Kick Switch for Garbage Disposal
- Thread starter THRTommy
- Start date
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kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
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.
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.
Cincycaddy
Member
- Location
- Cincinnati, OH
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- 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.
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.
- 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
This is all I found
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
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.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
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.
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
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.
Contacts are A600/N300, so make 6, break 60, which covers up to 1/2HP at 115V.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
I saw one on FleaBay for $14... but I didn't really check and yeah you're right, it is expensive.
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