Fuse in wall socket has melted

caz2703

With monotonous regularity, when the dishwasher is in use, the RCD trips anything up to a record of 7 times in 1.5 hours. Today the RCD tripped but the dishwasher didn't come back on as usual. After some investigation I have found a fused switch for what I presume is the dishwasher. My ex did the electrics and isn't much help these days so between that and the fact that the dishwasher is wedged so tightly under the work surface that it's never coming out, I am stuck.

I tried to check the fuse in the socket but it appears to have melted inside its plastic casing. Given that I can't check the wiring, is there any other reason why this socket & fuse cannot simply be replaced with a new one? I'm worried that mice could have been nibbling at the wiring but as I can't check I don't know what to do. There are two spare fused switches in the kitchen and my dad would be more than able to switch these around for me but I'm worried in case a melted fuse is indicative of something more worrisome.

Thanks in advance.

Myser

The melted fuse/holder may be down to a poor quality fused connection unit (FCU), cheap non BS standard fuse or there may be a fault with the appliance.

Is it an unbranded FCU or something like MK?

Have you taken the FCU off from the back box - are there signs of heat damage to the cable sheath around the screw connections?

Jonesya

caz2703 wrote: »

I'm worried in case a melted fuse is indicative of something more worrisome.

The RCD tripping indicated a problem, you might reset them once but if they're tripping regularly then you have a fault of some kind, typically with the appliance or possibly with the RCD itself. The fuse melting also indicates a problem, although whether it's the same problem that caused the RCD to trip or something else that's developed isn't clear.

It isn't possible to diagnose the problem over a forum, I'd suggest you need an electrician to test the dishwasher, inspect and test the circuit, test the RCD and replace the damaged accessory.

caz2703

Myser wrote: »

The melted fuse/holder may be down to a poor quality fused connection unit (FCU), cheap non BS standard fuse or there may be a fault with the appliance.

Is it an unbranded FCU or something like MK?

Have you taken the FCU off from the back box - are there signs of heat damage to the cable sheath around the screw connections?

From memory it's a GET product from Homebase/B&Q. I've not taken anything apart other than snapping the fuse holder as I tried to pry it out then realised the plastic had melted.

I'll get my dad to check for any cable damage tomorrow as I'm not that confident that I want to go messing about with the wiring.

Jonesya wrote: »

The RCD tripping indicated a problem, you might reset them once but if they're tripping regularly then you have a fault of some kind, typically with the appliance or possibly with the RCD itself. The fuse melting also indicates a problem, although whether it's the same problem that caused the RCD to trip or something else that's developed isn't clear.

It isn't possible to diagnose the problem over a forum, I'd suggest you need an electrician to test the dishwasher, inspect and test the circuit, test the RCD and replace the damaged accessory.

I feared this was going to be the answer. I asked a neighbour (who is employed as a spark) who just waved his hand and said some appliances can be sensitive and not to worry. I also mentioned it to my ex-husband (who described himself as a spark in his earlier years) and he too didn't seem that concerned but then again, there is still a joint life policy in place

Seriously though, is it worth swapping over the FCU and trying it out or would you go straight for a spark before doing anything else? I've been living with the RCD tripping for nigh on a year now and no-one I asked showed any real concern but I'm a tad worried that a melted fuse means more trouble than I thought.

Thank you both for your replies :beer:

Myser

caz2703 wrote: »

From memory it's a GET product from Homebase/B&Q. I've not taken anything apart other than snapping the fuse holder as I tried to pry it out then realised the plastic had melted.


Seriously though, is it worth swapping over the FCU and trying it out or would you go straight for a spark before doing anything else? I've been living with the RCD tripping for nigh on a year now and no-one I asked showed any real concern but I'm a tad worried that a melted fuse means more trouble than I thought.

If it's GET, it should be fine. Inspecting behind the FCU will provide more clues. Ask your father to check if the screw terminals are loose before removing any wires.

There is still a possiblity that the appliance may have developed a fault and is drawing more current than specified.

Look up reputable companies who offer PAT (Appliance Testing) in your local area. Shouldn't cost more than £30 to have a single appliance tested however, some companies do have a minimum charge.

caz2703

Myser wrote: »

If it's GET, it should be fine. Inspecting behind the FCU will provide more clues. Ask your father to check if the screw terminals are loose before removing any wires.

There is still a possiblity that the appliance may have developed a fault and is drawing more current than specified.

Look up reputable companies who offer PAT (Appliance Testing) in your local area. Shouldn't cost more than £30 to have a single appliance tested however, some companies do have a minimum charge.

Thank you.

Dumb girl question - is it possible to test an appliance without having full access to it?

As I mentioned in the first post, when the kitchen floor got tiled there wasn't enough room to slide the dishwasher under the work surface so I was told at the time that if the dishwasher went in, it was never coming out again unless the tiled floor was lifted. It took 2 of us to get the dishwasher in place but to be clear, there is a gap at the top of the dishwasher for air circulation.

The last thing I want is another fire hazard in the house so will hand wash dishes if it comes to it :eek: Just to set the scene, the house is a chalet bungalow and the sloped roof between the dormer and the living room ceiling has developed a leak. When I say developed, it's been leaking for about 3 years now. The cause has never been found so I've been left with a recessed light fitting hanging by the wires from the ceiling and when it rains the water runs down the wiring and drips on the sofa. This is why I don't trust any of the work my ex has done and won't seek his advice on the current situation Unfortunately he won't look to get it fixed unless I move out of the house and presumably return to the locks having been changed.

Myser

caz2703 wrote: »

The cause has never been found so I've been left with a recessed light fitting hanging by the wires from the ceiling and when it rains the water runs down the wiring and drips on the sofa.

:eek:

The appliance can be tested (PAT) from the FCU. If it's faulty and you need to replace a part such as the element, it will depend on the model as to what the access is like.

Damp, especially around electrics is one of the causes for an RCD to trip.

caz2703

Myser wrote: »

:eek:

The appliance can be tested (PAT) from the FCU. If it's faulty and you need to replace a part such as the element, it will depend on the model as to what the access is like.

Damp, especially around electrics is one of the causes for an RCD to trip.

There nothing like a water feature to brighten up your living room Don't worry, my dad has terminated the wiring for the ceiling lights so they can't be switched on accidentally. I knew not to turn them on but the kids can reach them now. There's a new leak in the hall though it seems to stain more than leak. Oh and then there was the fantastic leak a few weeks ago during a really bad storm that had water running a torrent down the inside of the dormer window in both this house and the adjoining house. Thankfully the culprit was a dodgy flat roof covering that I'm guessing was only fixed as it was causing damage next door. Can you believe these houses were only built in the 70s?

Will get my dad to do a visual tomorrow and we'll work from there. Thank you so much all of you for your replies. I don't want to be taken for a ride by any more tradesmen nor do I want to risk the house burning down. :beer:

caz2703

Thank you again for all the replies. Dad had a good look and although some of the cabling had melted he said that he thought it was the FCU at fault. The deal was he'd swap out the FCU for an unused one and if the RCD tripped, the dishwasher would be written off and I'd have to suck it up and wash dishes by hand. So far so good. The dishwasher started running again as soon as the RCD was turned back on and hasn't tripped yet.

Myser

Probably a good idea to cut back any melted/damaged cabling and re-terminate securely into the new FCU if you haven't already done so.

caz2703

Myser wrote: »

Probably a good idea to cut back any melted/damaged cabling and re-terminate securely into the new FCU if you haven't already done so.

Done & done I can re-wire a plug and change fuses but I leave the proper dangerous stuff to someone with less blonde hair than me