washing machine tripping fuse...would this work?

[safeinthisskylife]

Hi there,

I've just had a washing machine fitted in my kitchen and when it runs it trips the associated circuit. After a bit of investigation I discovered that the fuse that's tripping is a 6A fuse (that only covers the central heating boiler) and that the washing machine has a power output of 2200W.

If i plug the washing machine into a socket not regulated by this circuit (eg, there is a 30A circuit for the oven/cooker and another for the fridge/freezer etc...) will i be ok?

I am assuming that since the washing machine requires 2200W and is only getting 6A x 220V (1320W) this is why the circuit is tripping?

Thanks,

Bill

 

[mapj1]

Yes - the problem is becasue presumably the boiler circuit was only wired in in cable only just thick enough to support the boiler, and so fitted with a trip at 6A.
Assumuing you don't want to re-wire that back to the board in something thicker (2.5mm, tripped at 20A, or 4mm tripped at 30, or a ring of 2.5 tripped at 30) then the easiest and safest thing to do is to plug the washer into a circuit that was wired in as a proper power point.
It seems a bit cheapskate to wire the boiler in what sounds like lighting cable, but given that has been done, living with it is the easiest course.
(If you are confident, it might be worth checking the cable size -he may have just fitted the wrong breaker.)
regards
M.

 

[safeinthisskylife]

Thanks for your reply M, it's much appreciated

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am assuming that since the washing machine requires 2200W and is only getting 6A x 220V (1320W) this is why the circuit is tripping?

One correction (and this is not pedantry) - the MCB isn't tripping because it's only supplying 6A to the W/M - if it were only supplying that it wouldn't trip. It's tripping because the W/M is drawing 9.6A. (voltage to be used for calcs is 230, BTW)

If you're looking at replacing the breaker, 10A would be OK even if the cable is 1mm²

 

[safeinthisskylife]

Thanks Ban All Sheds - that makes sense.

Bill