Problem with Home Electrics or Appliance - please help

[leo1]

Hi guys, I hope you can help me. I am an engineer but not on electricity, so I apologise if I am using incorrect terminology. Today for the first time, while my dishwasher was on, I heard a clicking noise and it stopped. The noise came from the relevant MCB on the consumer unit (which also feeds the integrated Fridge and Extractor fan in my kitchen), as it interrupted the electricity to the circuit. I put the wall-switch for the dishwasher in the off position and went back to the consumer unit to restore electricity on that MCB. Power came back on on the Fridge and Extractor. Then I tried the wall-switch for the dishwasher and power stayed on. I set the program again on the dishwasher, closed the door and waited. After its initial draining of the remaining water from the previously failed cycle it sounded as if it started to work like normal again but it immediately caused the power to go off again. I have tried a few times and repeatedly obtained the same behaviour. I should also mention that the dishwasher has been emitting a mild burnt-like smell every time it was in use for the last few months, the smell similar to when an electronic component burns on a PCB (printed circuit board). So, do you think I have a problem with the dishwasher or with the connectivity to it and how can I ascertain which one of the two it is? I am worried about calling an electrician who would charge me to then tell me the problem is my dishwasher when I could have just replaced it for say, £200.
Is there anything else I could try? The damn dishwasher is integrated so I cannot see behind it or how it is connected...

Many thanks

Leo

 

[Knobhead]

Just leave the old unit by the gate, I’ll guarantee it’s gone by morning.

Just had my lounge re carpeted, nowhere to store the excess underlay or carpet so put it in the garden. Phoned the council to take it away, and then phoned the council to say don’t bother. It had gone in the time of a phone call!

 

[leo1]

Thanks for the time to read and for your input, with the exception of a minority of you who showed resistance to help, clearly because you cannot tolerate the fact that some issues can be resolved (or at the very least assessed) by intelligent individuals, not just paid-for electricians. The Hotpoint dishwasher I have came with the house so I don’t know how old it is, but my guess is 3-4 years old as the rubber seals seem a bit worn. So, a change would be in order any way.

@ telectrix = you failed to quote how much footballers or celebrities are paid to do little things too. Yes, I think £50 is too much for a 5 minute assessment which does not actually resolve any problems. Good luck getting any business with that attitude.

@Engineer54 = your surprise at the prices I quoted clearly shows your ignorance. When you don’t know what you are saying it is always best to keep quiet, you only embarrass yourself. Just to enlighten you, know that you can get first class goods at Comet or any similar UK store for very little this days. And have you ever heard of online shopping? I think not, look it up, you will find that prices for white goods bought online are often even cheaper than retailers on the high street. Or do you need to challenge my price quotation because that’s how you treat your customers, i.e. by telling them rubbish like "well, if you need to replace the dishwasher it will cost you £400 minimum". You are the example of why I am afraid to call a person to come into my house to fix things who has not been highly recommended. Good trademen suffer from the dishonest and ignorant ones out there.

 

[Spazz]

@ telectrix = you failed to quote how much footballers or celebrities are paid to do little things too. Yes, I think £50 is too much for a 5 minute assessment which does not actually resolve any problems. Good luck getting any business with that attitude.

Leo I think you need an attitude change!

We are electricians, hence we all (I hope) have paid a very large amount of money to get where we are not including how much we have spent on tools.

As an idea I am just starting up and I have already spent £7,000.00. That includes all the tools, extra courses (17th Edition and PAT) as well as the van, insurance, supplies as in cables and the registration with Napit!

Do you actually know how long it will take to assess your item correctly! - You say it looks a little worn it might need replacing - big word MIGHT!!!

I will tell you now that if you have smelt burning then the circuit board is fried! and changing a seal would not make any difference - a seal would certainly not make the MCB trip!


Plus we charge by the hour even if we are only there for 5 minuets! By the time we have gotten there, the fuel, the insurance, the wear and tear on our vehicles.

I charge £25 call out which includes the 1st hour as I live in the middle of town anything outside gets extra charges, the £15 per hour - as Im new to it all and dont have the experience of some on here and doing the trade.

Yes there are some cowboys from the wild west who would rip everyone off but there are some very decent people on here as well.

I will take you just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

 

[KINKY]

@ telectrix = you failed to quote how much footballers or celebrities are paid to do little things too. Yes, I think £50 is too much for a 5 minute assessment which does not actually resolve any problems. Good luck getting any business with that attitude.

