Fused spur arching

[Al@n]

Chrome plated fused spur switch arching/screeching noise.

Ran the condenser dryer, first load was fine. Ran a second load immediately after, 20 minutes into the cycle the dryer switched off.

I looked at the fuse spur, the neon light was no longer 'on' despite being in the on position, the fused spur was quite warm to the touch.

Checked the fuse board no fuses had tripped.

I switched the fuse spur on/off, the neon light came on but the light was flickering and making an arching/screeching noise.

It's the first time I've run a back to back load in the dryer, I'm assuming this is what caused the issue with the fused spur, or could it be something else?

Is it not safe to run back to back loads in a condenser dryer?

I'll also be getting the fused spur replaced with a white MK fused spur instead of getting a new chrome one, maybe the quality isn't great!?

 

[Murdochcat]

Did you check the fuse in the fused spur

 

[Al@n]

Did you check the fuse in the fused spur

I assumed it was fine as the neon light came back on and so did the dryer

 

[ericmark]

It does depend on how much power the condenser dryer uses, I went to great lengths so washing machine and dryer were not on the same supply, but really not needed, as when I moved from a vented dryer to a condenser heat pump dryer the amount of power used went down, still uses about same energy, but over a longer time.

I would guess in your case, you have a faulty switch, and the switched FCU needs changing.

We are told fixed items using more than 2 kW should have a dedicated supply, so old tumble dryers should have a dedicated supply as no wheels and over 18 kg so considered as non-portable, but tradition has it that we do washing in the kitchen from the days when we dragged the twin tub into the centre of the room, and no cooking on that day.

But the 2 kW limit has nothing to do with how much a plug or FCU can deliver, it is all about overloading the British ring final, and the tumble dryer is likely the worst item we plug in, due to how long it uses high power for, but if near the centre of the ring final, there is really no problem, only when near the origin is there a problem and only then if other high-powered things used at the same time on the same circuit.

There are basic three types of condenser dryers, water cooled (normally built into washer), air cooled, and refrigerant cooled (often called a heat pump dryer). The problem with the air cooled, is it heats the room, so needs to be in a large room, my utility room is really too small to use an air cooled type in. And the water cooled wastes water, and all condenser dryers seem to have a fixed heating where the only vented dryers you could often select 1 kW or 2 kW some even lower, designed to run overnight on off-peak. Both at 2 kW the condenser dryer is more efficient to the vented, but at 1 kW the vented dryer is far better economy wise. Even giving the heat pump type a run for their money, but I wanted to close the window the vent pipe went out of, so moved to condenser type with a heat pump.

But the run time is a problem, the washer second run completes far before the dryer has dried the first lot of clothes, both washing machine and dryer have delay start timers, but they both run the drum every so often while waiting for the start time, not a clue why, but it means balls with washing liquid can't be used.

But in this weather I use solar, the solar panels produce electric, which powers the tumble dryer. The problem is run time, 2.5 hours can mean cloud cover before cycle finishes, so we rely on a battery to bridge the gaps when we get cloud cover.

 

[Murdochcat]

What make of spur is it? There is so much tat being sold in the UK these days and then the standard of installation can be pretty poor too

 

[Al@n]

What make of spur is it? There is so much tat being sold in the UK these days and then the standard of installation can be pretty poor too

Brand is LAP chrome effect fused spur, installed approx 5 years ago. Will fit a white MK fused spur instead.

Is it safe to run back to back loads in the dryer? or is it best to be safe and allow the dryer to cool down after a cycle before running another load?

 

[ericmark]

Is it safe to run back to back loads in the dryer? or is it best to be safe and allow the dryer to cool down after a cycle before running another load?

It should be safe, you are just unlucky.

 

[Murdochcat]

Brand is LAP chrome effect fused spur, installed approx 5 years ago. Will fit a white MK fused spur instead.

Is it safe to run back to back loads in the dryer? or is it best to be safe and allow the dryer to cool down after a cycle before running another load?

Ah LAP

Rhyming slang for crxp

 

[ericmark]

Heard bad reports for LAP, but personally they have been fine. I like the LAP grid system, and have a few socket, fuse and switch combinations in a double socket backplate.

 

[flameport]

Will fit a white MK fused spur instead.

If it only supplies the socket for the dryer, fit a 20A switch instead, no fuse required.

or could it be something else?

Fuses get hot when loaded near their maximum. Heating and cooling weakens the contacts that hold the fuse, and if it's some cheapo piece, failure is inevitable.

 

[ebee]

DITTO that yes indeed. do not use cheapo carp , use reputable goods.

 

[mikehammer69]

Chrome plated fused spur switch arching/screeching noise.

Ran the condenser dryer, first load was fine. Ran a second load immediately after, 20 minutes into the cycle the dryer switched off.

I looked at the fuse spur, the neon light was no longer 'on' despite being in the on position, the fused spur was quite warm to the touch.

Checked the fuse board no fuses had tripped.

I switched the fuse spur on/off, the neon light came on but the light was flickering and making an arching/screeching noise.

It's the first time I've run a back to back load in the dryer, I'm assuming this is what caused the issue with the fused spur, or could it be something else?

Is it not safe to run back to back loads in a condenser dryer?

I'll also be getting the fused spur replaced with a white MK fused spur instead of getting a new chrome one, maybe the quality isn't great!?

Do dryers need a break

Good question

 

[morqthana]

Chrome plated fused spur switch arching/screeching noise.

Ran the condenser dryer, first load was fine. Ran a second load immediately after, 20 minutes into the cycle the dryer switched off.

I looked at the fuse spur, the neon light was no longer 'on' despite being in the on position, the fused spur was quite warm to the touch.

Checked the fuse board no fuses had tripped.

I switched the fuse spur on/off, the neon light came on but the light was flickering and making an arching/screeching noise.

It's the first time I've run a back to back load in the dryer, I'm assuming this is what caused the issue with the fused spur, or could it be something else?

Is it not safe to run back to back loads in a condenser dryer?

I'll also be getting the fused spur replaced with a white MK fused spur instead of getting a new chrome one, maybe the quality isn't great!?

Before posting this did you think to check the connections?

 

[securespark]

I may have been lucky but I have been running my WM and TD from the cheapest sockets I could buy at the time (in 1999) as a test to see how good they were.
I'm on my 4th WM and 3rd TD, but the sockets are powering on.

Two cheap Chinese-made singles from Fewscrix. They were well under a pound each.

Soon, I will rewire the sockets in the garage and will change them for MK.

I'll let you know if things go pear-shaped.