Washing Machine Trip The Breaker ( Rcd I Guess ).

When my washing machine (7 year old ) was running yesterday it trip the breaker ( that one ,first on the left , RCD i guess?!) and no power in home. We reset the trip and the same happened twice more (took me a ittle while to realise it was the washing machine!). The socket is OK, and I presume the fuse in the plug must still be OK as the machine worked for a a couple of seconds before the fuse went again.

That one :

https://i.postimg.cc/Kzhdfr1v/9i.jpg


It was not happening during all years never before,which is very weird only yesterday. But my mother put inside a lot of clothes yesterday.



Ah and circuit overload doesnt matter,because actually i have only tv and laptop,oven running,like always.





Today we run again washer,but this time she put less clothes than yesterday...+ she clean and dry some element ( not heater for sure ) . Dunno what.

And no breaker tripping and power is on still.


Now its fine,washer working without issues in home. And all other devices in home,like tv,oven,light,laptop working fine.

So leave that or change something in electricity home?


I ask because i want to plug my new pc parts.

But i had many pcs in home all years no issues,even last pc from 12.12.2017 to 10 december 2018 and no issues. So i ask now. If everything is fine now again, can i plug new pc?

 

It is possible the breaker got a little carbon or dirt build-up in it and flipping it a couple times cleaned the contacts. Either way,

Not sure what you are saying there but the oven should be on its own breaker.

Make sure the washer's power cord is fully inserted too.

If it happens again, it could be the washer is failing, or the breaker is failing.

I don't see how it could be the size of the load. It is the water that weighs the most - the clothes don't really weigh much. And more clothes really only affect drying time, not how much current is being used.

 

As usual sew333/litwicki22/+several other aliases has to play out his 'problems' across as many fora as he's still allowed on, here's another version: https://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f265/washing-machine-trip-main-breaker-1233984.html

 

I hate it when inconsiderate posters waste my time - especially when it appears they have already been told cross or shotgun posting across multiple forums and sites is considered rude forum etiquette (read and heed them all, but note item 11).

Thanks satrow.

 

litwicki22,
This is a PC Hardware Forum.
Phone an electrician.

Nice catch satrow!

Digerati, some people will always abuse forums.
And you where the better person trying to help.

 

=Now its fine and it not tripping the main breaker, so it was something with washer ( laundry overload or water leak ).

If i actually washer will not trip again RCD or when i stop using washer. Can i just plug my new pc parts in house?

RCD breaker is fine yes?

 

If you are pointing to the correct part of your electrical distribution box, then it was NOT an overload. You are pointing to the "Earth Leakage" breaker. This breaker only goes down if there is physical fault with your washer. You said that your mother clean and dried off an element, well there is your answer, the element is at fault. It shorted down to earth due to water or physical damage.

That is why the "Earth Leakage" tripped. When it got cleaned and dried out, it worked perfectly again. I would recommend you get a new one. You are not suppose to have the need to clean or dry an element.

Could be that the heavy load caused a leak or water to overflow and shorted out the element and tripped the "Earth Leakage". If the machine was overloaded and drew too much current, the specific circuit plug breaker should have tripped and NOT the "Earth Leakage" breaker.

Hope this helps. The tripping would not damage your computer. It would simply loose power, but too much tripping is not good for any electronic circuit. May I suggest you also invest in a small 850VA line interactive UPS { Uninterrupted Power Supply }. They are cheap and easy to use. They are made for such nuisance tripping.

 

My question. Technically when washer trips RCD and power goes out, this is the same when oven and bulb inside get damage and oven will trip rcd and power goes out too ..... .


So its the same?

 

Yes, exactly...

 

A short circuit can exceed 10,000 amps. An electrical motor that locks up while running can draw six times it's running amperage. According to NEC guidelines, all major appliances must be on a dedicated circuit.

 

A washing machine is not a major appliance. Those would include the main kitchen oven, an electric clothes dryer, the HVAC system, hot water heater because in the US, they typically require 220-240VAC. Most washing machines, like this front loader or this top loader draw 10A or less. That is less than most microwave ovens, simple toasters or your daughter's hair dryer.

The motors used in washing machines actually are not that powerful. They don't have to be because washing machines have transmissions. This is why they spin slowly at first. And it is the water that weighs most and that is quickly pumped out while the spinning is still in slow speed.

Which clearly would flip the circuit breaker, if not for that circuit, but the whole house.

 

What?

Washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, stove hoods, cooktops, and built in appliances like over the range microwaves or wall ovens are all major appliances. They are to be wired on a dedicated branch circuit, with no other loads on the line.

My first copy of the NEC /NFPA 70 was the 1993 edition.

 

They are "major" in terms of marketing. But not in terms of electrical use. Again, a 1500 watt hair dryer uses more power than washing machines. Does a hair dryer need to be on its own circuit? No! What about a space heater? Or this Corsair PSU?

Not true!
If you read the code again for washing machines, yes, it is supposed to have a dedicated circuit BUT it can be on the same circuit as a gas dryer and there can be other wall outlets on the same circuit too! The only requirements are (1) it is a 20Amp circuit, and (2) all of those outlets must be located in the same laundry room - which means there certainly can be other loads on the same line.

Just a tiny bit of homework will easily verified this in seconds with a simple search: do washing machines need to be on a dedicated circuit?

 

Comments above don't apply to UK electrical standards...……. to save anyone panicking!

 

I suspected the OP was not in the US, but nothing said otherwise to me.