It’s not just 5 minutes is it, you are been naive.

Fair enough if you have an electrician who lives in your spare room.

 

[DPG]

I think Leo1 may have well and truly p****d on his chips now. Daz

 

[Des 56]

Just leave the old unit by the gate, I’ll guarantee it’s gone by morning.

Just had my lounge re carpeted, nowhere to store the excess underlay or carpet so put it in the garden. Phoned the council to take it away, and then phoned the council to say don’t bother. It had gone in the time of a phone call!

Thats the same as my own experience
Just took my cast iron Parkray out with all the bits and pieces
What to do with it ?
Left it outside in the lane.went back inside and had a cup of tea, was gone within minutes

 

[leo1]

Nicholas - As I said, I am an engineer myself (on computer science) and I appreciate the effort you refer to in order to get started, but I cannot charge people £50 to tell them they have to spend £250 on a new graphics card after a 5-10 minute investigation. It just doesn't sound fair to them and I do not do business that way.But this is now turning into a different discussion - which we should perhaps no longer entertain. Anyway, thanks for your input.

And thanks to all else who have provided with advice.

Leo

 

[Von Vardo]

Depending on where you are in the country it would probably be a fair bit less than £50 to have someone check out the wiring.

Or, you could call an appliance repair "engineer" - Bosch charge about £90 just to turn up.

 

[a1guvner]

An Allowance of 30mins to site, upto an hour on site, allowance of 30 mins travel from site, Just covering costs i reckon

 

[telectrix]

leo. if you brought the dishwasher and your house wiring to me, i would charge a lot less. however, due to the costs involved in running a van, estimated by HMRC at around 45p/mile, these costs have to be covered. travel time is often more than time on site as well. add PL insurance, test equipment cost and annual calibration, professional body membership, regs. books, etc.,etc. it costs half of what i would charge you before i earn a penny.

 

[Knobhead]

Leo, good-bye. Please close the door behind you.

You have insulted some of the best tradesmen you could hope to find. As someone said you’ve p**sed on your chips.

 

[leo1]

You have insulted some of the best tradesmen you could hope to find.

Those who feel insulted is beacuse they are most certainly not the best tradesmen. I have shown my gratitude to those who helped and have contradicted the innacuracies of the advice from some who instead of helping, were talking without knowing. Next time Tony, use the time to help those who seek help instead of making generalised personal statement like this and waste time. Good bye sir.

 

[DPG]

Has he still not gone yet? Daz

 

[Knobhead]

You do not know the people you have insulted, I do.

Now would you please close the door behind you.

 

[BlueToBits]

Those who feel insulted is beacuse they are most certainly not the best tradesmen. I have shown my gratitude to those who helped and have contradicted the innacuracies of the advice from some who instead of helping, were talking without knowing. Next time Tony, use the time to help those who seek help instead of making generalised personal statement like this and waste time. Good bye sir.

It's not about the insult, Leo, nor is it about the value of technical expertise, It's simple business economics. Wages, Fuel, Tax, Advertising, Office supplies, Plant, Admin, etc. An unknown fault call-out cannot be booked for less than an hour. You, as an engineer, must realise that fault diagnosis often takes 99% of an unpredictable time on the job. To use your own scenario, it takes much longer to determine that the fault is the actual graphics card, and not a corrupt driver, VGA cable, connector monitor, edge connector, memory conflict or setting, etc, than it does to swap out the card. Especially when you cant see whats happening because the monitor does not work. Anyone with any nous can exchange a video card in a few seconds. I would be paying you to determine with 100% certainty that I indeed needed a new £500 'SuperFXVideoNutterBlaster" card, and not a £1.99 VGA cable.

It's very possible that you have a burned out or damaged heater element in you dishwasher. This may have taken out the actuator switch in the programmer or thermostat. It may also be prudent to replace the MCB as it sounds like it has been placed under excessive stress for prolonged periods. You may also want to consider fitting an RCD/RCBO which, aside from the safety benefits, would detect such faults much earlier, reducing the likelihood of subsequent damage.

As a general rule, if you smell burning when using any electrical equipment you should immediately switch it off and leave it off until the cause can be determined and corrected. Failure to do so will at best cause further damage, and could cause a fire.