Humming Garbage Disposal Won't Start But Runs With Hand Start

[sjread]

My Insinkerator 777 hums when turned on but won't spin... unless I stick a big spoon down and give one of the spinners a good shove, like starting a prop plane. (Pretty easy for me to do since my baffle is in bad shape and I can easily see my shredder assembly.) Obviously, then, my flywheel isn't frozen and there's no food stuck and the reset button hasn't switched off, etc. It works as good as new, except for that pesky little problem of not starting. I've read countless GD questions here and elsewhere and the answers seem to be either one of the aforementioned issues or "time to buy a new one," but I've not run across my situation of it running great after a "push start." I'm not sure when we got it -- could be ten years old -- but, regardless, I hate to trash a $350 GD that seems repairable. My only thought is perhaps the capacitor is shot. Does that sound plausible? Worth buying one and trying to replace? Has anyone encountered this problem before and is there anything I can do? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Terry]

After ten years, the blades have had too much wear and tear to spend much time on it.
You may have spent $350 to have it installed at the time, but the disposer wasn't that much.
You may be able to find that part on the web though, and I would be interested to hear how that repair went.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

ISE doesn't sell repair parts. You either call them for the repair or replace it. Does it turn "freely" or do you have to coax it. It could have bad bearings or some small item could be stuck between the rim of the cutter and the outer shell. Not bad enough to keep it from running, but just enough to prevent it from starting.

 

[DonL]

My only thought is perhaps the capacitor is shot. Does that sound plausible? Worth buying one and trying to replace? Has anyone encountered this problem before and is there anything I can do? Thanks for any suggestions.

That would probably fix it, if the bearings are good.

Do you know the value of the Cap ?

 

[BMWpowere36m3]

I ran into the same problem, but on a ISE Badger 5... probably 12 yrs old. It would hum when turned on and only ran if the power was ON and coaxed at the same time. If you turned it off and then back on, most of the time it would just humm again.

Given its age and the look of the cutters inside, a new Badger 5 was ~$100... so I replaced it (girlfriend's condo).

 

[DonL]

I think they should be banned.

Many Problems solved.

 

[hj]

Banning automobiles would solve a lot of problems also, but try to do it.

 

[Smooky]

I think you are correct that the Capacitor is bad:

http://www.repairclinic.com/PartDetail/Capacitor/5861/1019426

 

[Terry]

Banning automobiles would solve a lot of problems also, but try to do it.

Was he referring to the disposer, or the wife?

I think they should be banned.

Many Problems solved.

 

[DonL]

Was he referring to the disposer, or the wife?

Now you have me thinking about that.

Can't live with them, Can't live without them.