Domestic electric puzzle

[mcoupe]

Any advice gratefully received:

So in our new house theres a washing machine.

It seems to work fine. It's plugged in to a plug socket in the kitchen
Whenever I turn it on, it goes for a minute or two then trips the MAIN house circuit breaker (not the local circuit circuit breaker).

When I take an extension lead and plug it in to another socket in a different room, it runs the cycle fine and doesnt trip anything.

Doenst make much sense to me...I'm sure this is a simple thing to sort out - but not for me.

 

[Pete999]

This Circuit breaker that trips after a few minutes, that would be the Residual Current Device( RCD)
When you pug it in via an extension lead, it works fine all right so far?
What you may have is a Consumers Unit (fuse board) that has some circuits that are protected by the RCD and some that aren't, your washing machine must have an earth fault possible a N to E fault, that's my diagnoses from afar and without any test equipment, you may need the assistance of a white goods engineer.

 

[Toneyz]

Can we assume that the ring final circuit socket in another room is protected by another RCD ?. Have you tried initial start up of washing machine in extension lead ?, if it then trips then it could be the washing machine. It could be two things with the 1st ring 1.existing leakage currents from other appliances and by a bit more has put the value over the threshold 2. fault /damage to circuit cable.

 

[telectrix]

or could be a N-E reversal on the kitchen socket. soon as the heater kicks in, drawing a larger current, the load is across L -E, thus tripping the RCD.

 

[Octopus]

Could you boil your kettle from the extension lead in the kitchen and see what happens?

 

[mcoupe]

yes kettle boils fine

 

[telectrix]

that's my theory out the door. .

 

[telectrix]

try kettle direct into kitchen socket without extension lead. it's possible that the extension lead has a missing or damaged cpc.( earthing conductor ).

 

[Des 56]

Remove (actually unplug) all items other than the washer into the kitchen sockets and see if it now does its cycle without tripping

 

[littlespark]

Can OP post a photograph of the distribution board with the offending breaker tripped. We will be able to tell if its an RCD, or a split board or whatever.

 

[Highresdis]

Sounds to me like there may be a marginal fault contact in the washing machine socket, or its supply, which leaks enough current to trip only when the washing machine electronics connect a decent sized load.

 

[dmxtothemax]

I would replace the washer ?
could well have a leak to ground,
A common thing with washers.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I would replace the washer ?
could well have a leak to ground,
A common thing with washers.

I'd test the entire system for a N-E fault first, if the OP replaces the washer and the problem persists he's wasted his money and will still have to employ the services of a sparks. Get an experienced electrician to carry out an insulation resistance test on the electrics first, probably cost an hour labour.

 

[dmxtothemax]

QUOTE - [ Sounds to me like there may be a marginal fault contact in the washing machine socket, or its supply, which leaks enough current to trip only when the washing machine electronics connect a decent sized load. ] END QUOTE .

Surely it should not leak any current, at any time, regardless of load ?

 

[DPG]

Could you boil your kettle from the extension lead in the kitchen and see what happens?

Exactly my thought. Nothing to do with the fault-finding though - just fancy a cuppa

 

[egg67]

Just get some one to test it, it might be a simple fix or a hard fix, that’s live

 

[DPG]

QUOTE - [ Sounds to me like there may be a marginal fault contact in the washing machine socket, or its supply, which leaks enough current to trip only when the washing machine electronics connect a decent sized load. ] END QUOTE .

Surely it should not leak any current, at any time, regardless of load ?

Pretty much everything has some degree of leakage. It all mounts up and so cumulative leakage can cause an RCD to trip. Especially if it is towards the lower end of its tripping current