Dishwasher tripping RCD

[Moggy]

Wonder if anyone has any thoughts, I repaired a cable that a friend of mine had drilled through over the weekend, the repair has worked fine, everything is back on and working, unfortunately now the dishwasher trips the RCD, Im not sure but I think the dishwasher may be faulty and it is just coincidence that is turned faulty at the same time. I powered up every possible plug and appliance and no trip, until the dishwasher was turned on it then tripped and it also tripped on its own when nothing else was drawing power. Anyone any ideas?

 

[Andy™]

most likely D/W. have you got any test equipment? and how did you repair the cable?

 

[Moggy]

D/W as in Dishwasher, the only damage really to the cable was the c.p.c which I repaired using a connector. As far as test equipment getting a robin kts 1630 and will probably try to PAT test the dishwasher, is it not too much of coincedence that it went at about the same time, what is the best method for repairing a damaged cable?

 

[spinlondon]

Best way to repair a damaged cable, is to replace it or cut it back to the damaged part.

As for the fault with the Dish washer, how long has the cable been damaged? Is it the case that the cable has been damaged for some time, and the fault has not been apparent due to the lack of CPC?

 

[Moggy]

No, yhe cabel was damaged on Friday night and repaired that night, the rest of the circuit is fine will all appliances on at once, just trips when you put the dishwasher on, with our without a fully loaded circuit, the dishwasher is ten years old so I thought it may have just been bacd luck and developed a fault at the same time.

 

[spinlondon]

Dishwashers use heating elements, which can cause RCDs to trip. Is it possible to plug the Dishwasher into a non RCD protected socket for testing?

 

[Moggy]

I could try that, if thats the case and the dishwasher was faulty would it just blow the fuse in the plug

 

[spinlondon]

Should do, or trip the MCB.

Live to Earth faults with Dishwashers and Washing machines are usually caused by either a leak spraying over connections, motor windings burning out or heating elements breaking down.

If the RCD trips as soon as the machine is switched on and no program is selected, it is usually a wiring fault often caused by a leak.

You can often check for heating element failure by putting the Dishwasher onto a program that doesn't use the heating element i.e. a rinse program.

 

[The Godfather]

I could try that, if thats the case and the dishwasher was faulty would it just blow the fuse in the plug

A basic continuity test (Mohms range), between Live and cpc and or Neutral and cpc, should reveal all.

(On the appliance plug)

Don & His Boys

 

[spinlondon]

A basic continuity test (Mohms range), between Live and cpc and or Neutral and cpc, should reveal all.(On the appliance plug)

Don & His Boys

Depends where the fault is. If it is a heater element fault, then there may be no continuity untill the heater is swiched on, or it reaches a certain temprature.

 

[The Godfather]

Depends where the fault is. If it is a heater element fault, then there may be no continuity untill the heater is swiched on, or it reaches a certain temprature.

Good point, but my boys tell me Dishwashers are notoriously leaky appliances with age.

Don & His Boys

 

[spinlondon]

To be honest with you, the last time I actually repaired a Dishwasher, I removed the salt container and then emptied out the washing powder they had filled it up with. It was a new machine.

Generally on anything older than 3 years, I tell them to buy a new one, as it will be cheaper than repairing the old one. Unless it's just a question of removing tea spoons and 5p pieces from the trap.

Or in one case, a dead kitten.

 

[Apache]

Or in one case, a dead kitten.

Cat's like tumble driers - warm and dark.

 

[Andy™]

or they could be very lucky, like this kitten