The part(s) or condition(s) listed below for the symptom Garbage disposer trips breaker or reset button are ordered from most likely to least likely to occur. Check or test each item, starting with the items at the top of the page.
Garbage Disposer Won't Turn On? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Won't Turn Off? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Trips Breaker? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Not Working? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Not Grinding? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Motor Hums? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Leaking Water? Garbage Disposer Troubleshooting
Garbage Disposer Noisy? Garbage Disposer TroubleshootingThe shredding plate might be jammed or worn out. Most disposers have an opening at the bottom of the housing. If the shredding plate is stuck, insert either a disposer wrench or a ¼ inch Allen wrench into the bottom of the disposer and wiggle the shredding plate back and forth until it moves freely. If the disposer does not have an opening at the bottom, insert a broom handle into the drain opening and try to wiggle the plate.
This indicates that the motor is defective or that the motor bearings are worn out. The disposer motor is not replaceable—if the disposer motor is defective or worn out, you must replace the entire disposer.
If the garbage disposer keeps tripping the breaker or reset button and you've determined the shredder plate turns freely and there is no water leak, then it's likely the overload is faulty and not monitoring the voltage appropriately. You should be able to replace the overload to resolve the issue.
If the garbage disposer keeps tripping the breaker or reset button and you've determined the shredder plate turns freely and there is no water leak, then it's possible the safety switch may be faulty. The switch protects the motor when the grinding plate gets jammed, but if the switch malfunctions and doesn't interrupt the voltage as designed, the breaker or reset button may continue to trip. You can use a multimeter to test the safety switch for electrical continuity or a short and replace the component if necessary.
If the garbage disposer keeps tripping the breaker or reset button and you've determined the shredder plate turns freely and there is no water leak, then it's likely the overload protector is faulty and not monitoring the voltage appropriately. You should be able to replace the overload protector to resolve the issue.
