Selecting an automatic circuit breaker (RCD) for a washing machine
A modern home, crammed with electronics and electrical household appliances, cannot do without protection. Electrical substations in old residential neighborhoods were not designed for heavy loads from such a number of consumers, which leads to periodic accidents, power surges and other troubles. One power surge can easily deprive you of all electrical appliances: refrigerator, TV, split system, including a washing machine, but if you install the correct RCD, problems can be avoided.
Why install an RCD?
An RCD machine needs to be installed - this is understandable, you can’t do without it in the house, but why install a separate machine on the washing machine, what’s the point? First, let's understand the concepts. For electricians, every working electrical appliance is called a consumer, and a washing machine is a fairly large consumer, creating a significant load on the wiring. Therefore, it is advisable to lay separate electrical communications for it, not forgetting to protect the circuit by installing a machine.
Consumers such as a computer and TV do not require a separate RCD, since they operate in a normal environment and create less load on the network. The washing machine operates in a humid environment, that is, such equipment is, by definition, at risk, which means its energy supply must be approached with all responsibility. And if we are talking about a modern expensive washing machine with a drying function, then in this case not a single machine should protect such equipment.
Note! A washing machine with a dryer with the “Wash - Rinse - Spin - Dry” program on creates approximately one and a half times more load on the electrical wiring than a conventional automatic machine.
What kind of magic RCD machine is this, what does it consist of and how does it work? First, let's define the components of the RCD; it consists of:
- transformer;
- housings;
- chain breaking mechanism;
- self-testing mechanism;
- electromagnetic cut-off (for the latest devices).
The RCD is triggered if there is an excessive load on the electrical wiring. In this case, the machine forcibly breaks and de-energizes the circuit. A similar situation can arise due to the fact that a person touches exposed wiring or water gets on the wire, the machine will work and prevent a tragedy. The RCD is designed for repeated use, so it does not need to be changed if a surge occurs (unlike fuses). The machine is an absolutely necessary protection for a washing machine.
Which RCD should I install and what does it depend on?
Let us answer this question unexpectedly and unconventionally – no. In fact, progress does not stand still and conventional RCD devices are already a thing of the past, since they do not protect the electrical circuit from all risks. For our part, we recommend installing not an RCD as protection, but a difavtomat. The difavtomat is a unique device that combines an RCD and a fire switch.
Previously, these two devices had to be installed one after the other, thus creating complete network protection; now there is a difavtomat that combines these two devices in one compact case.At present, the difavtomatic device is still quite expensive, so you need to select and install it wisely. Most experts recommend installing an electromechanical automatic circuit breaker at 0.03 Ampere. You can, of course, buy an electronic device with a capacity of 0.01 Ampere; it is, of course, nominally more reliable and more expensive, but in fact, such reliability is already too much.
Important! Electronic automatic devices cost twice as much, moreover, they fail more often, and 0.01 Ampere devices are installed in fire-hazardous areas, which an apartment or house naturally is not.
How much does a 0.03 Ampere difavtomat cost for a washing machine? The approximate price of the device is about 14 USD. The price will depend on the characteristics of the device, manufacturer, seller and other factors. But in general, if the question arises of how much a difavtomat costs, it is quite possible to name this price; it is average.
How to install a difavtomat or RCD with your own hands?
RCD and difavtomat are installed approximately the same way. If you have laid a separate electrical circuit from the electrical panel to the washing machine in advance, then this significantly simplifies the RCD installation diagram, since we are talking about a simple network with one consumer. If you require detailed information about connecting the washing machine to electricity, you will have to study additional information.
We lay a 3x2.5 VVG wire from the electrical panel; if possible, you can mount a 30 mA difavtomat directly into the panel, if there is free space there. If not, then the device can be installed right next to a moisture-resistant outlet near the washing machine, but for this it will have to be placed in a moisture-resistant case. We perform the following procedure.
- We take an indicator screwdriver and find the phase and neutral wires.
- We connect them to the difavtomat (it has corresponding signed outputs at the top).
- We bring the phase and neutral wires out of the device to a moisture-resistant outlet.
That's the simplest scheme. If, in addition to the washing machine, you want to connect a dishwasher to this circuit, then it is recommended to install an additional RCD, as shown in the figure. If this RCD is disconnected due to a malfunction of the dishwasher, the difatvomat will remain “in service”, which means that the washing machine will continue to operate without interruption.
In conclusion, we note that installing RCDs and automatic circuit breakers will protect your washing machine from voltage surges that can burn its control unit, motor, drain pump and other units, sending your home assistant to the trash heap. Installing an RCD is not difficult, but even if you are afraid to tinker with electrics, you can always contact a specialist. Don't skimp on protection, otherwise you'll have to pay for a new washing machine later.
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1 reader comment
Thank you