Miele Novotronic Premiere 500 (W504) element Rcd

[Artichoke1974]

Hoping someone out there can help. Got 8 yr old
Miele novotronic premiere 500, which since new fuse box has been put in the house, it keeps tripping the RCD. Electrician suggested it might be the element. I have removed all panels ( with help from previous posts) but now cannot seem to extract the elements. Have taken of wires, thermostat and two retaining washer like things with teeth but there I am stuck! Would greatly appreciate any help!!! Also is it possible that it is not the element before I start spending money on replacement parts in the hope that it is the right problem! RCD doesnt trip unless cycle has started. Any help very very welcome. Many thanks, Chris D

 

[zipper]

Post the model number on the door sticker, not what it says on the front.
I wouldn't go removing the element without confirming it actually has an earth fault first, you may not get it refitted & sealed properly again. To check the element for an earth fault (or any other electrical component for that matter) requires a 500v megger unless damage is plainly evident, often it is not. Did your electrician megger anything? has he confirmed it isn't an installation issue? Did you have this problem before you got the new CU?...did it begin immediately after it was installed?

 

[Artichoke1974]

Hi Zipper - thank you very much for your reply - very much appreciated.

It's a W504.

No checks have been done (I don't have a megger - I do have a multi meter? - the electrician was not commissioned (or qualified?) to carry out any checks on the washing machine) and no damage is plainly evident. I was hoping that it might be evident when I removed the element, although admittedly, replacing it to check would be an expensive diagnostic if it's not at fault!

We had a very old CU and there were no issues, the new CU now has RCDs, which electrician advised are much more sensitive to the washing machine fault, which happened as soon as the new CU went in.

Many thanks again for your time & advice.

Chris D

 

[zipper]

Disconnect the heater & insulate the two spades well so they can't touch earth then plug in the machine & see in it trips.

 

[Artichoke1974]

Sorry, I forgot to mention, it doesn't trip when the machine is on and not on a cycle, only when the cycle starts. I think it also tripped after a while on a cold wash but.

Re: checking element; presumably I need to full y put everything back together and start a washing cycle? And presumably it would no longer trip if the problem were the element but the washing machine would run as normal but cold and with a fault light of some kind?

If it's not the element, what else should (/could) I check & how?

Again, very grateful for your help & time.

Kind regards,

Chris D

 

[zipper]

Seeing as you only have a multimeter about all you can do is set it on 1xΩ & check the element resistance. Then set it on the highest Ω scale & read between the element & earth. You could fill a couple of litres of water in the drum which may or may not provoke a reading of a few kΩ (if your element is faulty). You could also try measuring the other components in the same manner (without water). But as a multimeter only puts out a couple of volts & a megger puts out 500v DC you may draw a blank. To be honest any electrical component could be at fault if it is indeed your washer causing problems & not something else on the same circuit. An earth fault on the machine could be caused by any of the following: faulty plug/socket, cable, mains suppressor, motor full of carbon dust, pump, wiring, installation, etc, etc. Are there any signs of a leakage? Tell-tale signs of previous leaks around the element grommet, baseplate, motor, etc? You can check most the above with the machine front off.
PS..there is no error code for an earth fault.