Washing machine trips the circuit.

[Goody]

Customer rang to say his washing machine trips the circuit in the middle of the cycle. He said, it ran for a while and stopped. Enquired on the phone and it looked like it only tripped the MCB and the RCD stayed on.

It's on a radial circuit with 16A MCB. Could someone shed some light on this. Many thanks! :banghead:

 

[telectrix]

heating element???

 

[Marvo]

Poor terminations on the MCB making heat? Other appliances plugged in using extension leads maybe?

 

[cagedanimal2010]

i would go with the heating element too.

 

[needasparks]

If the rcd goes i would also say heater which should go in the first 2 mins as it goes under water in filling but only the mcb going in middle of cycle so most likely the pump as it has no earth. just my take.

 

[cagedanimal2010]

If the rcd goes i would also say heater which should go in the first 2 mins as it goes under water in filling but only the mcb going in middle of cycle so most likely the pump as it has no earth. just my take.

good point, will teach me to skim read in future lol!!

 

[needasparks]

good point, will teach me to skim read in future lol!!

TBH thats always my first thought on these calls but the time of cycle normally gives it away.
NOT that i know my way around the kitchen being a soft southerner

 

[Goody]

Thanks guys, the new board (CU) went in on Saturday and the chap rang me today. You know what he will say when I see him, "it was quite alright before the board change, now you are blaming it on my washing machine...":73:

Don't know What to say !!!!!

 

[needasparks]

You test the installation not his appliances.
On a mains change i always say to give it a week as most household appliances have been used by then to see if any have a fault.
It just makes your job easier when the call comes........

 

[Goody]

You test the installation not his appliances.
On a mains change i always say to give it a week as most household appliances have been used by then to see if any have a fault.
It just makes your job easier when the call comes........

Thanks, but then how am I going to convince him that his equipment was faulty and nothing to do with the new board.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Because when you remove the offending part from his washing machine hopefully physical evidence of deteriation will show

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr.Ian]

Hard to convince a customer their stuff is faulty when it was working before a CU change, as they asume the new CU is better (as it is) but they can't see it that way. I doubt if in 2 mins the washer would've filled up/done a prewash and started to pump out, heater elements are the usual suspects or a combination of an old worn motor drawing too much and heater combined just tripping the mcb.

 

[Richard Burns]

If the MCB is going and not the RCD then it is a fault line to neutral, the fact that it is going half way through the cycle seems to indicate that the w/m is taking overcurrent for an hour and then tripping. If the radial is a dedicated circuit for w/m then try a power meter or clamp the cable to see what is being drawn. If it is a shared circuit then see if there is another heater on the circuit taking about 1800W, then up the MCB to 20A (cable permitting).

 

[MarkieSparkie]

We really require more information:
1) Make and model of washing machine.
2) When the MCB tripped was the drum full of washing in dirty water, clean water, little water, or no water?
3) Will the MCB reset and if so will the machine run and how long?
4) If the machine will run and drum is full of washing in water, can the programmer be set to pump and the drum emptied of water?

 

[mogga]

Had one years ago brand spanking new washing machine tripping RCD half way through cycle turned out to be one piddly cable hadnt been cliped correctly and the 5 times usage had let it rub against side of machine causing trip but only on that part of cycle Woman would not beleive that her BRAND NEW!!!!!! washing machine was at fault
Fitting a new C.U. can bring to light problems like this as rewireable fuses ect old mcbs may have been able to take the overcurrent for periods of time greater than new kit fitted Goodluck convincing her tho
Id give local Appliance repair guy a wee ring n ask how much he would charge to check machine over and if its not to much suggest to client this would be the way forward as your NOT an appliance engineer and some appliances have more electronics ect that you may damage by testing wrongly

 

[needasparks]

Thanks, but then how am I going to convince him that his equipment was faulty and nothing to do with the new board.

That is the reason a full test on the installation is made when changing a cu, you are signing to say the circuits are fault free and the readings are recorded on the cert, anything found to be departing from this would be recorded on it.
I guess the answer is how good you are with your complaints proceedure, if i was in your shoes i would re-test the property so i could hold my head up and see if the results were the same, it would not be the first time that one of us has fitted a dodgy rcd or missed something in a test.
The only difference between us and builders is that we have A levels and we dont bodge it and scarper.