This trap gets clogged very easily when using the Garbage Disposal. I have used GDs for over 40 years in previous homes and never had problems like with this one in this house. I ran an experiment where in I created a lot of potato skins. I turned on the water to the full setting and slowly fed in the skins just a little at a time and watched it empty before putting in the next batch. The water started to back up into the other bowel. I stopped it and opened up the pipes. The trap was stuffed tight. The section from the trap to the down piece was empty and clear. I don't know why it clogged.
I am considering that the flow is too slow. Federal requirements limit the flow to 2.2 GPM. I tested mine and it was 1.2 GPM. I took out the flow control and measured 1.6 GPM. I have not had a chance to test it at this faster rate but I sense flow rate is not the problem. What else could it be?

 

When you have bulk just throw it in the trash, we hardly ever use our GD!

 

Well, I'm an ornery SOB. If I have a GD, it better work. And as I said, previous experience showed it should do this.
Thanks,

 

I do think water volume can have a big affect on clogging. If there isn't enough water to carry the waste away it's going to bunch up and clog. You can have more trouble with waste that's heavier than water. Without sufficient flow velocity to lift the junk up and out of the trap, it's just going to settle there and clog.

If you remove the garbage disposal you'll be relieved of the burden of using it because you have it. And, maybe fewer clogs.

Are you on a well? Do you know what water pressure range your system operates? If it's low, turning up the pressure could get you more volume.

 

Don't know what to tell you, except I agree with Marq, GD are a PITA and not worth it. We never use ours.

 

So, it doesn't look like there is anything wrong with the plumbing I guess. I was hoping that was the problem.
I gather a lot of people don't like a GD. I have always liked them. I bought my first house in 1973 and the first thing I did was install a GD. Moved to a new house in 1978 and had the builder install one while under construction. I had to replace a few because the seals went bad but once I installed a Kitchen Aid, I never had a seal problem again.

I moved to this house in 2018 and occasionally have a blockage. I am on "city" water. There is a meter in the ground in the front yard. I bet there is a pressure regulator nearby.

The 1978 house had a regulator right where the line came through the wall. I had to replace it maybe 2 or 3 times over the years. I always set it to 50 PSI unless I wanted to blow off the driveway, then I would open it full (usually 80 PSI). I have a gauge somewhere that I haven't located since the move. I guess I better root it out and check my pressure.

Thanks
Pete

 

I've heard that plumbers make some really good money at Thanksgiving because so many people put potato peelings down their GD. We keep a screen thing-a-ma-jig over our GD to catch most of the waste that would go through it. Haven't had a clop since we started doing that.

 

Kitchenaid is a good disposer, made by InSinkErator. I think the problem being discussed is basically forcing too much down the disposer too fast. Potato peels can easily go down a disposer slowly. One of the things we use our ISE disposer for the most is egg shells and I have read multiple times to not put egg shells down a disposer, never fully understood why. I love a good quiet disposer, but sometimes peels just go in the trash too.

 

I don't see the point of a garbage disposal. It doesn't reduce your cost (in taxes or direct payment) for garbage pickup. And the disposal companies can do a much better job of handling of the debris. And think about this, when you use your disposal where is that material going and how does it affect the treatment plant? Now days most treatment plant are near capacity with aging equipment. And municipality can just barely handle the normal stuff. In rural area or on the farm organic stuff goes into a composite pile.

 

Back in the early 1980s I had a friend in the hardware/furniture/appliance business. I was at his home one evening about the time that Maytag came out with their first disposer. My friend had one at home and of course, he had to show me how great it was. The demonstration began. I really was amazed that the original Maytag disposers really would eat a beer can!