Franke Excessive Inrush Current / Electrical Overload

Garbage disposal causes the kitchen lights to dim significantly or trips the circuit breaker when starting.

Advertisements

Safety Warning

This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.

If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.

Advertisements

Possible Causes

Oversized Franke disposer on undersized circuit, Failing motor drawing high current, Shared circuit overloaded with other appliances, Shorted windings

How to Fix / Troubleshooting

Safety first: Repeated breaker tripping is a fire hazard. Turn OFF the breaker and do not keep resetting without diagnosis.

  • Check circuit rating: Confirm the disposer is on a dedicated circuit of appropriate amperage as specified by Franke.
  • Reduce other loads: Avoid running other high-draw appliances (microwave, toaster) on the same circuit while using the disposer.
  • Test motor: If the breaker trips even with no other loads, the motor may be failing. A clamp meter can measure start current; high readings indicate a problem.
  • Replace disposer: Replace the Franke disposer unit if the motor is confirmed to be drawing excessive current.
Advertisements

Repair Difficulty

Hard 4/5

Required Part

Franke disposer unit
Check Price on Amazon

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Advertisements