Garbage Disposal Tripping Breaker – Reasons and Solutions

Does it happen to everyone that you flip the garbage disposal switch and find it tripping the breaker? The situation happens my way and demands a reset to initiate work. Initially, I did not bother pressing the reset button before use, but now it feels like an additional step to carry on the food grinding. To mitigate the frustration of every time reset, I consult a professional and understand why it happens and the solutions to implement. If you are into knowing about the backstory of the Garbage Disposal Tripping Breaker, read the article to the end. 

The reasons why the disposal tripping breaker are many. The primary ones are garbage disposal leaking from power cord, improper wiring, inadequate maintenance, jammed shredding plates, damaged motor bearings, and stripped wirings. Additionally, another reason that you cannot ignore is the situation of two appliances sharing the same circuit causing the breaker to overload and trip. 

The article will enlighten the primary reasons for the disposal tripping breaker in detail. Plus, the solutions are given so that you make your machine workable as before without facing any damaging outcome. 

Why Does My Disposal Keep Tripping the Breaker?

Garbage disposal is a device that requires several volts and amperes to function the way you want. However, there might be some of the related problems come in the way that not only make you frustrated but prove damaging to the appliance. One such is the tripping breaker problem that happens in response to many reasons. 

Jammed Shredding Plate

The important reason why garbage disposal trips breaker is the jammed shredding plate. Maybe you had a lazy moment with the disposal cleaning and something got stuck inside the grinding chamber making it non-workable for the next time use and making it trip the breaker. 

Improper Wiring

You must know how important is it to connect the matching wire terminals to run the appliance. Similarly, garbage disposal follows the same path and requires a closed circuit of positives with positives and negatives with negatives. In case, you fail to establish this configuration, the possibility is the breaker tripping and the disposer finding difficulty in turning on. 

Stripped Wires

Questioning your mind about the tripping breaker? If yes, focus your attention on checking whether the wires are stripped. Because wires without insulation are on the verge of initiating damage without repair and are of no benefit. 

Wrong Amperage Breaker

Bringing home garbage disposal essential installation accessories without reviewing the manual, may let you carry the breaker of the wrong amperage. Attaching this breaker to the garbage disposal may cause it to trip due to its inability to handle the disposer’s power load adequately.

Overload Garbage Disposal Breaker

Overload garbage disposal results when it is connected by multiple devices. The idea is not uncommon when the discussion of linking the garbage disposal and a dishwasher. The chances are that the circuit breaker does not carry the power load of both appliances and trips in response to the activation of both appliances. 

Garbage Disposal Tripping Breaker | Solutions

You must not worry about the disposal tripping breaker. The solutions are there to ensure the working appliance for longer. However, since not everyone is comfortable resolving electrical problems, you must decide whether to carry on the troubleshooting by calling the technician or self-helping. 

Carry out Garbage Disposal Cleaning

You must want to keep your garbage disposal in good working condition, you must focus on time to time cleaning. Also, the simple machine does not take you much time and demands only that needs to clear the jam-producing agents. 

Moreover, the convenient solution to clean the appliance from leftovers or grime is by using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar with cold water. You must take an equal proportion, that is one cup of both ingredients and pour it down the drains while running the cold water for a few seconds. Also, if you notice some clogging that halts the movement of the shredding plate, you must carry these time-saving steps and retrieve the machine. 

1. Switch off the garbage disposal by disconnecting it from the power supply. 
2. Insert an Allen wrench and move it back and forth in either direction a few times
3. Keep repeating the steps until you notice the plate loses its resistance
4. Ensure that the turntable rotates freely by removing the lingering grime using tongs
5. Press the garbage disposal reset button, run the cold water down the disposal
6. Switch on the disposal unit and check the progress if any. 

Check the Condition of the Wires

Suppose you find the wires going from the circuit breaker to the garbage disposal in the worst condition, that are stripped off, damaged, and worn out, look no further and follow ways to upgrade them. In this regard, you must call a licensed electrician to help you with the replacement and eliminate the tripping breaker problem. 

Replace Worn-out Parts

Garbage disposal has an expiry date and so do its components. Likewise, when you find the worn-out components responsible for the breaker tripping, you must replace them with updated ones. However, the circuit breaker often trips due to an overheated motor and damaged motor bearings, the replacement is tricky and lets you change the entire unit. 

Make Use of the Dedicated Circuit

The beneficial way you can keep your disposal free from tripping the circuit breaker or a reset button is by using the dedicated circuit. This way, you can prevent the other appliances from sharing the power load and ensure effective working. 

Summing Up

The garbage disposal reset button or the circuit breaker in the main outlet serves as the protector. Upon encountering emergencies, the safety mechanism trips to save the appliance from total failure. Even then, you find your disposal becomes habitual of tripping the breaker, there are chances that problems are bigger than usual, and you must dig into the depths to deal with the situation. The article clears your queries by explaining the reasons for the tripping. Additionally, it does not leave you empty-handed and mentions some of the solutions to act on them and make the disposal unit in working condition.