Need electrical advice

[Oregon]

Calling all electricians and electrical engineers

 

While watching TV, my power tripped. I checked the breaker box the main switch was off indicating high current draw. I turned it on but it keeps tripping. I go around switching off devices and found out it was the washing machine. It is a year old Brandt. Basket, just 3 weeks out of warranty!

 

What is the possible cause of the high current draw? This was not a short to ground. The only thing in it I can think off is the big starting capacitor. The washing machine was not running when it started to draw high current. If it was a short the branch circuit breakers would have tripped right?

 

Any advice?

[5936]

Grounded circuit.

[Thugstercena]

Grounded circuit.

grounded is another one trip. i guess is really ur washing machine. but i dun think washing machine will draw so much current. might wan to sent it to check.

[5936]

His washing machine have large capacitor and not running.

 

So washing machine up lorry lah.

 

When on standby mode, if you have house pest especially lizard crawling around live circuits, they can cause such havoc around your house or office.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alantyc]

Might b earth leakage / grounding problem. If washing machine is not running den it shld not b drawing any high current at all. Which breaker actually tripped? Is it the MCB or the RCD?

[Calp]

Calling all electricians and electrical engineers

 

While watching TV, my power tripped. I checked the breaker box the main switch was off indicating high current draw. I turned it on but it keeps tripping. I go around switching off devices and found out it was the washing machine. It is a year old Brandt. Basket, just 3 weeks out of warranty!

 

What is the possible cause of the high current draw? This was not a short to ground. The only thing in it I can think off is the big starting capacitor. The washing machine was not running when it started to draw high current. If it was a short the branch circuit breakers would have tripped right?

 

Any advice?

 

Can give more info?: "The washing machine was not running when it started to draw high current." You mean

 

it was not plugged in?

 

or it was plugged in but not turned on? :)

 

 

Assuming that you have checked the cable, plug, and the socket...

it looks like there is too much current for the system to handle... Either the two main lines are touching each other somewhere in the machine OR a wire is worn out (exposed) and it is touching the metal frame at some point...

 

 

Even if it is a short, the branch circuit breakers aren't necessarily tripped first. the reaction time for the main breaker may be shorter than that of the branch ones...

 

 

[Oregon]

Wow - thanks for the quick responses.

 

The circuit that tripped in the blue main one (dunno if that is MCB or RCD). The many branch black ones were OK. I thought if short to ground the branchs one will trip first. If shorting from live to neutral, then the blue one will trip?

 

I did think about the lizard in the system scenario. I want to open up the unit but was thinking about the warranty issue - Its just 3 weeks out and I was hoping they will do a good will repair, since it quite an expensive unit. I'm quite a heavy DIYer so should be able to repair this if I can get the parts. Just wondering why would it short just sitting there - plugged in and power on but not running.

 

 

 

 

[5936]

Blue lever is the ELCB. Confirm it with a test ot T button pse.

[Freestylers09]

neutral short...might be burnt and conduct metal..

 

if not wrong u mean even ur machine not working/running,but black when u push back,it caused blue to trip

 

take out the plug and u can reset liao..

 

isit?

Edited August 20, 2010 by Freestylers09

[Oregon]

Yes - machine plugged in, wall plug on, machine is completely switched off. ELCB trips. I turn off the wall plug, then I can reset the ELCB. I had to walk around the house trying all the appliances before I found the culprit.

 

Why would the neutral short and what are the possible components to short to neutral on a non running machine? Last used the machine maybe a few days ago.

[Freestylers09]

washing machine i dun noe but will b the main component,might b component of the motor the spin part

 

like light is ballast,air com is compressor etc etc

 

better send repair

[5936]

Actually, you very good already to troubleshoot the faulty appliance this way.

 

Many people will panic already.

 

Then the electrician will sharpen their parang razor sharp to ...... chop carrot head lah..

 

 

 

 

[Hamburger]

sound like a current short to earth. if possible, disconnect motor wiring to see whether it trips or not. If don, that mean motor may have internal leak that has short to the earth......

[Oregon]

sound like a current short to earth. if possible, disconnect motor wiring to see whether it trips or not. If don, that mean motor may have internal leak that has short to the earth......

i'm not sure if the motor would be the culprit since it is not turned on and no current should be running thru there. It must higher up the circuit - from the cable (looks ok), to the switches or perhaps the board since this is a fully electronic unit as opposed to those timer switch type. my multimeter does not show a short to neutral or ground either.

[Elevatorman]

i'm not sure if the motor would be the culprit since it is not turned on and no current should be running thru there. It must higher up the circuit - from the cable (looks ok), to the switches or perhaps the board since this is a fully electronic unit as opposed to those timer switch type. my multimeter does not show a short to neutral or ground either.

 

How about live to earth? What is the tripping sensitivity of your ELCB, most household usage should be 30mA. I suggest you connect your multi meter to your machine plug and try flexing the cable to see if there is any intermitent short in the cable. By the way the capacitor in your washer is for correcting the power factor, since the motor is a big inductor, you will need the cap to improve its power factor.

[Oregon]

Buay tahan - Opened the machine up this morning and Presto! it was a baby lizard "up lorry". The guy was crawling across the capacitor and shorted across the terminals with the tail. No wonder also cannot detect with the multimeter.

 

So bro 5936 the lizard theory was correct! Thanks to all the bros who graciously offered advice. Will post the picture another time if anyone interested. So lucky managed to track down the little bugger from a mysterious blackout late at night!

[5936]

Tonight see 4D result. If I strike 1st prize, I get you the Bosch W32791ME.