Why My Washing Machine Flips CBP?

[Boris_yo]

Merry Christmas and happy coming New Year!

Guys, today when i wanted to plug washing machine, my breaker flipped:



When machine was bought, its original power cord was cut before plug itself, extended and isolated with tape because of short length not able to reach power socket:



Many years machine performed well until today when it started flipping CBP.

Assumptions:

The cord was often lying on the floor and get wet a little by splashes coming out of sink.

What I Have Tried:

Using different socket
The connection between both cords seems to be fine on first look.

Coincidence?

Yesterday i fixed similar problem that i was having with refridgerator. It was flipping switch every time plug was connected/disconnected and everytime refridgerator's door was opened which caused its lighting system to turn on. It also was flipping switch occassionally when nothing was done to plug or door opened.

The problem was determined and fixed in the end as Neutral wire inside the plug was shortening due to it being exposed out of its shielding.

[firewalker]

For the washing machine: Possibly the water heating element is worn out and water reached the actual resistor wrapping.

Alexander.

[Uncle Vernon]

Oh my, Dr Kevorkian couldn't build a better example! Live conductors! Wet areas! In insulation tape we trust! (I most certainly don't!)

[Rufus]

Oh my, Dr Kevorkian couldn't build a better example! Live conductors! Wet areas! In insulation tape we trust! (I most certainly don't!)

Look on the bright side, if it is wet the fire hazard is reduced....

[Mechatrommer]

2nd picture: i thought i'm the only one doing it but i will be very careful, or even dont do it on wet area due to shock hazard.

[Boris_yo]

Oh my, Dr Kevorkian couldn't build a better example! Live conductors! Wet areas! In insulation tape we trust! (I most certainly don't!)

No the whole cable was already isolated. I just removed isolation tape and then took picture. Or you mean 3 isolated conductors inside the cable? Yes they are isolated, otherwise how would i connect both cords? Solder them?

[Boris_yo]

2nd picture: i thought i'm the only one doing it but i will be very careful, or even dont do it on wet area due to shock hazard.

What other way do you propose to connect cords then?

[IanB]

What other way do you propose to connect cords then?

You're not serious?

[Boris_yo]

What other way do you propose to connect cords then?

You're not serious?

I am serious. How do i extend power cable the correct and safe way?

[tbscope]

Does it break the circuit breaker or the RCD?

The way the cable is extended is not allowed in the electric code of most countries.
You should buy a new and longer power cord with the correct specifications and according to the electric code in your country, that you connect inside the washing machine.

The construction on the photo above will in the best cases trip your circuit breaker (high currents in the live or neutral conductors) or your RCD (low currents in your earth conductor). Depending on the layout of your electrical network, and in the case you do not have an RCD, you can get currents high enough not to trip the circuit breaker but kill anything that touches the cord. Remember that a few milli amps are enough to kill you! A little bit of moisture, a bad electrical network, and you have a deadly situation. Not to mention a real fire hazard.

[Uncle Vernon]

Oh my, Dr Kevorkian couldn't build a better example! Live conductors! Wet areas! In insulation tape we trust! (I most certainly don't!)

No the whole cable was already isolated.

No  it wasn't! You can cannot wash your smalls with an isolated washer. What it also wasn't was adequately insulated.

I just removed isolation tape and then took picture.

removed what?

Or you mean 3 isolated conductors inside the cable?

No I mean "inadequate mains insulation in a frequently damp service area is a potential death trap. Bodges like that can kill you!

Yes they are isolated, otherwise how would i connect both cords?

With a proper mains and environment rated plug and socket! Better still would be to fit a longer flex, or have another outlet safely installed above the washer.

Seriously! If you have as many electrical disasters as you have shown here, you are lucky someone hasn't been hurt or killed or your house hasn't burnt down. Live wires need a little more than some electrical tape to be safe.

[Mechatrommer]

What other way do you propose to connect cords then?

make a rectangular (or cylindrical whichever you prefer) mould, put the jointed cable in it, pour the accelerated fiberglass resin in it, wait until it cured, remove the mould, the walla! finished! bulletproof insulation well not bullet, at least waterproof

[wkb]

What other way do you propose to connect cords then?

You're not serious?

I am serious. How do i extend power cable the correct and safe way?

By removing the original cable and installing one that is long enough to start with. 

[mariush]

You can get cable by the meter or feet in your country.  You can also buy the plug separately...

Get enough cable for your needs, screw one end of the cable into the plug and solder or screw the other ends inside the washing machine.  We're talking about a few dollars here at best.

[ipman]

In damp areas, you should not use this kind of junction.
Buy a new wire, continuous piece, preferably with silicon or neoprene insulation. Attach this cable inside the washing machine and make sure that the plug is meeting the electrical outlet outside damp area.

