discharge water drained perfectly without it filling up the sink now it overflows the stopper throat. My Badger is 13 years old time to get a new one...

[@CatusMaximus]

Sounds like it's definitely time for a new one!

[@EJR20]

Is there a way to open the bottom plate without tearing the whole unit apart? The reset button on mine sunk in and I can’t press it, it’s logged somewhere under there.

[@austinphillips5248]

Did you ever figure out how? Mine did the same thing

[@alancase6452]

You can remove the bottom end bell and reattach the reset button. It's contained by a plastic bracket that just needs to be pushed back into place.

[@charleshines2142]

I don't know about the best but a lot of plumbers won't bother with any other brand. To me that speaks volumes about the quality. There are other brands but I have no idea how good they are by comparison.

[@RudyDePaz-ty7kx]

We are creatures of habit, (I used to do a los of apt maintenance...) if the collar is interchangable im good. The ss models are easier to keep clean... if you aren't feedin it cat litter and drywall screws.😅 ... I World like to see more plástic engineered into keeping cost down and stop the rust... ss is not as pricey as it was long ago, but i have not use for the tin galvanized cover the motor has. Once rust sets in that rotten smell is permanent.

[@dungeonmomster]

You just saved me nearly $200 on a new disposer. Thank you thank you thank you.

[@paul-ld9vh]

Interesting video. I've often wondered what was inside a disposer. I was kinda hoping to see something similar to the jaws of a pitbull. LOL

[@kam1583]

Nice presentation 👏 thanx

[@knauregriffiths7666]

Thanks for this video, very interesting. You probably realize the hex opening at the bottom was more for clearing jams with a hex tool, it wasn't for your convenience of disassembly. 🙂

[@Haichong28]

What size e-torque wrench is that?

[@clementinagarcia8571]

Did u ever findout

[@UhhZumie]

e6

[@UhhZumie]

e6

[@joey3375]

thank you for doing this video, you must be an engineer... but I have a badger 500 and it now just hummus, Ive done the normal troubleshooting to no avail, so I thought it would be a start capacitor, I see now there isn't one. Just a switch, that obviously arcs and burns out. Thank again.... time for a new unit....

[@shawbros]

hummus?

[@damon4427]

Thanks for the video.

[@clementinagarcia8571]

What size is the e.torq

[@UhhZumie]

e6

[@simplybeanjelly]

Very cool, just today ours stopped working. I suspect the centrifugal switch to be the culprate because it does not spin and hums, but the shaft turns freely. You can feel the heat coming from the outer windings of the motor so my guess is that it's not properly switching to it's startup windings or it's startup windings are dead

[@arsbadmojo]

Mine too! That's what brought me here. When I disassembled mine there was water in the rotor and windings compartment, and I think that is supposed to be dry. When my wife showed me it would just hum when she turned it on, I went digging for the wrench, but it turned no problem, so then I went digging for my wallet.

[@howardOKC]

I got a coin stuck in there, dissected the disposal as taught, and took it out. Thanks man

[@406MenaceRacecar]

I reach in with my hand and pull them out, sometimes I had to loosen the coin with a tool by looking at it. I never took one apart like this

[@walkingn6161]

Those long bolts take a 3/16" socket, at least on my Badger 500.

[@TommyBarnes]

Ur the real mvp

[@reharper03]

Thanks for the very interesting video!

[@rmr5740]

If you ever see where water squirts out of the anti siphon valve when the dishwasher is discharging, someone forgot to knock out the plug in the disposal where the dishwasher hose attaches. Over the years, I've seen this several times. Crazy.

[@EduMatsu]

Never use the dish washer except when accidentally started somehow, so it was never an issue. But I always wondered why that happened. I just took my erator off since it was really jammed and indeed it is completely sealed 😅

[@davidhamm5626]

Thanks for the break down of the unit. There is a L shaped wrench that came with a disposer I installed. It fits in the hex in the bottom, so you can clear a jam in the unit.

