Our 1996 U295 has a trash compactor located under the china cabinet, facing the aisle (opposite fridge). From what I saw in the archives, I guess some models use a key to activate. Ours just has a chrome button that sticks throught the dummy drawer front. The chrome button is 1/2" in dia., and rides inside a 5/8" dia. barrel that has fine threads, and is just threaded in to the wood drawer front. I don't know if this was an OEM part, or something Foretravel added at the factory. All I do know, is that I've hit half the appliance, and electrical supply houses in Tampa, and they all scratch their heads, and look at it like a monkey trying to do a math problem. Has anyone out there had any experience with a similar switch, and if so, where did you find a replacement?
look in McMaster Carr
Bill Willett tipped me off to the fact that it might be an automotive ignition type switch, so I went to NAPA on-line, and found one almost exactly like mine. Echlin Ignition switch # ECH SW10. $23.99
Well, it wasn't ALMOST exactly, it WAS exactly the same. Now, I'm kinda thinking this was a mod done by one of the former owners to eliminate the key.