Is this a disposal inlet knockout?

Greetings all, first post so go easy on me.

Basically we had a new granite countertop installed in our kitchen and new sink. The installers reconnected everything including the disposal and plumbing and such.

Then, the first time we ran the dishwasher we noticed that it wasn't draining and leaving about 2-3 inches of standign water in it.

We read about eleventy-billion posts on the subject of standing water and they said all sorts of scary things.

The dishwasher drain connects to the disposal (an insinkerator badger-5 maybe like 20 years old?) inlet connector.

So I took the hose off and just held it in the air and activated the rinse only cycle and sure enough, water came shooting out of the tube totally normal and the dshwasher worked perfectly with no standing water.

So I looked in the disposal inlet connector/tube thing and I see what appears to be a "valve" in there.

So I started google-ing and reading and most everything i saw said that there should be a knockout in there and you just smack it and it breaks off and falls into the disposal and you are good to go. HOWEVER, every single post made this seem like it was a wimpy little piece of plastic or something--what i am looking at looks like a rubber-ringed "valve" type deal.

I know I just did the worst job of explaining somethign ever done since the dawn of time so I guess what i am really asking is "On 100% of disposals, when you remove the dishwasher inlet knockout should it just be an open hole going into the disposal after that?"

Here is the best picture I could get of this sucker--hopefully it will allow you experts to totally ignore the bulk of my post and realize "yes, that's the knockout--just knock it the hell out of there" or "no, that model has a "suction-magic-valve-deal" that you shouldn't knock out.

Thanks in advance!

Disposer Knockout

Yes Just Knock It Out
Be Sure To Get It Back Out Of The Disposer Before Running

It might take a good whack - a big sturdy screwdriver or something strong and it'll break out (that's why they call it a knockout). If they didn't leave you the instruction manual...you can probably pick up a copy on their website. Handy to have around.

Don't lose the allen wrench they also should have left you...that is used when something gets wedged in the thing and you need to free up the motor shaft.

I usually just poke my scewdriver in there and thump it with the palm of my hand then pick it out of the disposer.

I wonder what other fine details the installers missed...

disposer

Did I read "'Badger 5" and "20 years old" in the same sentence? If so the disposer was worn out about 15 years ago. I am surprised it could even be reinstalled. But yes that is the dishwasher drain plug so the dishwasher must have been connected elsewhere previously.

Yes HJ you did read that! However, If the OP was correct the color of it would be the blue/grey they were using back then instead of the black/grey that one is.

I too would be suspect that a Badger disposer that someone did not know how old it was would not still be in servicable condition and it should probably be replaced. The Galv. steel grinding chamber has a very limited service life compared to the higher grade stainless steel grinding chamber units. At the very least inspect the grinding chamber for wear and replace if needed. When these wear out they will do a pretty good job of clogging a line.

additionally the disposer is supposed to drain through a dishwasher airgap before it connects to the disposer. Since I'm sure you don't have a drill bit to drill your countertop you should at least ensure the drain hose loops above the drainboard of the sink.

winslow said:

additionally the disposer is supposed to drain through a dishwasher airgap before it connects to the disposer. Since I'm sure you don't have a drill bit to drill your countertop you should at least ensure the drain hose loops above the drainboard of the sink.

Click to expand...

The Dishwasher Airgap may or, may not be required. Check your local code.
If not at least make sure the high hose loop is used.

U can knock out the plug easier if U DON'T hit it dead center, but off to its edge. If U don't get the plug out, it will make much noise until it gets ground up, but won't be fatal.