Electrician needed!!
 

My dishwasher turned on BT ITSELF yesterday! i unplugged it and it stopped, In the same outlet was my garbage disposal, which initially still worked fine...THEN the disposal started itself and now both [vital] appliances are unusable.
i need a reasonably priced electrician ASAP - or a psychic!!
Any recommendations?

Lenhart Electric

We've used Pike's for 10 years. Very efficient and reasonable.

You don't need an electrician, you need Ghost Busters! :icon_wink:

Be sure to explain your problem when you call the repairman. Sounds impossible. You want them to say they can fix it.
My guess is you have a lose wire in the outlet and just need to turn off the circuit breaker and then remove the receptacle and tighten up the screws and make sure bare wires can not touch each other. I think this is reasonable for the garbage disposal but not the washer. After you do that try pushing a few buttons on the washer and see if it returns to normal operation.

Your post is very confusing. Typically, the dishwasher is hardwired, not plugged into an outlet. The disposal is plugged into an outlet with a wall switch to turn it on and off. These two appliances are usually on separate 20 amp circuit breakers. I don't understand how the disposal could run if the wall switch is off. Did you check the electrical panel to see if the circuit breakers are not tripped? Also, the problem could be that your dishwasher is defective, in which case, an electrician will charge you for a service call, but will probably not be able to repair it. You will need an appliance repair technician. And, if the disposal is broken, you will need a plumber.

I would suggest that you have a neighbor look at your situation to determine who you need to call.

Perhaps the delay start button was inadvertantly pressed. My buttons are on the top of the door and sometimes I press all kinds of buttons accidentally when reaching into the dishwasher.

Bad ground somewhere

Martin McMurtrie of Grace Electric. 239.248.0000

Pike’s Electric. Interesting, with the problem in Texas SECO and Pike’s were used.

Mike Scott Plumbing.

This doesn't seem possible. An outlet is "live" all the time. Electricity is available when call upon by a switch of some sort. The dish washer "switch" is internal and subject to the buttons you push. There could be a fault inside the dish washer such that the switch got flipped and power was applied.

But the garbage disposal is a whole other story. It has its own separate MANUALLY flipped switch on the wall. Unless you flip that switch, no power can reach it.

While is it unlikely that switches on both appliances failed at the same time, I suppose that COULD occur. I think that the fact that they are connected to the same outlet is a false lead. Being connected to power is not what turns on appliances. It doesn't seem like the outlet can be the fault here.

If you had a lamp going on by itself, you would look at the switch, not the outlet. There is always power at the outlet. If a lamp switch is in the off position and you repeatedly connect and disconnect it from the wall outlet, it would NOT go on and off. Same with dish washers and garbage disposals.

Have you tried Ghost Busters?

I'm an electrician, and I've never heard of anything like this.

You need an exorcist.

Call ghost busters!

It is possible there is a common junction box under the sink containing both the wall switched receptacle/outlet that the disposal plugs into and the hardwired feed for the dishwasher could come out of the same junction box but it would be wired to be a constant feed. Definitely ask a handy neighbor to take a look before you call an electrician in and have to pay for a service call.

I have personally had the garbage disposal turn itself on. Here is what happened: The previous home owner (clueless) wired the switch to open the NEUTRAL wire and not the hot wire. The garbage disposal had developed a leak and eventually a short to ground developed which caused the garbage disposal to start by it's self. A simple plug in tester should be able to tell you if the switch is wired incorrectly.

As for the dishwasher I am GUESSING you have a failure of the electronic controls for the unit, which translates to probably replacing the dishwasher. I would call an appliance repair company (we have used Beck's) and discuss with them.

Feel free to send me a PM if you would like to discuss further over the phone.

The previous owner/ghost must be trying to send you a message!
:shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

Check the electrical connections inside the electric outlet. Sometimes electricians use the push in electrical connection on outlets, rather than the screw on connections, probably to cut corners and save time. The push on connections can have a poor electrical connection, and actually can become loose! I’ve fixed lousy electrical work before in all three of the homes I’ve owned, that supposedly were done by licensed electricians, who we’re supposedly professionals.

It’s possible that there could be two independent problems at the dishwasher and garbage disposal, but very unlikely. The problem is most likely inside the electrical outlet under your sink area.

If the problem was ghost(s), they wouldn’t limit themselves to the dishwasher and garbage disposal, or just electrical things!

If your in a newer home call warranty and let them take care of it

Definitely call Sixto Durand (electrician), of Fruitland Park. Phone 561-929-6247. He’s self-employed, brilliant, and reasonable. He does a lot of work in The Villages.

Rob Bisbing, 845-728-5615

Sounds like the most likely scenario.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain the disposal issue or why neither the dishwasher or the disposal will operate now.

We may never know?

Ghostbusters! yes! that's EXACTLY what i thought- do you have their number??

actually a former Navy electrician, and great neighbor, found a SWITCH that both appliances used that was probably put in use in 1997 - and had some corrosion on it.
WOW! you guys really backed me up!! I will save the answers just in case the guy who died in the house visits me again!!