Operating a Continuous-Feed Waste Disposer
How to Operate a Whirlpool Continuous-Feed Waste Disposer
A continuous-feed waste disposer grinds food scraps while cold water runs and the wall switch is on. Correct setup and everyday habits help prevent clogs, reduce odors, and extend the life of the appliance. Use the guidance below for safe operation, routine care, and quick troubleshooting. When operating a continuous-feed waste disposer, follow the steps and tips in this article for best results across most continuous feed disposals.
All continuous-feed disposers have a two-piece stopper that acts only as a seal. To seal the stopper for holding water in the sink, insert the stopper into the disposer opening and rotate the center portion of the stopper until it drops into the seal position. Firmly press the stopper into the disposer opening. Additionally, when grinding food, the stopper can be placed over the disposer opening in the raised position, which will allow cold water to enter the disposal but keep food waste from being expelled. A wall switch is used to operate the disposer.
If your disposer is activated by the stopper, you have a batch-feed disposer. For batch-feed disposer operating instructions, see Operating your batch-feed waste disposer.
Continuous-feed Operating Instructions
- Remove the stopper from the sink opening and turn on a moderate-to-strong flow of Cold water. It is absolutely necessary that cold water flows into the disposer while it is in operation. NOTE: Cold water hardens greasy substances, which makes it easy to grind them into tiny particles. Cold water also keeps grease from sticking to the drain lines. If you have a double sink, make sure the faucet is positioned to the side where the disposer is installed during disposer operation.
- Turn the wall switch to the On position.
- Scrape food waste into the disposer opening.
- Position the stopper over the disposer opening to minimize the possible ejection of materials while grinding. Allow both the disposer and cold water to run after grinding is completed to flush drain pipes. Ground waste and water flow at an approximate rate of 2 seconds/foot in a pitched horizontal drain pipe. The water flow time after grinding will depend on the quantity of ground food and the length of the horizontal drain pipe.
- Turn wall switch to the Off position, and allow cold water to run for up to 15 seconds to flush the drain line.
Tips for Using Continuous-feed Disposer
Suitable items include small amounts of soft food scraps such as vegetable and fruit trimmings, cooked leftovers, and small fish or poultry bones only if your model explicitly allows it. Citrus peels can help freshen the chamber. These guidelines apply broadly to continuous feed disposal models and other continuous feed disposals with similar capacities.
Avoid non-food items; plastics, glass, metal, or paper; large bones; grease and oils that solidify; fibrous foods like corn husks, celery, and artichokes; and large starchy loads such as many potato peels or rice. When unsure, add small amounts with plenty of cold water.
Helpful tips: Always use cold water to keep fats solid for easier grinding and transport. Cut large scraps into smaller pieces and alternate hard and soft items. Do not use hot water during grinding; reserve hot water for sink cleanup after the unit is off. For light cleaning, run cold water with a small amount of dish soap. Monthly, grind a handful of ice cubes with a few citrus peels to help scrub the chamber. These practices support smooth continuous feed operation and reduce the chance of jams when operating a continuous-feed waste disposer.
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