I am talking about mild “tingles” and not proper electric shocks. However, if anyone receives any kind of electric shock, the appliance should be disconnected immediately, and an appliance engineer called out. Mild electric shocks or tingles might not be taken seriously, but they can turn into lethal full mains voltage shocks at any time.
So never use any appliance even if you only get a mild shock from. Disconnect it immediately. The reason you get shocks from a washing machine, or any other appliance, is because it is not earthed properly.
Why Does an unearthed appliance cause shocks?
All large appliances need to be connected to earth for safety. The earth wire runs down the mains cable and then through the socket it is plugged into. If this connection becomes broken at any point in the machine, cable, plug or wall socket, then you can get the symptom of mild electric shocks.
The shocks are often mild, or just tingles because they are caused by small amounts of electricity leaking or inducing across to the disconnected earth wire and running through the casing. It’s a phenomenon related to eddy current, but it’s not necessary to understand the scientific reason.
Such an appliance poses a serious danger. Because the mild shocks indicate that the washing machine is not earthed it means that if a component inside the machine’s insulation breaks down, or a live wire comes adrift and touches the metal parts inside, then the low voltage current will be replaced by the full mains voltage – which can kill. Without a path to earth, the washing machine cannot blow the fuse, and instead could just work as normal but be lethal.
Plug not earthed?
The first thing an engineer is likely to check is the appliances plug. They would check inside the plug to make sure the green and yellow earth wire is connected securely.
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If it’s OK, then either the earth wire inside the mains cable could have a break somewhere inside and needs replacing, or it may not be connected inside the washing machine. (The latter is very unlikely, I’ve never known it, but it’s theoretically possible). Both can (and should) be checked with a continuity test meter by checking the continuity between the earth pin on the plug and the metal door hinge or another suitable bare metal point on the washing machine.
Moulded plugs
Most appliances have long since come with pre-fitted moulded plugs which can’t be checked. So if unable to check inside the plug the first thing an engineer would check is the continuity down from the earth pin as described above. If he had a good reading he shouldn’t need to look inside the plug anyway. If the reading was open circuit or high resistance, but the earth was connected properly inside the machine he’d cut off the plug about an inch down and replace it because earth wires can break at that point. If that failed to make a difference he’d replace the mains cable.
Extension cables
If the appliance is plugged into an extension cable then clearly there could be a problem anywhere on the extension. So an engineer would check the earth connections and continuity on the extension cable. Ideally ditch the extensions, they aren’t ideal on large white goods appliances. If one is necessary try another extension (but make sure it’s appropriate – appliances and extension cables). I have seen appliances plugged into totally inappropriate extension cables that are using 2 core cable with no earth!
Wall socket not earthed
Another possibility is a fault in the wall socket. The earth wire could be disconnected inside or the brass earth prongs inside could be worn or too far apart to grip the earth pin on the plug properly. Obviously you don’t mess with wall sockets. If you suspect a faulty wall socket get an electrician – not an appliance engineer.
Don’t confuse with static electricity discharges
If you get just a single short shock when you touch an appliance (possibly accompanied by a cracking sound) which doesn’t reoccur when you touch the appliance again this could be static electricity discharging from your body and is very different to this issue.
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We have a very unique situation in our basement with regards to our dryer. We have one outlet that will accommodate both our hot water heater and our dryer plug. When we are doing laundry, we begin the dance of uplugging one appliance for the other and alternate until the laundry is done. How much risk does it present to handle cords and plugs in what appears to be a well grounded outlet. I wonder if the regular wiggling of the electrical box as we swap out the dryer for the hot water heater and vice versa will somehow effect the safety of our outlet. My husband received a shock when he was plugging in the dryer, but he told me it was because he was touching one of the arms of the plug as he was plugging it in. I want to be sure we aren’t exposing ourselves to unnecessary risk by sharing one outlet with two appliances. And, to be honest, I’m not sure how one can receive an electrical shock by adjusting the dryer hose. Could you please elaborate on why this might occur, and steps to prevent shock when handling and using a dryer. Thank you in advance!
