Washing Machine tripping RCD

[paullav]

Hey, looking for some advice.
Each time I start the Washing Machine (Hotpoint Aquarius) on a cycle, after about a minute it trips the RCD.

I have unplugged components one at a time to try and pinpoint the problem, and it seems to be pressure switch related.

When I disconnect the switch and switch the machine on, the RCD doesn't blow.
As soon as I reconnect it blows it.

I then tried it with the hose disconnected from the pressure switch and it doesn't trip out - but then of course the machine over-fills.

Is it worth purchasing a pressure switch to see if that sorts the issue or could it also be something else?

Many thanks
Paul

 

[bernardgreen]

If it is the RCD that is tripping and not the MCB then the fault may not be in the washing machine. It might be a Neutral to Earth fault on another circuit protected by the RCD. This fault will only have an effect on the RCD when there is a heavy load on a circuit protected by the RCD.

That said the fault could be a Neutral to Earth fault due to dust from worn motor brushes creating a path between the neutral brush holder and the frame of the motor.

When a washing machine starts to turn the drum the load current can be very high until the motor is running at speed.

Does the machine normally turn the drum before it has filled with water ? Or is the first attempt to turn only when there is water in the drum ?

If it only starts when it knows there is water in the drum ( the pressure switch closes ) then it could appear to be the pressure switch at fault and not the motor.

 

[paullav]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes initially water starts to fill and the drum does rotate, then once the drum stops you here a click and then it trips, but if the hose is not connected to the pressure switch it just carries on to fill and does not trip the RCD.

 

[paullav]

Just tried the machine on a spin cycle with the pressure switch disconnected, after about 1 minute as the speed starts to increase the machine tripped the RCD again