Kick Switch for Garbage Disposal

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THRTommy

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Customer wants a kick switch for her garbage disposal. Are these legal? Location La Quinta, CA. Are they rated? Sold off the shelf? Thanks, Tommy
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Legal? why not?

You may want to question if a specific switch you may be interested in is suitable for how you intend to use it.

Worst case there are "foot switches" that you may typically see for industrial equipment - some may not be rated to directly operate the load you wish to control but can drive a relay/contactor to switch the load. Most of those type will sell for higher price then a typical residential disposer will though.
 

GoldDigger

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Location
Placerville, CA, USA
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Retired PV System Designer
The idea of a foot switch activating the GD strikes me as so far removed from the "normal" setup that it could be considered a safety hazard.
With a wall switch or an air switch in the countertop you are at least assured that one hand is not inside the disposal when you turn it on.
With a kick switch I would 100% make sure that the GD is unplugged or the breaker off before working on it. :)
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I would like to see what this thing looks like. It is possible that it would not be compliant.

This is all I found

2058cie.jpg
 

Dennis Alwon

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Chapel Hill, NC
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The ones I have seen are air switches and are installed on the counter but if the kick switch was the same setup then I see no issue with it.
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
The idea of cleaning the GD with one hand and accidentally hitting the kick switch by foot, terrifies me.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
The idea of cleaning the GD with one hand and accidentally hitting the kick switch by foot, terrifies me.


Might not be good idea - but also is not something for NEC to govern IMO. NEC 90.1 should not allow such thing to be covered. Maybe some other code would prohibit such a thing though.

A good design may still be to have the typical wall switch along with a foot/kick switch, wall switch of course would ensure unit can not accidentally or automatically start - and maybe would even be required by OSHA if it were in a work place, possibly even require a locking means to be available for that switch.
 

Jraef

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Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Might not be good idea - but also is not something for NEC to govern IMO. NEC 90.1 should not allow such thing to be covered. Maybe some other code would prohibit such a thing though.

A good design may still be to have the typical wall switch along with a foot/kick switch, wall switch of course would ensure unit can not accidentally or automatically start - and maybe would even be required by OSHA if it were in a work place, possibly even require a locking means to be available for that switch.
I agree. Wall switch enables it, momentary foot switch actually turns it on. Still scares the bejeebus out of me, but at least it adds a level of cognizance to the actions it requires to do something stupid. Conceptually it's kind of like the idea that an industrial control enclosure cannot be opened with the power on unless you use a tool, it means whomever entered it MUST have known what they were getting into.

So to that end, I would get one of those Reese surface mount mushroom head "smash" buttons used for cross walks. They are designed to be abused, and anything people use their feet to operate will get abused. I would also get the weatherproof version because in a kitchen, there is mopping and spills, then lastly I would get the one with a shield on the sides so that casual contact is reduced.

a1071.jpg

Contacts are A600/N300, so make 6, break 60, which covers up to 1/2HP at 115V.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I agree. Wall switch enables it, momentary foot switch actually turns it on. Still scares the bejeebus out of me, but at least it adds a level of cognizance to the actions it requires to do something stupid. Conceptually it's kind of like the idea that an industrial control enclosure cannot be opened with the power on unless you use a tool, it means whomever entered it MUST have known what they were getting into.

So to that end, I would get one of those Reese surface mount mushroom head "smash" buttons used for cross walks. They are designed to be abused, and anything people use their feet to operate will get abused. I would also get the weatherproof version because in a kitchen, there is mopping and spills, then lastly I would get the one with a shield on the sides so that casual contact is reduced.

View attachment 12039

Contacts are A600/N300, so make 6, break 60, which covers up to 1/2HP at 115V.

How much do those cost?

I can easily see a $100+ switch for a $50 disposer
 
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