Hotpoint WD440G tripping my electricity board

[GH blackpool]

Hi all - wonder if someone can advise...

I was in the kitchen earlier, which runs off its own electricty switchboard (I'm not technically minded on these things, bear with me..).

The boiler was on, as was the radio and the washing machine. All of a sudden, everything is quiet - it's all off. Initally I thought there was a powercut, but light still on on bathroom, and on testing, all other rooms fine.

Bottom line, I unplugged everything, switched the fuseboard thing back on, and tried all appliances in random order - they're all fine until I switch the washing machine on at the mains - and it trips the switches.

I started again, and tried the washing machine first - and it tripped again.

Any idea what its likely to be?

 

[jj4091]

Anyone would need to be psychic to tell you what the problem is, obviously a faulty washer, call someone out if you do not have the ability to narrow it down any.

 

[JohnD]

it would be interesting to see a photo of this fuseboard thing.

Most likely you have an electrical fault in the washing machine. Due to the presence of water they often cause RCD tripping.

Look for the easy things that you may be able to fix yourself:

Damaged flex, plug or socket
Water leak getting onto electrical parts.

It sounds like you need a Washing Machine Repairman.

 

[GH blackpool]

Righto - just need advice now if that's ok

Friend of a friend is a repair man.

He's been round, confirmed my above explanation (which is summary is that the machine was tripping the RCD).

There was, bizarrely, water in the 'noise cap' - this is what he called it. My take is that its a cylindrical electrical jobby that the flex feeds directly into on the inside of the machine. Right up in the top right hand corner, in no contact with anything else.

We dried it out, and voila - no more tripping.

There were no water marks though anywhere else, and no explanation as to how water got into it - only possibility being steam from the drying mechanism. I've had it drying for 90mins since though and on removing the lid, there no evidence of steam/condensation.

However, the machine is JUST (2 days) within warranty, which I hadn't realised. Shall I get them out to investigate how water managed to get in the 'noise cap'?

 

[GH blackpool]

PS - thank you for replying.

 

[jj4091]

It sounds like you are describing a suppressor capacitor & I presume it has 2 wires connected to separate connectors on one end, if so is it possible to point it in a downward direction so that condensation cannot collect around them?

 

[GH blackpool]

JJ4091

its actually one of these: http://www.4hotpoint.co.uk/cgi-bin/...query=Hotpoint WD440G&model=WD440G&path=52516

This part fits on top of a black cylindrical gizmo. It was the black cylindrical gizmo that had the water in it, and on one of the tiny sockets that the white main harness I've linked to above had a scorch mark on it, presumably from a spark. Any idea what the black gizmo is called?

Separately, so all was well last night, washed and dried some clothes, all good. Switched it off, and went to bed (after checking the smoke alarm lol). This morning, it's switched off on the front, but some of the setting lights are lit solid - never done that before.

Quickly flicked the mains on and off - still lit solid. Switched off for 10 secs - and back to normal.

Is it knackered? Has the tripping affected something else? I'm getting the engineer out as its JUST within warranty, but would appreciate advice as to what they're likely to do / how long it's likely to be out of action..

 

[GH blackpool]

View media item 6522I took a picture...

What is that black thing called (its got a white sticker on the front)? Its this that had water in it when we took the mains harness off.

The mains harness is attached to the top and its that which has the coloured wires coming out. The actual flex comes in through the back of the machine and into the black thing.

Cheers fella's - much appreciated.

 

[rocks1]

its called a mains surpressor and the wiring loom on pic needs changeing as well ,

 

[GH blackpool]

Excellent - thanks very much.

Out of interest, whats up with the wiring loom?

Bear in mind, I'm not in when the engineer comes, so I'm writing all of this down too. We had an engineer earlier in the year to change the thermofuse, he didn't note anything about the wiring loom - should he?

 

[rocks1]

its called mains harness as you put in pic it connects to surpresor,its poss got burnt wires

 

[JohnD]

good news it's still in warranty.