tenerife electric problems

[mattysupra]

hi, got a problem that after using the the washing machine for 20-30mins or so the main trip switch flicks off, (the one with a test button on) killing all power to everything. Now today my sister has not used the washing machine and while out she returned to find the same test/switch thing had gone again but along with one of the trip switches labled sockets.

After speaking to my sister about this she reported that she got a bad electric shock of the frezer last month and her boy friend got a shock of the freezer last week also. She said it was a big shock that made feel sick for a couple of hours latter.

Any ideas of the problem? is the freezer the problem with trip switch?

 

[plugwash]

If you were in the UK I would be telling you to get an electrician out to PAT test the apliances and check the earthing/bonding. But I don't know what the local electricans and electrical regs are like in tennerife.

Who owns this flat

Can you post any pictures of the wiring and appliances in question.

 

[mattysupra]

its owned by my sister. I have been trying to borrow a pate test gear as im flying out tommorow morning to have a look, im ment to be fitting a new air con unit but i will need to fix the electric first ! im not a spark but know the basics but we all know what foriegn electrics are like and dont really no what is correct and not to there standards. I will see how it goes and will post some pics if i cant work it out.
it would be nice just to phone a local spark but there crap and dont seem to know what the hell they are doing! Plus they take 6 months to do anything.

 

[mattysupra]

o.k i think we have solved the problem, first i found that the rcd was faulty, when changed it would not turn on at all while the sockets breaker was on. I then found burnt wires and melted back of socket in the bathroom! ( dont ask me why there is a socket in the bathroom? ) Next i found the socket for the freezer was missing an earth so i changed socket for the correct one with a earth.
Nice the electrics over here

 

[solair]

You really do need to get a proper local registered electrician to check the wiring in that place. It sounds like some 'handy man' or 'diy' clueless person had been wiring.

The socket in the bathroom's perfectly safe, however it's supposed to be fully protected by a fast-acting RCD.

You need to get someone to look over everything and make sure that the earthing is properly done.

The sockets should look like this :

(Standard CEE 7/4 German style Earthed Sockets)

If they are flat, with no clips they are not earthed and should be upgraded urgently.

Remember that obsolete European sockets will accept modern earthed plugs but not complete the earth. Just because they provide power does not mean that it's safe.

Seek local advice and get a registered electrical contractor in.