Washing machine tripping RCD

poppellerant

Are you sure the machine is heating up the water without tripping? If so, then the fact that the machine runs fine when empty could well be all the proof you need that your motor brushes have had it.

These are simple enough to check, once you have access to the motor - if they are very short, or even gone, then buy new brushes. They shouldn't cost more than £20.

brightontraveller

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

No I didn't say that, you said that it would trip the moment it sensed a load, you didn't specify over load, but it would be the MCB rather than the RCD that dropped out under those circumstances.

I see over simplification often is misinterpreted?

It needs to draw sufficient load fault current to exceed RCD trip rating many plugged appliances have a expectable fault load ”earth leakage“ which it is and isn’t a fault load or indicative of a fault ? e.g. EN50091 etc permits a leakage of up to 3.5 mA per pluggable appliance
Add resistance is 'dynamic'. Start up, much lower resistance. (as element heats, it's resistance increases. Therefore, the current goes down. varying Fault load) e.g Element design will have the resistance required to dissipate the required power (exceptions variation caused by fault, age, heat etc) more explanation creates confusion ( more than I already have :rotfl:). Through in likely hood of public confusion e.g ELCB RCCD, RCB, RCDO, voltage current protection etc to them there all “RCD’s” Also RCD doesn’t need neutral it can also use another phase e.g 3 ph


Not withstanding damage water loose connection etc or further investigation I stand by primary diagnostic element, programmer, motor etc unfortunately they are not " cheap parts and often beyond scope of many to replace ?

Yes hard water build up can affect some elements quicker creating a “ split” in them quicker than non areas?
If possible I'd go plug into a non RCD protected circuit with a plugable RCD and see if it trips to eliminate other possible causes? then test/disconnect replace etc motor bushes (,Theoretically it could be a broken but not excessively worn motor brush so would be worth a look) element etc and go from there or call an appliance engineer

brightontraveller

xyz123 wrote: »

Amount of electrical load has nothing to do with RCD trip. RCD will trip at 30mA

yes will trip at 30ma ( but can actually be lower )

xyz123 wrote: »

and if there is a fault then as soon as heating element draws current (little or more) earth current will flow tripping the RCD.

They dont just trip because fault current / earth leakage etc It must be higher than rcd rating

EssexExile

piglet74 wrote: »

I run a short wash last night, with the machine empty, it run ok. So it seems to be going when its empty.

It's still saying motor brushes to me. If it was the element then it would trip with or without a load. With no load the motor doesn't have to work very hard, no trip. With a load in the motor works harder, lots of spits & sparks from the brushes, trip.

Or it could be wires touching somewhere when it moves about with a load in, or many other things.

cyclonebri1

brightontraveller wrote: »

I see over simplification often is misinterpreted?

It needs to draw sufficient load fault current to exceed RCD trip rr

Correct, that's why we disagreed, I'm sure we both un understand, but the temptation is to type less than 1 would in conversation, strike -1 for the net;)