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Underneath the disposal, centered on the bottom, is a hexagonal hole. This is for the manual crank.
What should you feel? Smooth rotation with slight resistance from the motor magnets. If you hear crunching, you are grinding up a foreign object.
You cannot reset a hot InSinkErator. The thermal switch is bimetal; it only resets when cold. how to fix a insinkerator garbage disposal hot
Do not pour cold water on the disposal to cool it. Thermal shock can crack the housing.
If you have performed all seven steps, waited 2 hours, pressed reset, cleared jams with a hex key, and the unit still trips immediately or won’t start—your motor is fried. Underneath the disposal, centered on the bottom, is
Signs of permanent failure:
Average lifespan: 8-12 years for a Badger, 12-15 years for an Evolution. If yours is older than that, replacement is cheaper than repair. Once it spins freely by hand, remove the wrench
Cost to replace: $150–$350 DIY. $250–$500 with a plumber.
Once cool, look at the bottom of the disposal unit (the lowest face pointing toward the cabinet floor).
Rarely, the switch itself fails. Use a non-contact voltage tester to see if power reaches the disposal when the switch is on.