Socket or spur?

Hi,

I have a double socket connected to a13 amp switch fuse. We have a tumble dryer and washing machine running off the double socket - sometimes at the same time. I have since found out this isn't necessarily a good idea!

Anyway, since getting a new washing machine the consumer unit has been tripping. Once that's reset, switching on/off the spur switch is required to restore power. This morning the double socket no longer works. I have examined the socket and spur, neither looks burnt out. Am I best trying to replace the socket or spur (perhaps better quality socket) or could there be something wrong with the wiring? The earth wire in the spur is pinched but didn't think that would matter. Also appears to be linked to the upstairs sockets for some reason!

thanks

One or more of the switches can fail without any outward signs.

Has the fuse in the FCU failed?

I would guess the fuse has ruptured, but unless the switched FCU also is an active RCD can't see why it would need switching off and on again, so that points to loose wire.

As to washer and tumble drier on same double socket, it depends on what type of tumble drier. My vented one I would set to 1 kW setting, as 60 minutes on 2 kW and 90 minutes on 1 kW so much cheaper to use 1 kW setting, and as such although a little over the 13 amp with washer on as well, likely you would get away most of the time without the fuse blowing, now with my heat pump tumble drier it uses 600 watt, so even less likely to have a problem.

However to use a 2 kW drier and around a 2.4 kW washing machine (while it is heating up water) is asking a bit much for a 13 amp fuse.

Thanks for the suggestions

I tried replacing the fuse in the FCU this morning but the fuse door won't open. I will try replacing the FCU and report back

fozzy9876 said:

Thanks for the suggestions

I tried replacing the fuse in the FCU this morning but the fuse door won't open. I will try replacing the FCU and report back

Click to expand...

Bad idea. You need to improve the situation rather than waiting for a repeat

Murdochcat said:

Bad idea. You need to improve the situation rather than waiting for a repeat

Click to expand...

I was thinking it could just be a faulty unit?

Although seems a bit of coincidence that problems started when we got the new washing machine.

Would it be best asking a sparky to take a look?

Murdochcat said:

Bad idea. You need to improve the situation rather than waiting for a repeat

Click to expand...

As yet we don't know the tumble dryer type. There are two types vented and condensing, and the latter is further sub divided into air cooled, water cooled and heat pump. The vented I had one could select power, the water cooled was built into the washing machine and I had no control over, an the heat pump was only around 600 watt. I see no real problem with the latter.

I know also our old hot fill washing machine used far less power to our new cold fill, seems the old hot and cold fill has gone except for specials made for boats ect. It does seem a backwards step, as in the main the DHW is heated with gas, oil, or solar, where the washing machine uses too much power to be covered by solar unless using a battery, so hot fill cost less to run and could be better for the environment. But governments have a blinkered approach to things and forget people can heat DHW using spare solar.

But you need to read the plates on the machines to see what they use.

ericmark said:

, seems the old hot and cold fill has gone except for specials made for boats ect.

Click to expand...

fozzy9876 said:

I was thinking it could just be a faulty unit?

Although seems a bit of coincidence that problems started when we got the new washing machine.

Would it be best asking a sparky to take a look?

Click to expand...

Bad idea because you are almost certainly plugging in more than 13A ................ fuse will get hot and / or blow

bernardgreen said:

What is Hot Fill? - Ebac

Save Money

www.ebac.com

Click to expand...

Not quite true, what they say, some dirt egg for example can be harder to remove with hot water, so heating the water white washing means items better cleaned with cold are removed before the water heats up.

The same with a dish washer.

However the heater is often only used on the first cycle, so set a delay start on tumble drier and likely no problem.

I use a delayed start on tumble drier so solar has charged battery a bit first, but not washing machine as in both cases the machine gives a quick tumble every so often while waiting for start time, and this means the soap in the washing machine is spilt over the cloths. So I only delay tumble drier.

I would agree the appendix in BS 7671 says items which are not portable and over 2 kW should have a dedicated supply, so unless on wheels the washing machine, tumble drier, dishwasher should all have dedicated supplies like we do for the immersion heater.

But not seen domestic premises wired that way yet. But as yet we have no idea of load, so we are simply guessing.

I was carefull not to plug mine into same output, but washing machine rated 2.2 kW and drier 600 watt so both don"t exceed 3 kW together, we are just guessing.

A 13A spur should handle a washing machine and tumble dryer, because they only reach peak loads at various times in the cycle. It may be earth related (hence the CU tripping), but worth replacing the spur and socket to check if the problem comes back. A plug in socket tester can be useful for some but not all faults.

The FCU was working again this morning - odd. It definitely wasn't the other day.

Anyway I changed the FCU and the socket since I had a spare. All working fine.

I couldnt remove the fuse out of the old FCU. Hacking away with a screwdriver the plastic looks to have melted, so presumably it has ruptured.

Energy consumption of appliances are below. So I presume running both at the same time could exceed 3kW and therefore not a good idea! Seems odd more people don't run into the same issue, unless it's a case of new appliances using more energy... ?!?

Thanks again guys

Condenser Dryer.
Energy consumption of the standard cotton programme at full load (kWh) 5.12
Amperage (A) 11.5
Total Power (W) 2700
Heater Wattage Max (W) 2300


Washer.
Total Current (A) 10
Total Power (W) 2200

fozzy9876 said:

Anyway I changed the FCU and the socket since I had a spare. All working fine.

Click to expand...

You should have changed the FCU for a 20A switch which has no fuse.

fozzy9876 said:

Washer.
Total Current (A) 10
Total Power (W) 2200

Click to expand...

That's normal, and likely that load only at start of cycle.

fozzy9876 said:

Condenser Dryer.
Energy consumption of the standard cotton programme at full load (kWh) 5.12
Amperage (A) 11.5
Total Power (W) 2700
Heater Wattage Max (W) 2300

Click to expand...

That is rather high, my instructions say
I have been measuring the use, it starts like this but as it gets warm enough the heat pump clearly switches on off so this starts, I find it had to say how much power it uses, as every time used the pattern seems to change, and since a heat pump, there is only one power setting it is either running or not running, where with the old vented type, we had the option of high or low, and since low both better for clothes and uses less energy, it was always left on low, it was a very basic model, so just a simple timer, if clothes still damp would switch on a second time, but for less time, in the main clothes were dry after 90 minutes run time, so around 1.5 kWh per load.

After move it required the window to be left open with pipe out of window, so we wanted a condenser drier piped into drain so window could be closed, we already had a condenser drier built into the washing machine down in the flat, which used cold water to condense, but the stand alone type seemed to use the room air to condense, which would mean it warms up the air in the room, OK in winter, not so good in summer. Also they need to be in a cool room with enough air to be heated for them to work.

So the heat pump method seemed to be a better idea in our small utility/laundry room, clearly still a condenser drier, but cooling used a refrigeration plant not the room air. But when we came to buy it was confusing

Zanussi said:

The condenser tumbly dryer requires nothing more than a socket.

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OK so why does it have grills to take in room air? There is clearly a trade off, your drier likely only takes ¾ hour at that power to dry the cloths, where ours can take 3 hours.

But I have no option it uses 600 watt, since the condenser drier was claimed to be better than vented and the vented allowed either 1 kW or 2 kW with really cheap model, I would assume yours has same options, so just turn down to half heat setting. Fact it says Max makes me think there will be a lower setting.