Do You Have a Disposal Air Switch?

[plumies]

I just learned from a friend of mine today that she installed (the contractor, actually) an air switch for her garbage disposal when she remodeled her house. She's vertically challenged like me and she said the switch was one of the top 5 items in her new kitchen that she loves. So...

I've been doing some research online for the past couple of hours and it looks like replacing the current switch should be pretty straightforward as a DIY job, of course taking into consideration of good electrical practices.

So my question is (finally) , how many of you have an air switch and did you install it yourself, did it come with the house, or did you have a plumber install it? Another question. For those of you who have one, how do you like it?

 

[sattie]

OK, I'm gonna ask, what the heck is an air switch?

 

[Wart]

I have a 'disposable air' switch, it fails at the most inappropriate times.

 

[plumies]

OK, I'm gonna ask, what the heck is an air switch?

That's what I said! So you know that switch to turn on your garbage disposal that's on the wall? An air switch replaces that and it can be mounted on your sink or countertop. Something like this: http://www.presair.com/uploads/SafeAire_disposal_switch.pdf So you can control your garbage disposal with just a push of a button.

I have an Insinkerator and the switch is literally way back in a cubby corner, 3 ft away from the sink and the corner of the counter. I have to lean as far as I can reach and then using a wooden spoon, flip that darn switch on/off.

 

[plumies]

I have a 'disposable air' switch, it fails at the most inappropriate times.

Bummer. Do you think it's the nature of an air switch or perhaps something else?

 

[Wart]

OK, I'm gonna ask, what the heck is an air switch?

I believe it is a switch operated by compressed air, press a switch here, it compresses air which moves through a tube and closes electrical contacts 'over there'.

Advantage is being able to operate an electrical device remotely without having to run wires in accordance with the National Electrical Code.

 

[Wart]

Bummer. Do you think it's the nature of an air switch or perhaps something else?

Uhhh, 'disposable air', sphincter ..... inappropriate times ....

 

[Wart]

I have an Insinkerator and the switch is literally way back in a cubby corner, 3 ft away from the sink and the corner of the counter. I have to lean as far as I can reach and then using a wooden spoon, flip that darn switch on/off.

The location of the switch is for safety. Historically disposal switches are placed in an inconvenient spot so the disposal can not be turned on by accident or mistake.

Best place is behind the access door under the sink.

 

[plumies]

Uhhh, 'disposable air', sphincter ..... inappropriate times ....

So I'm a little slow on the uptake!

So I guess you can say it's the "nature" of the disposable air switch then.

 

[Robo410]

as a kid our disposer had a switch built into the drain plug ...insert and turn. It was a GE. Haven't seen one of those in years. My current township doesn't aloow garbage disposers or disposalls or electric pigs as we used to call em.

 

[Katie H]

The location of the switch is for safety. Historically disposal switches are placed in an inconvenient spot so the disposal can not be turned on by accident or mistake.

Best place is behind the access door under the sink.

Yes. When my children were small, there was a tragic accident in my county with a toddler. The child in bare feet - it was summertime - crawled up on the kitchen counter while his mother was distracted. The disposer was not covered and there was nothing in the sink. The baby slipped on something, fell into the sink and, in doing so, accidentally hit the ON switch. His little foot went into the disposer, which was now running. You figure out the rest. Fortunately his mother was able to get to him before too much damage was done. It still gives me the creeps. That was almost 40 years ago.

 

[plumies]

The location of the switch is for safety. Historically disposal switches are placed in an inconvenient spot so the disposal can not be turned on by accident or mistake.

Best place is behind the access door under the sink.

I completely understand about location and safety. And the location you mentioned would have been ideal for me. Whoever designed the kitchen obviously didn't completely think it through. They stuck the garbage disposal switch right next to the lightswitch for the light above the sink.

 

[pacanis]

When my parents built their house in the seventies the disposal switch was right next to the switch for the sink light, next to the sink, but of course when I installed my disposals I put the switch under the sink behind the cabinet door because that's easier to do in most cases. I have no idea what code it....

The only time you should really need an air switch is if you have your hands full or don't want to risk flipping switches with wet hands, which obviously you shouldn't do.
I have a foot operated air switch for a drier next to a tub and I love it. The other end of the air switch plugs into the wall outlet and the drier plugs into that. Pretty slick. And even thought that outlet is on a GFI breaker AND circuit, I feel safer turning on the drier that way.
I honestly don't see the need for one for a disposal, but that's just me

 

[love2"Q"]

when we redo kitchens we install these on all disposals ...
if there are children in the house we go over the dangers of there
being a push button type switch on the counter .. so that if there
are any concerns we will move it .. they are easy to install ..
and if you have a sink with pre drilled holes in it that you do not
need all of .. you can put this switch in one of the holes to take up
that space .. if you are installing a new disposal in a house that
does not have one .. it is alot easier to put a air switch in than try
and fish a wire up a wall an put in a old work box and wire a reg. switch to ..
i like them .. and you can use them for basically anything you plug in ..

 

[plumies]

Thanks for all your comments. Since we rarely have kids in the house, we won't have to do too much education. I like the idea of having the switch/button under the sink cabinet. Think I'll have to explore that.

 

[sattie]

Thanks plumies and wart, I guess I understand now, but it seems like the same thing as my light switch that turns it on and off. Oh well, at least I know what folks are talking about now!

 

[cbpitt]

I have a 'disposable air' switch, it fails at the most inappropriate times.

I guess it fails because it is "disposable"! Just kidding - I think you mean disposal air switch.