[RJSC]

Or you can buy some heatshrink with resin inside.
They are used to join the cable underwater on submersible artesian well pumps. The pumps come with 2 meters of non removable cable (potted with resin in the motor case).
So, it's not mandatory to replace the whole cable with one piece.
If you can't find that heatsrink, in a just sligthly damp enviroment I'd solder the cable, fill regular heatshrink on the cable with hot glue and then shrink it with the glue still liquid and clean off the excess that came out.
If it was my machine however I'd put an entire piece cable for aesthetic reasons and sanded that rust and spray paint it.

Leakage current flowing from live to earth wire trips a ground fault breaker. Current can be leaking on that damp isulation tape joint or inside the machine. The machine may also be damp inside if it rusted.

[Boris_yo]

In damp areas, you should not use this kind of junction.
Buy a new wire, continuous piece, preferably with silicon or neoprene insulation. Attach this cable inside the washing machine and make sure that the plug is meeting the electrical outlet outside damp area.

If i remove old cable from washing machine, how will i be able to know where to attach N,L,G in a new cable in machine?

Or you can buy some heatshrink with resin inside.
They are used to join the cable underwater on submersible artesian well pumps. The pumps come with 2 meters of non removable cable (potted with resin in the motor case).
So, it's not mandatory to replace the whole cable with one piece.
If you can't find that heatsrink, in a just sligthly damp enviroment I'd solder the cable, fill regular heatshrink on the cable with hot glue and then shrink it with the glue still liquid and clean off the excess that came out.
If it was my machine however I'd put an entire piece cable for aesthetic reasons and sanded that rust and spray paint it.

I have bought enamel white spray paint but was offered liquid solution for rust removal which should be put on surface and later easily removed with cloth without need of using sandpaper breathing rusty dust and scratching surface (machine is 5 years old). I did not buy that solution since i thought i should follow your advice with sandpaper. Did i do right thing?

[ipman]

You can connect the wire directly to the inside terminals, or at least try to make the joint waterproof inside the washing machine body. There are less chances of direct water contact.
Liquid solutions for rust removal work best, because they can go where no sanding paper can reach, or your eye can miss some spots. Sanding works best if you want to repaint the entire panel surface, but should be done in a sanding chamber ideally, and that can be more work intensive to remove all panels, sand them, paint and then rebuild the machine.

[IanB]

If i remove old cable from washing machine, how will i be able to know where to attach N,L,G in a new cable in machine?

You sit facing east at sunrise and pray for enlightenment 

You note the terminals where the old cable was attached before you remove it and you attach the new cable to the same terminals.

[Boris_yo]

You sit facing east at sunrise and pray for enlightenment 

You note the terminals where the old cable was attached before you remove it and you attach the new cable to the same terminals.

Yes Ian it is logical, but what to do if i already removed old cable without marking or remembering which contacts which?

[IanB]

Yes Ian it is logical, but what to do if i already removed old cable without marking or remembering which contacts which?

Then you attach the live wire to the terminal marked L, the neutral wire to the terminal marked N, and the earth wire to the terminal marked with the earth or ground symbol.

[Boris_yo]

What if terminals are not marked with N, L, G?

[Boris_yo]

You can connect the wire directly to the inside terminals, or at least try to make the joint waterproof inside the washing machine body. There are less chances of direct water contact.
Liquid solutions for rust removal work best, because they can go where no sanding paper can reach, or your eye can miss some spots. Sanding works best if you want to repaint the entire panel surface, but should be done in a sanding chamber ideally, and that can be more work intensive to remove all panels, sand them, paint and then rebuild the machine.

Thanks ipman, i have just uploaded HD video showing rust in close up (click on 720 at the bottom right of video):



Sorry about video delaying but in the end you can see huge upper layer missing and rust in its place. I suppose i should not need solution here and just flatten edges?

Ahh i have bought 400ml of enamel spray paint because seller told me he does not have less. I could have bought 200ml along with rust removal solution for the price of 400ml enamel spray paint probably. What would i use 400ml for?

Maybe i can use file instead to remove rust?

[ipman]

That looks very bad. Check if the rust penetrated the panels, and if it did .... that's not good.
You can paint several layers of paint one over another, something there is corroding metal at very fast rate.
The washing machine sits in our bathroom with a lot of humidity and ocasional splashing, but afther 7 or 8 years there is no rust.

[Boris_yo]

That looks very bad. Check if the rust penetrated the panels, and if it did .... that's not good.
You can paint several layers of paint one over another, something there is corroding metal at very fast rate.
The washing machine sits in our bathroom with a lot of humidity and ocasional splashing, but afther 7 or 8 years there is no rust.

Although warranty expired a long time ago, i do not feel qualified to open panels and tinker there. I mean i can open but not tinker because i am affraid of electrical charge that machine can hold or can't it?