# Garbage Disposal Bottom Cover Plate?



## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

The hole the wire goes into is where the cable clamp needs to be installed. The access hole (where you make the connections after the cable is installed) should have a cover on it. It may have been a plastic snap in affair that broke and got tossed. That ground wire really ought to be around the screw to better secure it. You are lucky if the cover is still available.


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## Durt Ferguson (Apr 14, 2010)

If you can't buy the parts, and this has to be fixed, a new disposal can be had fro around $100 and takes an hour or two to install.


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## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

PoleCat said:


> That ground wire really ought to be around the screw to better secure it. You are lucky if the cover is still available.


Yes, I noticed the ground wire issue. Planning to do it. Sears seems to have the cover plate available ($4 plus shipping) to order so should be ok. Thanks for the feedback


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

others pointed out 2 of 3 problems. the white and black wires need to be connected with romex connectors, not electrical tape. they are twist on connectors like what is used in junction boxes in your house. the ground wire just needs to be screwed down by the provided grounding screw that is INSIDE the hole, not the one on the outside. the screw on the outside is for the cover plate that is missing.

here is a pic of my disposal for reference:


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

it also looks like you have a big crack in the pipe next to it (looks like a trap).


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## Eagle One (Feb 11, 2011)

GREAT comments NitroNate and thanks for the pic of your disposal! :thumbsup:

I will secure the grounding wire to the inside screw and also check the white and black wires to see if they secured them with connectors UNDER the tape or just the electrical tape. I usually wrap my connectors in tape so maybe they did that too. I will check on that.

As for the drain pipe, I think that is just a score mark on the pipe but will double check.

I didn't install this disposal myself but it was installed by so called professionals back in 2002 and I see now what kind of job they did. I never actually noticed these issues in all those years....


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

not sure if you can find a cover plate, but you should at least cover the hole somehow. also, definitely secure the wire going into the smaller hole with a cable connector like the one on mine. they are cheap and can be found at lowe's/home depot.


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