washing machine tripping the socket switch on the main curcuit board?

My washer has buggered this morning..I came down and it was full of water and the MCB switch was down.Now this fuse switch is for the washer and fridge/freezer.. (which was off too)....the washer plugs into a socket behind the washer, then there is a cable from this to a fused switch above worksurface height. I changed the fuse in the fused switch, the fridge/freezer came back on, but as soon as i let power to the washer, there was a popping noise from the washer and the fuse on the MCB went off. I turned of all power to the washer, reset the main MCB fuse, the FF came back on...so i have identified the problem to being the washer!!!.....so what i need to know is..could the fuse in the actual plug from the washer have "gone"...or would that not make a difference???

lydia
February 2011

This has just happened to my washing machine! Did you fix it in the end? I cant afford £100 for an electrician at the moment

Claire
May 2009

washing machines are prone to getting damp any damp will trip out elcb,s ( earth leakage circuit breakers )
you need to get the washing machine checked by electrician it must be earthing .
? what elcb current fuse is protecting your washing machine it could be underated is this a new machine .
it could be faulty socket or it,s connections in the socket get checked by electrican

tony m
May 2009

There are basically two types of circuit breaker on a consumer unit (fuse board).

An RCD usually protects the whole house from Earth Leakage a potentially unsafe condition and when it trips both lights and power are lost until it's reset.

A Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) just protects one specific circuit - Uptairs Lights or Downstairs Power for instance. When an MCB trips it's because too much current is being drawn.

Your washing machine appears to be tripping an MCB because of an overcurrent situation - and as you say it happens almost immediately the machine begins to operate it may well be the water inlet solenoid (an easy fix).

John below may be almost right about the Heating Element but an open circuit anything will not trip a breaker - it may be a short circuit element and you may be able to eliminate the element by selecting a cold water wash if you are able to - no trip = probably the element.

The qualified electrician you spoke to either failed to understand what you were telling him or he has forgotten some of his basic training... Neither a Fuse nor the Earth would cause a breaker to trip.

Good luck...

Peccavi
May 2009

Whatever the fault is, it certainly isn't the washer fuse...however its impossible to diagnose from here what it could be, but the chances are its the main heating element having gone open circuit or the motor likewise - especially if the machine has overflowed recently. Best call out an engineer, I guess.

John
May 2009