Disposal Gadget

[Bain]

Kevin posted a photo of one of these gizmos recently, and I found another today. Mine was disconnected from its power source, and its cover had been removed.

I realize the purpose of the thing is to prevent the disposal from operating unless water is running. But I'm not sure about the exact process. Apparently the spring on the bottom of the rocker arm maintains a connection between the adjustable screw-contact on the upper portion of the rocker arm and the contact on the wiring box. When water is run, I'm assuming there's a little impeller in the pipe that overcomes the tension of the spring, separates the contacts, and somehow makes the electrical connection.

I'm curious, though. What actually happens when the contacts between the upper rocker arm and the box containing the wiring screws are separated? By what process does that allow current to flow?

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[AHI in AR]

It looks to me like that rocker arm assembly operates the micro switch itself. The rocker arm is not an electrical contact. I suspect that the microswitch is normally open, and when water flows and the rocker arm moves away from the microswitch the circuit closes, feeding power to the wall switch.

[rkenney]

It looks to me like that rocker arm assembly operates the micro switch itself. The rocker arm is not an electrical contact. I suspect that the microswitch is normally open, and when water flows and the rocker arm moves away from the microswitch the circuit closes, feeding power to the wall switch.

You mean the switch is normally closed. The arm is holding it open. When water flows the arm moves and the switch returns to its normally closed state.

[AHI in AR]

Electrically speaking, you are correct -- without the rocker arm as part of the equation the switch would normally be closed. But by "normally" open I meant "when no one is at the sink, water isn't flowing and the rocker arm is pressing against the switch."

[Chad Fabry]

I doubt there's an impeller- more like a vane or cup on an eccentric mount.

[Tom Raymond]

It's a dumb device. It would be far more beneficial to teach the occupants to run the water when they run the disposal.

And people wonder why common sense is becoming so uncommon.

[Bain]

It's a dumb device. It would be far more beneficial to teach the occupants to run the water when they run the disposal.

And people wonder why common sense is becoming so uncommon.

Ha ha. Those things are 40-50 years old, and I have no clue why they were ever necessary. Maybe the disposals were more fragile if run dry.

Or . . . maybe the doodad salesperson was good at convincing contractors to buy something they didn't need.