RCD Tripped and now won't go back on!

[hannahhaworth]

Hello! New here, fairly clueless, be nice.

I've been in my flat for two months and the washing machine is pretty old. I've not used it for a couple of weeks and put a wash on earlier while I pottered about tidying the rest of the flat. I realised the washing machine had stopped so opened the door and water flooded out. Then I realised that the electricity was off, so I went and had a look at the fuse box and the RTC was down. Flipped it back up and went to the internet to investigate.

Basically I then tried the washing machine plugged into a different socket, and all was fine for 10 mins when it went again. Unplugged the machine and went and flipped the switch again. 5-10 minutes later it went again. Did some more research, unplugged EVERYTHING and went and tried again, and within 3 minutes it had flipped back down. Now I can't switch it on at all. HOPEFULLY the letting agents should be able to send someone round tomorrow morning but wtf has happened?! has the washing machine destroyed all of the electrics in the flat (is that even possible?) and is there anything that I can do in the meantime? I'm currently in the pub and unfortunately I can't stay here overnight.

 

[Iggifer]

You can try turning off all the other breakers and see if the RCD (not RTC) holds then. Then turning the breakers on one by one and see if any of them cause it to trip.

When water flooded out did it get anything electrical wet?

 

[Taylortwocities]

If water has got into your electrics then the RCD will trip until it has dried out.

It may be a junction box, or something, in the flooded area has become saturated. You would need to investigate to see if that can be isolated.
Messing with water and electricity is tricky at any time. I would recommend that you don't try to do anything after a visit to the pub!

 

[hannahhaworth]

There wasn't a great deal of water as it was so early in the cycle - about a pint the first time and then possibly a bit more the second and it's only really on the lino - none went under the machine as far as I can tell

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Some RCDs need to be switched to the off position before they reset.
It sounds like your washing machine was originally causing the issue, now whether you have introduced another issue with water spillage could be a different kettle of fish and the wiring will need drying out.

 

[hannahhaworth]

You can try turning off all the other breakers and see if the RCD (not RTC) holds then. Then turning the breakers on one by one and see if any of them cause it to trip.

When water flooded out did it get anything electrical wet?

It now won't stay up them on, off or a combination of both

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Have you unplugged everything, not just switched the plugs off but taken them out of the sockets?

 

[hannahhaworth]

Have you unplugged everything, not just switched the plugs off but taken them out of the sockets?

Yep, everything other than the oven (because I can't find/get to where this is plugged in)

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Does the oven have a local isolator?
Sometimes they are tucked away in kitchen cabinets.

 

[hannahhaworth]

Does the oven have a local isolator?

I don't know

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Does your landlord?

 

[hannahhaworth]

My landlord is completely bloody useless, said he'd come and have a look at it and then said 'we'll just have to get someone out tomorrow'... not really looking forward to going back and sitting in the bleedin dark! It's lucky that my local has wifi because I've got work to do

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Well does the pub landlord then?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What needs to be done is eliminate any appliance fault, then the hard-wiring can be inspected. Without taking everything off load it is going to be difficult eliminating them and cookers/ovens are common to causing RCDs to trip.
Can I assume you are a complete electrical novice and not confident in removing circuits from the board. As that would be my next move.