My drier keeps tripping the electric. Any ideas?

A_new_Start_2

Hoping someone maybe able to help?

I have a drier, a condenser one which was and as far as I can tell, still is, working fine. But this afternoon it tripped the electric. I turned off everything else and checked and its definately the drier.

Have pulled it out, switched off at plug, switched back on and it goes for about 30 seconds then trips again.

Please can someone help, I don't use it too much but I would be lost without my drier.

Thanks.

stan747

could be a loose wire in the dryer shorting against the case causing an earth leakage trip, best get someone in to check it as it's possibly unsafe to use.

Peartree

Could also be that there is damp around the electrics. Again, best to get someone in to look.

minxtress

I had exact same prob leading upto cxmas and new year dryer only yr old so waslivid, however my partner rang his electrician friend who said take the panel off the back and you'l find its damp behind the heating element, leave it to dry or blast with hair drier and itl be fine. We screwed back off, its sort of a panel thing size of piece of a4, and saw the squiggly looking elemnt thing and there was water behind it, must of been condensation as its in my garage.
Worked a treat ever since, saved a call out fee. Hope this helps.

brightontraveller

It can sometimes be the CONDENSER BOX. This can get blocked up by soggy wet lint/fluff debris from clothes. Some clothes shed more than others, so it is best to check this frequently. What happens is that when the CONDENSER BOX gets partially blocked up, it fails to condense the steamy moist air into water efficiently, and the insides of the drier start to get damp and steamy. Depending on the amount of moisture, and the make (Some Zanussi and Hotpoint driers are more vulnerable to this), if any vulnerable electrical part get too damp, then there will be a “flash-over” between a live component and neutral or earth (usually a part connected to the casework). This can cause the RCD to trip, or trip the MCB or in older consumer units, a fuse may blow.

To fix: remove your condenser box, and give it a good spray clean. Any large lumps of fluff/lint that are stubborn can be pushed out from between the condenser slots with a plastic ruler. Allow to dry. Then , with power removed from the drier, use a good torch to check that there has not been any build-up of fluff behind the condenser box area at the rear. You may need to remove the water tank as well to see more clearly. Try checking the little buffer-tank at the back, where there is a level sensor switch for the water tank level in some machines. If it is full of gungy water and lint, try to give it a clean out. Give your machine an hour or 2 to dry out internally a bit before attempting to dry any clothes, in case the fuse/breaker goes again. If it DOES go again, try leaving it for longer. If it still fails after being left for 24 hours, there may be a more permanent fault

Merlot

My iron trips my electricity, any tips on how to solve that one? I've tried not ironing but the OH complaining that he has no shirts, shame!

A_new_Start_2

Thanks for the advice, will try and clean the condenser box, if that fails, I'll ask someone qualified to take a look.....I don't fancy getting fried!

andrewmoorcroft

This happens to mine occasionaly (3 times in 10 years) but only on the high heat setting.
The answer for me was to clean out the condensor box which hardly anyone does often enough.
Once it tripped out even though i cleaned out the box. On that occasion i blew a fan through the hole for a few hrs until the damp had gone.

A_new_Start_2

Well, just pulled out and cleaned the condenser unit and on further inspection inside the drier stuck in a vent was a tumble drier sheet. How this got from the drum into the deepest darkest depths is anyones guess, but hopefully when I try it again in a few hours it will work.

Fingers crossed and thanks everyone for the advice.

:beer:

Ephemera

Merlot wrote: »

My iron trips my electricity, any tips on how to solve that one? I've tried not ironing but the OH complaining that he has no shirts, shame!

Hi Merlot,

If your iron is old (and assuming it's a steam jobbie) it is possible water is making its way into the electrics somehow - maybe the element has been damaged in some way.
Try emptying out all the water and leaving it somewhere warm for a few days to dry it out completely. It may work dry.... then just iron damp clothes or spray water on before ironing.
At the end of it all if it's tripping the electrics there is something wrong somewhere and for the sake of a few pounds is it really worth risking your life??
Might be a good time to look on Freecycle to see if anyone has one to get rid of?
And as it's sale time Argos might be a good place to look for a cheap bargain.

All the best,

Eph.