Why does the washing machine shocks and what to do?

Household appliances that do much of the work around the house have become so commonplace to us that we sometimes forget that vacuum cleaners, ovens, washing machines and dishwashers are complex appliances that need to be treated appropriately. We often only think about safety when one of our household helpers starts to behave strangely, for example by giving the user an electric shock.

In this article, we want to tell you why this happens to such appliances as washing machines: what can cause an electric shock and what measures should be taken to prevent this from happening again?

There may be several reasons why the washing machine begins to accumulate electricity and share it with the household. Sometimes they are harmless and do not threaten serious consequences, but more often these causes should be eliminated immediately to avoid further trouble. Let's consider the most common cases.

When organizing electrical wiring in an apartment, it is very important not to forget about the grounding element. Grounding is necessary precisely so that appliances installed at home do not accumulate electricity. The only way to solve this problem is to connect the grounding at least in the room where the washing machine is located.

This cause refers to internal, as it is directly related to the malfunction of the washing machine. Diagnosis of the device can be carried out independently: by removing the panels, under which the control unit is hidden, and checking the integrity of the wires. If the damage is not very serious, it can be repaired with duct tape or thermal tubing.

Electric shocks can also cause failure of important elements of the mechanism, such as the motor or heater. To identify the problem area, you need to disassemble the appliance and conduct a thorough visual inspection of all its parts. In some cases the faulty part can be repaired, but more often it has to be replaced.

Here are a couple of the most effective recommendations given by electricians and appliance repairmen to those who have encountered the problem of the washing machine generating current.

• Install a safety disconnect device on the electrical wiring in the apartment: in case of power surges, it will help prevent a short circuit by blocking the electricity supply.
• Make sure that you equip your wiring with an equipotential bonding system. It is needed to nullify the difference between the potentials of electrical current conductors. In an apartment, these conductors are appliances and utility components. By balancing the potentials, we significantly reduce the risk of electrocution.

More often than not, the washing machine begins to electrocute because there is no grounding element on the electrical wiring or it is connected incorrectly.

Here is a quick guide on how to connect the ground to your washing machine:

• When installing the electrical outlet to which the washing machine will be connected, connect the three-core wire from the electrical box to it.
• In doing so, separate bars for ground and for zero must be installed.
• Connect the wires: phase to the fuse, zero to the first busbar, ground to the second.

• Quite often ordinary people solve the problem of the lack of grounding by simply placing a rubber mat under the washing machine. You should know that this is only a temporary measure, which does not guarantee complete safety.
• Another fairly common way to deal with the accumulation of electricity is to disconnect the mains filter of the device. This way you can only reduce the strength of the discharge, but you will not get away from electric shock.
• Use as a grounding a kind of conductor, conducted from the washing machine to any metal element, such as a radiator. Do not do this under any circumstances - it only increases the danger of human exposure to electric current.

• Keep the washer-dryer as far away from sanitary appliances as possible to prevent it from dripping. The socket, to which it is connected, must be waterproof.
• Experts advise not to leave the washing machine permanently connected to the network. Turn it off immediately after completing the wash and turn it on only after the laundry is loaded and the detergent is poured.