Tripping circuit.

[psd99]

hi all,

I believe it is the washer that is tripping the circuit but I am not wholly sure. It is more apparent when the washer is in full flow that the bedroom and hall lights and all the kitchen appliances and plugs appear connected as upon tripping they all go off.

could the washing machine be on the way out, I've plugged the machine into a different socket

what else could be the issue here? any tips on what to look at on the circuit? (wiring is approx 5 years old and the washing machine is this age also) relatively new build too.

 

[psd99]

In my experience is water related. So ether you have a very dodgy washing machine but that seems unlikely given its age or do you have an outside socket? Does it happen after rain?

I had a proper outside socket but the seal had never been done properly, when removed it had rain water ingress and this would trip the circuit.

no socket outside and never noticed anything about rain.

If you think it is the washing machine at full spin then that would make sense, they use a lot of power at max speed but only for a small periods of time. Do you have anything else plugged into the socket with the washing machine?

I will double check, I'm thinking of moving it to another location temporariyl like another socket to see what happens then.

Mine did this when the element was on the way out - there was a tiny split in it that meant water could leak through and short the electric. They're usually pretty simple to get to, so you can pull it out and give it a look over / test it with a multimeter etc.

You can buy a new element pretty cheaply but then the replacement I bought didn't last that long either so I just ended up buying a new machine.

I also think it might be a problem with the machine but for 5 years old it shouldnt really be like this.

if it is a problem with the machine then I don't think its worth repairing.

 

[psd99]

Thanks

 

[psd99]

Unplug everything and run the washer, if it trips again the. You know where the problem is.

Washing machines are highly repairable and it’s normally very cheap to do so. The chances are it’s an issue with the heating element, even on a 5 year old machine. Hard water destroys heating elements.

An element is a £20 part on most machines and about an hour to swap. I had the exact same thing recently, washing machine tripped the power when it was ran. Swapped the element for a new one which fixed the issue. It’s an easy job and was only held in by one bolt.

yes i think its probably the element

did u replace it yourself?

how did u know it was the element
Was there water leaking somewhere? It seems to happen when the machine is running on full pelt spinning etc

 

[psd99]

If you have a socket circuit that is not RCD protected, you could run an extension lead to your appliance and see if it trips or goes away. Or, if the circuit is on another RCD, it'll trip that.

If you have a socket circuit that is not RCD protected, you could run an extension lead to your appliance and see if it trips or goes away. Or, if the circuit is on another RCD, it'll trip that.

Forgive me for my ignorance but surely wiring done 5 years ago prob means all circuits are on a rcd?

next time i wash the machine then i will use an extension and put the machine on a different circuit. That way if the issue happens again then i know its probably the machine

 

[psd99]

Ok so plugged into a different socket and ring and the same outcome occured

this is a zanussi combined washer/dryer

It seems to trip when going into dryer mode also

so is it best to replace the whole thing or replace the heating element?

 

[psd99]

How much is replacing the element going to cost you relative to buying a complete replacement? How painful would that cost be if it doesn't fix it?

i looked online and that spare part is about £20

it looks relatively easy to replace
But i dont have a multi meter like i see them running tests

a new machine would be £380-450

 

[psd99]

I mean i dont have a multi meter
So how do i know the heating element needs replacing?