Fuse advice

fjon

This probably has a very easy solution, but it has me stumped.

When ever I use the washing machine lately, it works for about 20 mins, and then the trip-switch goes. If I turn it back on, the washing machine works for about 5 mins, and then the trip goes again.
It's only the washing machine that causes this. Anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do?

Stoner

Hi Fjon,

This is one of a number of things,
1) faulty / leaky WM
2) Dodgy RCD or RCBO
3) Over loaded RCD or Over loaded MCB.
4) cable fault

Is it the RCB or the MCB that trips,? ie if you loose power to the sockets all over the house or just to the kitchen sockets?

If its the RCD ( no juice to all sockets) then is sounds like a fault with the machine.
If its the MCB ( just that set of sockets) then it may be an overloaded circuit.

Try powering the washimg machine from a different circuit, uncoil an extension lead and feed the machine from the living room/ bedroom.
if it happens again then its not an over laoded circuit.

Your RCD could be dodgy, it could be replaced, or the kitchen circuit could be placed on its own sep RCBO ( this would at least confine the problem to the kitchen)
Having said all that it sounds like a water and electricity problem and I guess that it is the RCD and not the MCB that is tripping.
Check the lead on the WM and check to see if the area around the plug is wet

fjon

Thanks Stoner,
Power is lost not only in the kitchen, but all the scokets in the apartment. From what you say it does sound like there is something wrong with the washing machine - I will pull it out this evening and inspect the cable and plug, and try to run it from an extension lead.

patrido

Call an electrician!

What rating is the MCB? Is it an MCB or an RCD (or RCBO/ELCB/RCCB).

If it's an 30mA RCD or a variant of it - well these are very sensitive and might not necessarily indicate a fault. A bulb blowing can cause an RCD to trip.

If it's a bog standard MCB, then most likely there is too much current being drawn. If it's a standard 20A (on a radial circuit) or a 32A on a (ring main) then there's almost certainly a fault with something - wiring, mcb, washing machine, socket, plug, flex, etc.

Has anything changed recently - newly wired circuit, new machine, new plug, a socket that was added, replaced an mcb? Is it an old or a new machine? Are there any water leaks from the machine? An old machine could have a fault. Someone might have replaced a 32A MCB with a 6A from a lighting circuit - a 1400W washing machine could draw over 6A without there being a fault.

Do you notice that the machine is on any particular part of the cycle - e.g. always trips when it's drying or spinning, or heating up? Is any other applicance operating at the same time? Does any other applicance (in a different socket or the same socket) cause the same MCB to trip? You could try boiling a 3kw kettle from the same socket.

MCBs don't just trip as soon as an overcurrent is detected. MCBs are designated Type A/B/C based on how easily they trip. A 32Amp MCB could allow 40 amps to be drawn for several minutes before tripping, which might explain why it happens after a certain period of time.

I'm not a spark, and I'm just giving the above info to list a few ideas about what might be causing the problem - don't act on any of it... get a qualified spark to investigate it and fix it.

Stoner

Thats fine so, its and RCD problem, dont bother woth the extension lead, that was just an overload check, RCDs dont trip on standard overload.

patrido

Correct me if I'm wrong but if it's a small apartment all the sockets could be on the one circuit, so just because all the sockets are gone, doesn't guarantee its an RCD.

you can tell it's an RCD if there's a test button on it labelled "T". It will also say something like 80A, 30mA (or 0,03A), and it will be twice the width of an MCB.

if it's a RCBO (combined RCD+MCB) it could be single width or double width, but it will be labelled sockets or kitchen sockets, etc. if it's an rcbo, it's very difficult to determine whether the trip was due to overcurrent or current leakage.

Stoner

I'd say the kitchen has its own circuit and that there is an RCD, I think fjon had a problem with 2 and 5 amp sockets before(maybe I'm way out here) , so his place seems modern enough so it would have a radial cct dedicated to the kitchen.

what I'm finishing up on is that 95% chance its an RCD problem caused by water coming from the washing maching

rooferPete

Hi,

I had a similar problem a while back, the problem ony occured when the dish washer was switced on last thing at night, it didn't happen all the time which is what caused the problem finding the fault.

When it was pulled out there was a small drop of water on the plastic cardboard at the bottom, when I took the sides off it was obvious the screws had been leaking a little from day one but got worse over time.

Electrolux were very helpful, even with a design / manufacturing fault you still pay the call out charge, I am not happy with the attempt to repair the machine, so unhappy the sides are off all the time, (built in unit) to allow the air to dry up any more little drips.

Electrolux or any brand they represent will not be allowed in to my home again, they just couldn't care.

If the electrical system wasn't modern there is a chance it would have been blowing fuses or worse cause an electric shock, water and electricity while needed today should be kept apart.

Sorry for the rant fjon, check under the washing machine first

.

fjon

rooferPete wrote:

Electrolux were very helpful
.

Do you not mean they were very unhelpful?
Some of this isgetting slightly too technical for me, so I have asked the management company to come in and have a look at it. Now that I remember it, the washing machine was puled out a few weeks back so someone could access the area behind it. Whatever they did, they must have "damaged" it somehow. At a guess (with the help of everyone's suggestions!) I would say that either the socket/ plug or cable are getting wet somehow. Better let the professionals take care of this, even hough it will probably mean a week without washing machine!
Cheers everyone!