Indesit wdg1295w washer/drier tripping RCD on final fast spin

[spanner]

It has been doing this with an increased consistency for some time and now it's starting to bother me. I had always thought it was the electrics in my house causing it. Doubt it is though as the electrics were redone only a few years ago. I have tried it in different plug sockets with no difference.

It doesn't always trip power, but I would say there is a 50/50 chance of it happening every time I use it.

Looking at washerhelp.com it sounds like I need to get it electrically tested as there is likely to be a short causing it. Is this most likely? I wondered if the fuse in it might not be correct, what fuse should it be using?

BTW after I restore power it continues to work and never trips the power again on that cycle, even though it does reach the same spin speed peak as before.

Thanks.

[Christian McArdle]

If it is only the washer/dryer that does it, then it is likely to be an appliance fault. Wiring faults (i.e. neutral-earth shorts) would likely trip when any high power appliance is used.

The fuse is irrelevent.

Christian.

P.S. Ensure that you really mean RCD when you say RCD, as many people get confused as to what each device is called. An RCD is the device on the consumer unit with the "Press 'T' to test" label on it. It is fairly wide and probably marked 0.03A or 30mA. The MCBs are the thin ones with the individual circuits labelled on them and marked with the number of amps required (i.e. lights are usually B6A, whilst socket circuits are usually B32A). If it is an MCB that trips rather than the RCD, the problem is VERY different.

Christian.

[Harry Bloomfield]

spanner wrote on Tuesday (03/02/2004) :

Just to make it clear first, an RCD will have a small test button on the front of it a MCB eill not. Someone earlier mistakenly called an MCB an RCD.

Assuming either tripping, the plug top fuse would not have any bearing on the problem, though it should of course be the correct size for the appliance.

Tripping of an RCD part way through the cycle could mean a small amount of leakage from the live to earth within the machine. A water leak, or even water being splashed about inside would be enough to trip an RCD. It could equally well be an internal wiring fault or similar.

To trip the MCB, it would need to be a much larger flow of current and a serious short between L and N to cause it to trip. MCB's tend to trip much more easily/quickly than the fuse in your plug top under sudden fault conditions. The fuses tending to blow under steady over load conditions.

[spanner]

Thanks everyone. I will take a closer look at the box tonight to make sure I'm telling you the correct things and then I'll post back.

[spanner]

It is a 'MK Sentry Consumer Unit' with [from left to right]:

Big red MAIN SWITCH B32 MCB [Cooker] B6 MCB [Lights] B6 MCB [Outside Lights]

80A 30mA RCD with the TEST button above it B32 MCB [Shower] B32 MCB [Sockets]

Up until recently I had the machine plugged into its own dedicated wall socket and usually when it tripped the power both the RCD and Sockets MCB would switch. I have since switched it to another wall plug and the only time it has switched the power, so far, it did the RCD only. Today it didn't cause any power cuts when it was used.

Any advice would be great, I think I'll need to get a repairer out for the machine though for sure. Thanks.

[Christian McArdle]

If it has ever tripped the sockets MCB, (i.e. one of the B32 MCBs listed) then disconnect the appliance and do not use it until it has been repaired. This isn't a case of a slight lack of insulation resistance in a heating element if it passes enough fault current to blow it. As it blows the RCD too, I would suspect a major direct internal earth to live short, with a loose connection. Very dangerous.

Christian.

[spanner]

Thanks. Will take your advice and get the repairer out.