[janis]

Hi there

Has anyone experienced  problems using carpet cleaners in Docklands new appartments?  The problem I have is that with my steam cleaner when I start it up it trips the fuse box and knocks out the power suppy.  This repeats itself again and again.  Yet when it used in ordinary house it is absolutely fine.  Any ideas as to what the problem could be? Greatly appreciated.

Janis

[Deep Clean Newcastle Gateshead]

Trip switches I am afraid, they can be a pain in the bum.
If it is tripping with both the heater and extraction system on, turn the heater off, if you have them both plugged in to the same socket, change the sockets around to that they are on different ring mains, ie plug them into two different locations, one in the living room and one in the hall way.
If it is tripping with just the motors running and not the heater, turn on one motor and leave if for 20 secs to get up to speed then turn the other motor on, if all of this doesnt work, you just cant do the work, its no point in putting a miniature circuit breaker "MCB" on the end of the plug as they just don't work.
Hope this helps
Aidan

[janis]

Thanks for your advice. We did try all of that, we even tried plugging the machine outside the appartment in the main hallway but it tripped that too!  So your right just cant do job.  I am just glad it is not a fault with the machine.

Janis

[Alan Brooker. Aqualink Carpet Care]

Sounds like you might have an earth leakage problem that a modern sensitive rcd is picking up on. You will have to take it to your local pat place and have them run a diagnostic on it for you. It's the only way you'll be able to find out what it is. I had this problem in the past with my v2 ninja - sometimes you do need to go back to the manufacturer like it or not.
Alan

[Alan Brooker. Aqualink Carpet Care]

And Aidens right, the plug top rcd's aren't what they should be - the fault I was experiencing at the time was on a plug top rcd lead.

Not to long ago I did appartment for Charlton Athletic footballer in there and had no probs.

Alan

[jeff1966]

Try using a cooker socket,or unplug all apliances from the ring main your using to minimise the load.

[Deep Clean Newcastle Gateshead]

I agree with Alan, if you do have a leak to earth, the RCD will pick this up and trip it.
Aidan

[Ken Wainwright]

As far as I'm aware, the leakage required to trip a mains RCD is half that of the portable item you'll have on your equipment power leads.  This means the mains will trip first without affecting your own plug-in device.


The cheapest way of finding out whether your own machine has a leakage is to take Alan's advice and have it PAT tested. This will not only tell you whether there is a fault, but ptobably be able to identify which component it is.  The most common faults are worn carbon brushes/commutator or the pressure switch on a water pump.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

PS Always use a remote RCD as some houses are still on the old fashioned fuse boxes.

[janis]

Thanks for all your feedback. 

Janis

[M.Acorn]

Had the same prob with my 4 year old Prochem Steempro ,wire to heat and run was getting red hot and even burnt my hand on it !
took off the switch plate on the heat and run all the wire from the mains lead was twisted around each other and some of the sleeve had come away causing them to short out and burn/char the connector block .
Had to order a new rocker switch too as the back had come off which had stopped it working altogether... been an expensive week for me had to fit a new Flotec pump on monday just finished a job this morning and noticed a bad burning smell so flipped the machine up took off the cover on top of vac motors turned back on sparks and smoke everywhere,had to postpone more work till i can get motor tomoro  .And lost one job as she was not happy..

[psg]

You should look at the electrics in particular the heating element. The element as it ages becomes a bit porus. When we have experienced the fault you have we lift the earth off the plug & run the element for about 15-20 mins disc machine and reattach the earth this usually done the trick for us and was sufficent time to dry out the element. Now using TM but also not great for high rise.

Jim

[Kinver_Clean]

I have found in the past that certain cleaning solutions can eat the chrome and copper from the element exposing the core with exciting results.
You need to find out which breaker is tripping- earth leakage or circuit overload.
Some circuit breakers are 'quick blow' and will not accept the higher start up amps of a motor. This will trip if all motors are switched on at once. I have found circuits lately that will only take 16A on a ring instead of the more usual 45A.
 A certain amount of earth leakage is permitted and this can add up with other appliances to trip out the lot.
All wiring should be checked visually at least weekly, eg plug and cable security and condition, with a lokk 'under the bonnet' for obvious faults. A record card should be kept for this and to record the 12 or preferably 6 month PAT test. This is nearly a legal requirement and certainly a reccomendation under the IEE regulations. If an accident happens and someone gets a shock and you cannot produce this then bricks will fly.
I have had machines in for repair that are horrendus but thankfully less so lately.
Sorry to sound a wet rag but.......

Trevor