Strange RCD nuisance tripping solution

[butterd2]

Hi All,

I'd be interested if anyone could confirm why the following happened.

Yesterday my RCD in the main board began tripping, testing one appliance at a time identified the dishwasher as the culprit, appears to be a surge when the motor kicks in.

After much trial and error I have discovered that by using a very old/coiled up extension lead the problem has stopped. Initially I was using it to try different sockets but then when it was ok on sockets on the same ring main I went back to original socket without the lead and it tripped but putting the lead back in between the washer and it's socket all is well!

I am asuming that the lead is providing sufficient resisitance / inductance that it is damping the surge when the motor starts up thus protecting the RCD.

If anyone can shed any light on this i'd be very interested.

Thanks,
Damian.

 

[ColJack]

it's the leakage..

plugged direct into the socket the earth leakage is high enough when the motor is running that it trips the RCD..
with the lead in, it adds resistance and lowers the earth leakage just enough that it doesn't trip.. but it's still leaking to earth...

you need the thing looked at..

take it apart and see if anything is wet inside that shouldn't be..

or just bu a new one..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Try the appliances forum with details of the make and model, and at what point in the cycle it trips - oftentimes appliances have known faults.

I'd tend to the thinking that it's not a motor surge, because D/W motors aren't big powerful ones like W/Ms. It's more likely, IMO, to be a leaking seal or split pipe which manifests itself when the motor starts up.

But since I have Miele appliances I don't have much experience of fixing them...

 

[333rocky333]

Maybe the old lead is not earthed at the outlet.

 

[Spark123]

Using a coiled up extension with a high current appliance such as a dishwasher is a big no-no.
The cable needs to dissipate heat otherwise it will melt and could cause a fire. In a coiled up state the cable cannot dissipate heat effectively.
Personally I'd reserve judgement on it being the dishwasher until I tested it, it could be something else and the dishwasher just tipping it over the edge.