Hi
I wonder if you can help.
I have a Electrolux dryer but the plug is a 2 pin European plug, so I’ve plugged this 2 pin plug into a 3 pin adapter which is then plugged into the wall socket.
I am receiving tingling shocks when I touch the dryer door. I’ve had it for 2 years and never had this issue until now. I’ve tested it with my multimeter by touching one prong to the dryer door and the other to the copper water pipe and I get a fluctuating trading of 16v, 5v,0.05v etc.
Ive disconnected it for now, but would appreciate your advice on what i can do to stop the tingling shock.
Thanks
Kam
Hello Kam. From what I understand the earth connection on a 2 pin European plug is totally different to ours. Unless by any chance the adapter is designed to also carry the earth then the earth connection for the appliance may not be getting to the wall socket. If the adapter is designed to also connect the earth then either something is wrong and it isn’t working, or it’s nothing to do with the plugs and the wall socket itself isn’t properly earthed. I would think the best course of action is to cut off the inappropriate socket and fit a proper 13 amp UK plug (how to wire a 13 amp plug)
If you still get shocks from the appliance get the wall socket checked out ASAP or start using a different one.
The case of my washing machine shock only me and when others touch it dose them nothing. Please what could be the problem?
Hello Able. Check out the last paragraph of my article regarding static electricity. If you get a shock when you touch the appliance but others don’t it sounds suspiciously like you are discharging static electricity. If it is static electricity then usually once it is discharged if you touch the appliance again straight away shouldn’t get a shock. If you continue to get shocks obviously refrain from touching it and get the appliance checked out by an electrician or at the very least try it in a different wall socket.
The only explanation this to why one person might get a shock and not another that isn’t related to static electricity building up in the person is maybe the shoes they are wearing giving some sort of insulation.
Washing machine failed pat testing on insulation do I need new machine.
Hello P.Y. If a washing machine fails an insulation test it would normally be in a position where it is tripping the electrics or blowing a fuse. However, with PAT testing, the PAT tester can pick up insulation faults that are maybe close to causing an electrical fault. So a washing machine may otherwise be functioning normally.
But having said that, if a washing machine has an insulation fault and it is plugged into a wall socket that hasn’t got a proper earth connection, or has any earth fault of its own, then the washing machine would not trip the electrics or blow fuses. In such circumstances the washing machine would be very dangerous to use. In the end someone could get a lethal electric shock.
An insulation fault on a washing machine could be caused by different things. Some of them may be relatively minor. For example it could be caused by a faulty heating element. The PAT tester only tells you there is an insulation fault somewhere on the washing machine. To find out what the problem is you need to test individual parts. My article on washing machines tripping the electrics give an idea of the kind of things that can cause insulation faults.
I have read article and it is more about plugs the PAT guy changed plug but still got reading from machine and failed it. I am not technically minded and machine maybe old as was in house when got here would it be best to get new than repair. Thanks
Hello P.Y. The article isn’t about plugs at all. It’s about every possible cause of low insulation on a washing machine. Essentially the article is about when a washing machine trips the electrics. Yours isn’t yet, but if it failed the insulation test it’s saying that it has the same issue as in the article but it’s just not bad enough yet to fuse the electrics.
As I said, low insulation could be anything from a wire chaffed, the heating element, the motor, or a suppressor etc. So it’s not possible to say if any washing machine with low insulation is worth repairing or not until the cause of low insulation is found. My article can help if you have some electrical knowledge but as it states, you really need an insulation test meter to test it properly and only engineers have those. Having said that, bearing in mind the washer may be old and you only inherited it I’d suspect it would be better to buy a new one.
Sorry I meant socket and plugs and extension leads were mentioned in article not washing machine itself in article. He tried these, I just assumed it would be washing machine insides itself is problem not electrics and like you have stated if old maybe best to renew as I couldnt do any diy on own it is very noisy also so probably several problems. Thank you for your help and very good advice about safety.