My tumble dryer is tripping my new fuse box off, when I press the start button it throws the trip for the whole house. I have tried it on the house circuit as opposed to the extension circuit and it does the same thing. Nothing has happened to cause this that I can think of except it was running as I turned the sockets off to do some work.
Any ideas?
Anon
Yep, it has a fault. Current is leaking from the live bits to earth - so not all the current that flows in the live wire is returning on the neutral wire - so the trip, trips.
Which is the protection stuff doing its job - without it, the current could have been leaking through you..
Basically, AFAIK, there still isn't a lot in a tumble drier other than a heating element, a motor and capacitor and a timeswitch. So, it may easily be fixable by a DIY person who knows how to use a multimeter. It could cost as little as a tenner in spare parts - or could cost more than the drier is worth..
One scenario: Depending on what work you have been doing, you could have added something which is also leaking a bit of current to earth. The drier was maybe leaking a little, but not enough to operate the trip. However, now, the drier + the extra leakage is enough to trip it.
Thanks, I think it's easier to buy a new one. :(
Get it Portable Appliance Tested (PAT)
Ian
Doesn't one have to have a C&G cert to use one of these correctly/safely?
Fluke
No you just need to know what your doing!
Rarther pointless the RCD has done the test already and tripped !
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