ELECTRIC TRIPPING

[Buffyrose]

Hi - for those that like a riddle.

Washing machine (4.5 years old), suddenly tripped electrics, mid cycle.
I manually emptied machine, opened door, removed washing, pulled out machine to access plug.
Plug is fitted to an adapter (it has to to project past the outfall which is located immediately below), adapter goes into a single socket.
Socket has been tested OK with a hairdryer
Adapter has been tested OK in another socket, with hairdryer
Washing machine OK in another socket with an extension lead
Alternative adapter used in original socket, with hairdryer, all OK
All sockets used have fused switches above worktop and they all work.

The only scenario that won't work is the WM in its original configuration, ie, plug, adapter, socket. - trips the electrics on that fuse everytime.

The grey lead and plug is from the WM. The rectangular vent pipe underneath waste is an ex-tumble drier vent.

Other info - everything has worked fine for 5 years. There doesn't appear to be an earth from the house. House was upgraded 15 years ago so everything was new then. (not by us). There is a garage some 20 yards away, which takes its feed from the house, and there is an earth rod going into the ground outside the garage.

I know nothing about electrics, but logic dictates that this scenario can't be happening. What do you think?

Thanks everyone.

 

[scootknew]

hi i recently had a call similar to yours. had washing machine for ages then all of a sudden would trip rcd. normally when the element inside wm would start heating up water or 5 min into fast spin etc. i told them to get appliance engineer first. inside wm there is a part called a mains filter .that helps the voltage for the motor to run better and keep it smooth. if that goes faulty then can trip rcd. i would get electrican after as dont want to pay twice if money is tight, if electrican sees everything is ok.

 

[Buffyrose]

hi i recently had a call similar to yours. had washing machine for ages then all of a sudden would trip rcd. normally when the element inside wm would start heating up water or 5 min into fast spin etc. i told them to get appliance engineer first. inside wm there is a part called a mains filter .that helps the voltage for the motor to run better and keep it smooth. if that goes faulty then can trip rcd. i would get electrican after as dont want to pay twice if money is tight, if electrican sees everything is ok.

Oh, that's really interesting. Yes, its a real dilemma about whether to call an electrician or an appliance person. I have a new capacitor now, (£35), plus the call out from the elctrician, so I'm already a bit down the line on cost and still no guarantee of working. But I want the socket moving anyway - reckoned I wouldn't want to put the machine back knowing it was on an adapter - that was done in haste on removal day some years ago and long forgotten. I'll keep your reply to hand in case it doesn't solve it - and to be fair, although the electrican said the capacitor was faulty and he was 75% sure it was causing the problem, it doesn't seem to fit the symptoms, but we'll see. Presumably I still needed a new capacitor if he said it was faulty - maybe I have more than one fault!