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Anonymous Posted on Mar 17, 2015

Ground fault keeps tripping - Washing Machines

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Jorgie the appliance guy

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  • Washing Mach... Master 5,639 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 16, 2015
Jorgie  the appliance guy
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The washer tripped the breaker once and OR after the breaker was reset it ran additional loads with no problem then it tripped the breaker again.

Intermittent problems are always difficult to diagnose because the problem usually doesn't occur when you're making the checks.

If the washer ran additional loads the problem will not be an electrical short with one of the washer parts. If the lid switch had a short it wouldn't run the additional loads.

You don't say if the additional loads used the same cycle as previously. A timer can have an internal short that might trip the breaker in heavy duty cycle but not the permanent press cycle.

If you have access to a clamp on amp meter, see the image below, then you can check the amp draw of the washer. The washer normally will draw about 10-15 amps at start up and about 5-8 amps while running. The house breaker for you washer should be rated at 20 amps.

If the washer is running and drawing less than 20 amps and the breaker trips then if can be a weak house breaker.

Mid cycle the washer is most likely draining or spinning and if the bearing or pump locks up then the washer may draw additional amps to try to start and trip the breaker.

The key to this problem is what the amp draw of the washer is when the house breaker trips.

To narrow this problem down, there are three places that could be causing the ( outlet) GFCI to trip, a malfunction in the washing machine, a problem with the downstream wiring (aka load side of the GFCI-other items connected on same circuit), or the GFCI outlet itself. If there isn't anything downstream, then plugging the washing machine into another GFCI outlet, or simply swapping out the outlet for a known good GFCI outlet, will identify if the outlet itself is faulty.
If the outlet trips when the washing machine isn't running and isn't even plugged in, then there's a fault in the wiring on the load side of the GFCI outlet.
If the issue is neither of the above, then running the washing machine and monitoring to see which step is occurring when the trip happens will isolate what part of the washing machine may be leaking current to a ground. It could be a certain water level, a motor being engaged, a transition step in the controller, etc
Beware some techs believe that most Washing machines or any other motor should not be on a GFCI! Should be a dedicated single receptacle. If there are other outlets on the washer GFCI, replace that GFCI with a single receptacle and put the GFCI on the next jump in order to protect other outlets.

Another item to check is ur lid switch which may have gotten moister inside and created a short_ or broken open and the rubber seal dried out over time, and the switch assembly will be exposed. water can splash onto the assembly, somehow causing the GFCI to trip. In any event, if you are having trouble with your washing machine stopping mid-cycle for any reason, test and replacing the lid switchis probably a worthwhile idea, as it is cheap and easy to replace.





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