Why Your Washing Machine Keeps Tripping Your Breaker? Best Answer

Washing machine source pixabay

If you’ve ever had a washer trip your breaker, you know how frustrating that can be. If you don’t have the recirculation feature and your machine trips your breaker again, it could be because of any of these reasons. If you keep tripping your breaker for any of the following reasons, read on to find out how to fix them.

Repairing a tripped breaker is pretty simple and can be done in no time. Whether it’s something as small as a loose wire or something big like a clogged filter, here are some things that might cause tripping your breaker.

Table of Contents

Your circuit breaker is designed to trip

As you’re doing different loads at different appliances, you’ll notice your breaker trip. Your circuit breaker is designed to trip in case of overload to avoid fire and electric shock. You should reset the breaker after your load is complete. So, there should be no reason to panic whenever the breaker connected to your washer trips.

However, if you have frequent tripping of your circuit breaker, it could be a sign of an underlying problem that you need to solve. Here are the most probable reasons why your circuit breaker keeps tripping.

Faulty door latch assembly

If the door is not closing properly, then the machine cannot fill up with water. If the door latch assembly is damaged or faulty, then the washer will not fill up. Tracy from San Diego would like to know why her machine keeps tripping her breaker. She has had this problem for two years. She called a repair man and he said that she needs a new machine. But she is not sure if it is really the machine or not. The first thing to check is that the door latch assembly is not broken or faulty. The washer needs water to fill up but if the door is not closing properly, then it will not fill up.

Your wiring is poorly installed or damaged

If your washer is wired improperly, it can trip the breaker. The circuit breaker will trip if the wires short out and create excessive heat, or if the wires are not screwed in properly. If your washer is not wired properly, the motor will draw more power than it should. This means that the amperage will be greater than the breaker’s rating.

Your washing machine’s filter is clogged

If the filter of your washing machine is clogged, it might not allow the water to flow through the system properly. And that can cause the motor to work harder than it should and trip the breaker. Your washing machine should have a filter that you should clean about twice a year. Some machines have a filter that you can take out and clean it manually. If the filter is clogged, take it out and clean it. Make sure to clean the filter after each use.

Faulty timer

Your timer is what regulates the length of your wash. It times each washing cycle on the washing machine. A broken timer could mean that a particular washing cycle will be prolonged. The motor may end up drawing too much power leading to the tripping of the circuit breaker.

It can be damaged, causing your machine to trip the breaker. If you’re trying to figure out what is causing your washer to trip the breaker and you replaced the other parts, it could be the timer that’s faulty.

Do not try to repair the timer yourself, as it can be extremely dangerous. Your timer is designed to break if there’s too much pressure on it. This is what causes the timer to trip. If your timer is faulty, you can replace it, but be careful to match the wiring and plug type. If you have an older machine, the timer may be a mechanical timer. These are visible and easy to remove, but make sure you know where to put it back.

Wet or damaged motor

Your motor is what turns the belt and spins the washing and rinsing cycles. If your motor is wet, it’s a surefire way to cause a tripped breaker. If your washer is tripping the breaker and you’ve already replaced the other parts, it could be a wet motor. A wet motor can cause an electrical hazard, so make sure you have it checked out by a professional.

Damaged drain pump

The main function of a drain pump of a washing machine is to facilitate the outflow of excess water. A damaged drain pump can lead to leakages in the circuit breaker. If you think your drain pump is faulty, you can check it out by taking off the back panel and inspecting it. If you notice any rust or water damage, it would be best to get a replacement.

The washing machine is leaking

A leak could be causing your machine to trip the breaker. If the leak is in the pump, it can cause it to trip the breaker. If the leak is in the tub of the machine, it’s a lot harder to detect and could cause a short, tripping circuit breaker frequently. To test this, you can add a water detector to your circuit to help catch leaks before they cause a short.

Faulty water level control switch

The water level control switch is what tells your machine to fill with water and stop when it’s high enough. If this switch is faulty, your machine will trip the breaker.

If you notice that the machine is never filling with water, and the breaker is tripping, check the water level control switch. If it’s burnt out or broken, you can replace it.

Conclusion

From this guide, you now have some clues on the most possible reasons why your washing machine keeps tripping the circuit breaker. You should now be able to troubleshoot your washing machine, and fix the problem.

If you have any questions or need further assistance with repairing your machine, you can always contact a repairman or professional.

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