[@YuriSoul2222]

great vid thanks

[@CatusMaximus]

No problem 👍

[@craigmonteforte1478]

I have nightmares about garbage disposals since i was around 19 years old and working for a builder doing customer service and warranty work. I wa sent to a customers house that claimed their disposal wouldn’t work so when i began looking at it i discovered the hose from the dishwasher was plugged solid. So i took that off and began cleaning it out with srewdrivers and whatever else i had the family was a Asian family and the Contents of the blockage appeared to be rice and rotting fish what. I discovered was that they. Only used the dishwasher on Thanksgiving day as the Mom preferred to hand wash all of her dishes and didnt trust the machine so she apparently would stop up the sink drain nightly and the husband would try to fix the drain by turning on the disposal but the wife was afraid of the noise it made and wouldn’t use it herself so a year of old food had filled up that hose and the 1 time a year. They use the dishwasher it would cram more ground up food into that same hose and i guess it was the rice that became almost like concrete as it dried out I dont have a strong stomach for nasty. Smells so. I began gagging trying to clear that hose As the stench was that strong if you can imagine how bad rotting fish remains could be yes i did get the thing back together and working and i later found out that the guy running the customer service division that sent me there was being paid cash by the very same homeowners to make sure their home got done faster than others which is why he told me to stay and do it instead of our normal procedure of diagnosing the issue and calling the plumbing company that installed all of our Plumbing fixtures to repair them

[@aunabreslingaming3279]

Alternate title: how to crack open and “repair”/permanently destroy the seal in your disposal and never get it to work again

[@charleshines2142]

if any flatware or any other piece of metal goes in there it can really mess up those teeth and the wheel. Also I don't think you want to be around if any flatware falls in while it is running since it may possibly be forcibly ejected if t hits just right. If I ever see a knife in the ceiling above a disposal I will have some idea what may have happened!!!

[@MrLucky313]

I got to the part were you ended video...seem like the white plastic 🤔 thing at bottom is in the way to put all back together

[@markglinski1540]

Thanks for the info! It's about what I expected, and unfortunately after a little over a year, I believe my bearing went out today. Sounds like silverware in there, but it's free and clear of anything. Very disappointing 😞

[@tubefr71]

Thank you for the tear down. While silverware is pretty bad, by my experience, the worse that you can put it in there is… broken glass.

[@youtubemad4459]

Yes! It’s what I’m dealing with right now.

[@steppababynupe]

TRIED ALL OF THESE VIDEOS... JUST GET A NEW 1. AT LEAST THESE VIDS TAUGHT ME HOW TO INSTALL IT. $169 AT LOWES

[@davedecot5427]

I notice the lower mounting ring (around the mouth of the disposer) is missing from this. How did you get it off? My Badger is running fine, but the sink flange in the sink was leaking water underneath for a long time, hidden from view, and so all of the mounting hardware (including the lower ring around the mouth of the disposer) was corroded and falling apart. I bought new stainless hardware, but can't figure out what holds the lower mounting ring onto the plastic body and/or how to put a new mounting ring on the disposer.

[@CatNaps33]

Thank you sir

[@KadyMerk]

So there's really no way my wedding ring could get past the disposal?

[@junker1111111]

Your wedding ring could have easily been ejected out of the disposer's outlet port ( and without much damage) if it was small enough. Look for a p-trap further down the line and take it apart. Your ring may be sitting in the bottom of it.good luck!

[@douglasmichel6361]

An 18oz. Eastwing trim hammer....

[@Dominicarjune]

its 100% sleeve bearings

[@davidmoran4471]

I have one in my shop that I replaced with the same idea, see what was inside, now I don't need to. Wait until you disassemble a well pump, the pumping stages are quite unexpected.

[@robertsheldonward]

Watch out, the inside of a well pump is probably filled with oil, which makes a big mess when you tear it apart.

[@loweffortgaming2593]

"sentrifyoujal force" 🤣

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

I never take someone’s word for it when they call something stainless steel always use a magnet, and if the magnet sticks really hard, I question the use of the term stainless steel. I know there’s different types of stainless steel, some of which are completely non-magnetic, and some of which are partially magnetic, but I have a much more expensive model than this. I have the Insinkerator Excel 2, and the magnet sticks very strongly to almost all the parts inside that I thought were stainless.

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

You say Insinkerators are not the best but you own a model it’s only got a two year warranty but the model I have has a 10 year warranty so you might wanna do your job properly and explain what makes you think they’re not the best I don’t know if they are not, but I certainly wouldn’t take the word of somebody that bought the cheapest model that they make

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

15 minutes wasted on video that doesn’t even instruct how to take apart other disposals of the same brand

[@res2788]

AOC needs to watch this video