Brand new washing machine tripping circuit

[MartinB]

Help please, we've had a brand new Bosch washing machine delivered twice now and both times it's tripping the circuit as soon as it starts the cycle (not when it's initially turned on). The old machine never had a similar problem.

We've tried other appliances in the socket and it works. Using and extension, we tried plugging the washing machine into a different socket on a separate circuit and it didn't work.

Of course the supplier will say it's the electrics and the electrician will say it's the machine, so I'm stuck.

Seems very odd that it would happen with 2 different brand new machines? Is it a voltage problem for this particular model or something else?

Any advice very welcome.

Many thanks.

 

[Avo Mk8]

Can you confirm what is tripping? I imagine it's an RCD (with a little test button on it), not an MCB, or do you have a consumer unit with all RCBO's?
If not sure, tell us what is printed on the one that's tripping.

It's possible you already have some earth leakage current from other appliances/ electronics, and the new machine is adding a (legitimate) little more, thus causing the tripping. Ie it's the summation of the new machine plus some other leakage that hasn't previously been causing a problem.

There may be other explanations! An electrician ought to be able to get to the bottom of it with the right equipment, but not all seem committed to investigate thoroughly, so I regret your fear may be real

 

[snowhead]

Everything in above post. plus,

Did the circuit also trip when the extension lead was used in the other socket, as you say it didn't work, not that it tripped?

I be surprised if 2 Bosch machines had faults, infact I be surprised if 1 did.

 

[MartinB]

Firstly, Avo Mk8 and snowhead, thank you both very much for your responses.

On the fuse switch that's tripping on the consumer unit it says, "MEM M6 Type1 32A 240/415v OFF 321 QEB".

We plugged the machine into a different socket using an extension lead and the fuse switch tripped down again.

 

[Avo Mk8]

Firstly, Avo Mk8 and snowhead, thank you both very much for your responses.

On the fuse switch that's tripping on the consumer unit it says, "MEM M6 Type1 32A 240/415v OFF 321 QEB".

Wow, that's not what I expected! So there appears to be excessive current flowing.

We plugged the machine into a different socket using an extension lead and the fuse switch tripped down again.

If it was the same breaker that tripped, your extension lead is plugged into the same consumer unit circuit.
It might be useful to try plugging it into a different 32A circuit, if you have another 32A breaker supplying sockets downstairs. I'm not in favour of tripping breakers deliberately, but if it does the same on another breaker there seems to be, sorry IS, a fault.

Are you sure you didn't get the same machine back on the second delivery !!

PS the washing machine hasn't still got transport bolts in it that are stopping the drum rotating, that should have been removed??

 

[MartinB]

Wow, that's not what I expected! So there appears to be excessive current flowing.

If it was the same breaker that tripped, your extension lead is plugged into the same consumer unit circuit.
It might be useful to try plugging it into a different 32A circuit, if you have another 32A breaker supplying sockets downstairs. I'm not in favour of tripping breakers deliberately, but if it does the same on another breaker there seems to be, sorry IS, a fault.

Are you sure you didn't get the same machine back on the second delivery !!

PS the washing machine hasn't still got transport bolts in it that are stopping the drum rotating, that should have been removed??

Thanks again Avo Mk8.

If it still trips with the next washing machine we will try the different 32A circuit. Failing that I will call in the professionals.

A friend who knows a little said that the RCD may have degraded over time and the earth leakage level was now being exceeded because the modern washing machines have a lot more electrics on their circuit boards. That would mean replacing the RCD or possibly the whole fuse board (picture attached switch on far right)

Possible they redelivered the same machine but it was fully packaged when it arrived.

The transport bolts were taken off by the delivery guy on arrival.

Again, really appreciate your advice. What a brilliant forum! Keep up the good work

 

[SparkyChick]

PS the washing machine hasn't still got transport bolts in it that are stopping the drum rotating, that should have been removed??

If it's anything like my Bosch (which is considerably older) it will attempt to gauge the weight of the drum contents by monitoring it's current draw using it's variable frequency drive. If it's heavily overloaded (or stopped by the bolts), I would have expected it to detect that and abort the start giving a 'Too Heavy' warning to the user, but I could be wrong.

A friend who knows a little said that the RCD may have degraded over time and the earth leakage level was now being exceeded because the modern washing machines have a lot more electrics on their circuit boards. That would mean replacing the RCD or possibly the whole fuse board (picture attached switch on far right)

If this was the case, the RCD would be tripping, not the MCB. You may be able to have a spark source a second hand RCD for the board, it's very unlikely you'd be able to get a new one. I would be more inclined to bite the bullet and get the board upgraded (with RCBOs so each circuit has it's own dedicated RCD - rather than one shared across the whole thing).

 

[Avo Mk8]

A friend who knows a little said that the RCD may have degraded over time and the earth leakage level was now being exceeded because the modern washing machines have a lot more electrics on their circuit boards. That would mean replacing the RCD or possibly the whole fuse board (picture attached switch on far right)

Your friend said exactly what I was originally thinking when I read your first post, and I expressed that in my first response.

But you've said that the thing that is tripping is a 30A circuit breaker to the left of the RCD
So it's unlikely to be leakage current at the level we assumed if the RCD doesn't trip.
Exactly which breaker is the one that trips?

Possible they redelivered the same machine but it was fully packaged when it arrived.

Unlikely that's the issue then !

 

[littlespark]

Just to avoid confusion here… (as I was for a couple of minutes)…. The rcd on the right is an RCBO(?) for one circuit of sockets.. is this what is tripping? … the other sockets (marked “up sockets”) presumable do upstairs.

So the fault could be an earth fault with the machine just as likely than an overload.

The main switch for this board is further to the right, off the side of the photo.


Unlikely that 2 appliances have the same fault, but I was asked to look at an older washing machine that tripped the rcd during a draining cycle… and I found a small rubber hose detached from the top of the drum.
The other end was connected to the top of the drain hose attachment.
Can only think it’s for condensation going back into the drum… but this one was dripping all over the inside of the machine…

 

[mainline]

Try switching off all the circuits other than the socket circuit with the appliance on it and try it again

 

[Avo Mk8]

The main switch for this board is further to the right, off the side of the photo.

Ahh yes. Good spot. That might explain things!

 

[MartinB]

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions. I will post an update after the next installation attempt tomorrow.

 

[MartinB]

Update...The Samsung machine delivered today and plugged into the same socket has worked with no issues (unlike the two Bosch's)!
Thank you to everyone for your time and helpful responses towards a successful resolution. This is a really useful forum, keep up the good work.

 

[mainline]

Update...The Samsung machine delivered today and plugged into the same socket has worked with no issues (unlike the two Bosch's)!
Thank you to everyone for your time and helpful responses towards a successful resolution. This is a really useful forum, keep up the good work.

You may still have a problem with earth leakage though, it could be that the Samsung has less leakage than the Bosch ones.
If you do get a random trip I would advise getting it checked
Fingers crossed