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Garbage disposal
Something to think about.
Earlier this year, our school system started to experience an inordinate amount of disposal failures. We have four schools and six Salvajor disposals and I had to replace one and rebuild two of them. So I contacted Salvajor to try and figure out what the underlying issue was and it turns out we were not using the disposals appropriately. These things are designed to run almost all day everyday for years on end. During the long shut downs, i.e. summer, spring break and Christmas break, the disposals dry out and rust as the grinder and bell housing are cast iron. The rust can cause the grinder to seize, the grease and oil can settle and the seals can dry out and crack.
On the advise of Salvajor, we have started a disposal maintenance program for when we are shut down. They recommend that when the disposals want be used for a period greater than 7 days to spray down the grinder and bell housing with a non corrosive lubricant (WD40) and if the units won’t be used for 10 days or more it is recommended that some one gose around and runs the units for at least 5 minutes.
I know in the past, disposal maintenance is not something g I had given much tought to and in this period of kitchens being idel it may be something to think about.
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7 Replies
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Just some pics
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Another
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I always enjoyed the disposers that clogged up at the end of the year, and no one called in a work order to clear it. I’ve seen standing splooge water in a disposer, with water dripping out the bottom, coming through the motor.
Yeah, sure, I’ll just reset the overload and you’ll be back in business. Maybe not…
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When I was with Commercial Parts & Service (before Ecolab acquisition), we quit rebuilding disposers. If it leaked, it was DONE.
Reasons?
Labor and parts was unpredictable before tearing one down, so couldn’t provided estimated cost until doing so. More often than not, rebuilding one surpassed 50% the cost of a new one. We could only offer a standard 30/90 day labor/parts warranty versus a proper manufacturer’s warranty that comes with a new one.Where I work at now in-house, they’d already gotten rid of almost ALL of their disposers.
To replace them, they had a local fabricator make a substitute scrap receptacle about the shape and size of the original disposers (Salvajor 300s) which mounts to a scrap sink just like the disposer once did.
It’s basically a large, long strainer basket inside of a stainless cylinder with a proper outlet to a drain.
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We have made the decision to not replace anymore either. If they need to be replace, we will just remove them. We have a local fabricator that we use on a regular basis. The Salvajor rebuild kits don’t cost that much, so I will continue to rebuild them as I can, But they remain a pain.
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Good to know. I do not have disposal systems on my site, just drain strainers but for others this seems like it would be valuable.
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