It has been doing this with an increased consistency for some time and
now it's starting to bother me. I had always thought it was the
electrics in my house causing it. Doubt it is though as the electrics
were redone only a few years ago. I have tried it in different plug
sockets with no difference.

It doesn't always trip power, but I would say there is a 50/50 chance
of it happening every time I use it.

Looking at washerhelp.com it sounds like I need to get it electrically
tested as there is likely to be a short causing it. Is this most
likely? I wondered if the fuse in it might not be correct, what fuse
should it be using?

BTW after I restore power it continues to work and never trips the
power again on that cycle, even though it does reach the same spin
speed peak as before.

Thanks.

It doesn't always trip power, but I would say there is a 50/50 chance
of it happening every time I use it.

If it is only the washer/dryer that does it, then it is likely to be an
appliance fault. Wiring faults (i.e. neutral-earth shorts) would likely trip
when any high power appliance is used.

I wondered if the fuse in it might not be correct, what fuse
should it be using?

The fuse is irrelevent.

Christian.

P.S. Ensure that you really mean RCD when you say RCD, as many people get
confused as to what each device is called. An RCD is the device on the
consumer unit with the "Press 'T' to test" label on it. It is fairly wide
and probably marked 0.03A or 30mA. The MCBs are the thin ones with the
individual circuits labelled on them and marked with the number of amps
required (i.e. lights are usually B6A, whilst socket circuits are usually
B32A). If it is an MCB that trips rather than the RCD, the problem is VERY
different.

Christian.

spanner wrote on Tuesday (03/02/2004) :
It has been doing this with an increased consistency for some time and
now it's starting to bother me. I had always thought it was the
electrics in my house causing it. Doubt it is though as the electrics
were redone only a few years ago. I have tried it in different plug
sockets with no difference.

Just to make it clear first, an RCD will have a small test button on
the front of it a MCB eill not. Someone earlier mistakenly called an
MCB an RCD.

Assuming either tripping, the plug top fuse would not have any bearing
on the problem, though it should of course be the correct size for the
appliance.

Tripping of an RCD part way through the cycle could mean a small amount
of leakage from the live to earth within the machine. A water leak, or
even water being splashed about inside would be enough to trip an RCD.
It could equally well be an internal wiring fault or similar.

To trip the MCB, it would need to be a much larger flow of current and
a serious short between L and N to cause it to trip. MCB's tend to trip
much more easily/quickly than the fuse in your plug top under sudden
fault conditions. The fuses tending to blow under steady over load
conditions.



It doesn't always trip power, but I would say there is a 50/50 chance
of it happening every time I use it.

Looking at washerhelp.com it sounds like I need to get it electrically
tested as there is likely to be a short causing it. Is this most
likely? I wondered if the fuse in it might not be correct, what fuse
should it be using?

BTW after I restore power it continues to work and never trips the
power again on that cycle, even though it does reach the same spin
speed peak as before.

Thanks.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (Lap)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

Thanks everyone. I will take a closer look at the box tonight to make
sure I'm telling you the correct things and then I'll post back.

It is a 'MK Sentry Consumer Unit' with [from left to right]:

Big red MAIN SWITCH
B32 MCB [Cooker]
B6 MCB [Lights]
B6 MCB [Outside Lights]
80A 30mA RCD with the TEST button above it
B32 MCB [Shower]
B32 MCB [Sockets]

Up until recently I had the machine plugged into its own dedicated
wall socket and usually when it tripped the power both the RCD and
Sockets MCB would switch. I have since switched it to another wall
plug and the only time it has switched the power, so far, it did the
RCD only. Today it didn't cause any power cuts when it was used.

Any advice would be great, I think I'll need to get a repairer out for
the machine though for sure. Thanks.

Up until recently I had the machine plugged into its own dedicated
wall socket and usually when it tripped the power both the RCD and
Sockets MCB would switch.

If it has ever tripped the sockets MCB, (i.e. one of the B32 MCBs listed)
then disconnect the appliance and do not use it until it has been repaired.
This isn't a case of a slight lack of insulation resistance in a heating
element if it passes enough fault current to blow it. As it blows the RCD
too, I would suspect a major direct internal earth to live short, with a
loose connection. Very dangerous.

Christian.

Thanks. Will take your advice and get the repairer out.