Hotpoint Washer Tripping - Door Switch?
Hi All,
I have an issue with our Hotpoint Aquarius WM62P tripping out the RCD.
It happens within a couple of seconds of selecting any function/wash cycle/spin.
I think it's safe to say not the motor as it won't even fill with water, I assume there's no heater as it's hot and cold fed. Everything seems nice and dry and nothing visible like worn insulation causing a short.
This only seems to leave the door lock switch or the main control unit.
If I have power on, a wash cycle selected but the door open it seems fine. As soon as I shut the door - trip.
Does this suggest it's the door switch? Or is it only when the door is shut that the main control unit receives power - meaning it could still be this main unit?
Help appreciated! If it is the door switch it is obviously easy to replace and I assume quite cheap.
Thanks,
Gary C
Solution Summary
AI-generated from this discussion
This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Hotpoint Aquarius WM62P trips RCD when door is shut
- The problem
- A Hotpoint Aquarius WM62P washing machine trips the RCD within a couple of seconds of selecting any wash, spin or other function. The machine does not get as far as filling. With power on and a cycle selected, it appears stable while the door is open, but trips as soon as the door is closed.
- Likely cause
- The discussion does not confirm the door interlock as the fault. The accepted advice says the trip could be caused by a low-insulation fault elsewhere in the machine, including the heater, because closing the door interlock allows power to pass to other components. The most strongly supported diagnosis is an insulation-related electrical fault, exact component unconfirmed.
- What fixed it
- No confirmed DIY repair was given. The accepted recommendation was not to assume the door switch is faulty and not to guess by replacing parts without proper testing. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
- Checks to try
- Machine trips within seconds of selecting any function or cycle
- Machine does not fill with water before tripping
- Machine appears fine with power on, cycle selected and door open
- RCD trips as soon as the door is shut
- Visual check found nothing obviously wet or with worn insulation
- Parts or tools mentioned
- door interlock
- main control unit
- insulation test meter
- heater
Safety: Do not bypass the door interlock or carry out electrical fault-finding without suitable test equipment. Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
1 Answer
I have advice on washing machine fusing or tripping electrics which includes a list of the most common causes but as I mention in the article I don't think it's a fault to tackle without a proper insulation test meter.
Every washing machine has a heater, and some have a system where power runs to most components straight away and they are switch on using the neutral side so it's possible a low insulation on a heater can trip the electrics even when it isn't in use.
Door interlocks aren't particularly expensive or difficult to replace but without door interlock powered up there's no power running through the rest of the machine so it's possible it's just sending power elsewhere and shorting out there. Therefore you can't assume it's the door interlock - although they can cause this problem. Without an insulation test meter you can only guess-swap parts, which is often a blind alley for DIYers.
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