W6222 shorting washing machine shorts during cycle tripping circuit breaker

there must be something wrong with the computer board, I would try getting some one else to have a look at it,if its triping the braker on the fuse board it must be the washing machine

Hi Jason

It sounds like your washing machine may have a mayor short circuit.
Here are some pointers that may help you isolate the fault.

As you did not give details, perhaps you should start by checking the fault is not outside the machine.
Check the following first.

-Has the machine operated in the same mains ring before and without occasionally tripping?
-Have new appliances been added to this mains ring?
(New Heater, Fridge Freezer or any other appliance that may overload the circuit mains.)
-Is the breaker adequate for the load?
-Check breaker has not become faulty
Try swapping it for another of same value
check the contacts, they must be bright copper not dull as this is an indication that not all is well. Get a professional electrician to check it.
-Check the wall socket for damage (cracked)
-If all is ok, plug in another appliance to the same socket and see if it trips (a portable heater will do)

If all these checks are ok, the fault must be with the appliance.
-Check for obvious damage to the power cord (sometimes spin cycles shake the appliance trapping and damaging the cable internally. (At the point of entry to the machine is a good place to look).
-Does the machine power on and off? Or does it trip straight away?

If it trips straight away or shortly after
Depending on your specific washing machine diagnostics cycle at power on

*you may have a damaged electronic controller
*Shorted/burned motor
*Shorted water heater element
*Shorted water inlet solenoid

Don't know your level of expertise with appliances, but whatever it is, if you intend to open the appliance, it will not be superfluous to say -Disconnect it from the mains!!!-

Once inside check for obvious damage, water is a likely candidate to damage your washing machine.
-Check all contacts:
-To the motor
-To the water heating element (if available)
- Find the circuit board and examine for obvious damage
- Disconnect the motor from the controller, restore the mains and test if it stops tripping the breaker and you have a display
-Do the same for the heating element.

If after disconnecting these components the breaker still trips, then the washing machine controller board may need replacing but may not be the only cause for tripping the breaker..

Hope this helps you determine if you need a new washing machine or repair the existing one.
Best of luck.

Circuit breaker trips mean dangerous high current short-circuit somewheres, call serviceman.

Will the tub spin if you move it by hand? A motor will usually only draw excessive amperage if it cannot move easily... Also, take a look at the terminal block where the power cord attaches to the machine for burnt connections, a bad connection can cause a breaker to trip, same as a 'dead' short. Terminal Block WPW10245259

This tells me that you do not have an overload situation. There is a short, and/or one or more faulty breakers possibly including the main breaker.
Even an experienced DIY'er with electrical knowledge would probably contact an electrician at this point. If there is a potential problem with the main breaker then it is best to get professional help.

Why is my electric circuit breaker tripping

Common Causes for Tripped Circuit Breakers

Why Does My Circuit Breaker Keep Tripping

The washer tripped the breaker once and OR after the breaker was reset it ran additional loads with no problem then it tripped the breaker again.

Intermittent problems are always difficult to diagnose because the problem usually doesn't occur when you're making the checks.

If the washer ran additional loads the problem will not be an electrical short with one of the washer parts. If the lid switch had a short it wouldn't run additional loads.

if the additional loads used the same cycle as previously. A timer can have an internal short that might trip the breaker in heavy duty cycle but not the permanent press cycle.

If you have access to a clamp on amp meter, see the image below, then you can check the amp draw of the washer. The washer normally will draw about 10-15 amps at start up and about 5-8 amps while running. The house breaker for you washer should be rated at 20 amps.

If the washer is running and drawing less than 20 amps and the breaker trips then if can be a weak house breaker.

Mid cycle the washer is most likely draining or spinning and if the bearing or pump locks up then the washer may draw additional amps to try to start and trip the breaker.

The key to this problem is what the amp draw of the washer is when the house breaker trips.

To narrow this problem down, there are three places that could be causing the ( outlet) GFCI to trip, a malfunction in the washing machine, a problem with the downstream wiring (aka load side of the GFCI-other items connected on same circuit), or the GFCI outlet itself. If there isn't anything downstream, then plugging the washing machine into another GFCI outlet, or simply swapping out the outlet for a known good GFCI outlet, will identify if the outlet itself is faulty.
If the outlet trips when the washing machine isn't running and isn't even plugged in, then there's a fault in the wiring on the load side of the GFCI outlet.
If the issue is neither of the above, then running the washing machine and monitoring to see which step is occurring when the trip happens will isolate what part of the washing machine may be leaking current to a ground. It could be a certain water level, a motor being engaged, a transition step in the controller, etc
Beware some techs believe that most Washing machines or any other motor should not be on a GFCI! Should be a dedicated single receptacle. If there are other outlets on the washer GFCI, replace that GFCI with a single receptacle and put the GFCI on the next jump in order to protect other outlets.

Another item to check is ur lid switch which may have gotten moister inside and created a short_ or broken open and the rubber seal dried out over time, and the switch assembly will be exposed. water can splash onto the assembly, somehow causing the GFCI to trip. In any event, if you are having trouble with your washing machine stopping mid-cycle for any reason, test and replacing the lid switchis probably a worthwhile idea, as it is cheap and easy to replace.
By the way my advice is free cuz God is good!

You havent given details when the breaker pops. Is it right away, in wash cycle, spin cycle or drain? If it pops right away, there has to be a short circuit, but it fills water up then as soon as the motor starts n it pops, it could be motor. If blows during spin, definately motor drawing too much current. Then it could be the breaker that is weak/faulty. The breaker if not faulty it will pop if the current drawn by the motor exceeds it's rating or there is a short.

Motor controller or motor itself has a short.
OR something stuck in the pump impeller.

Thanks for using FixYa - a 4 THUMBS rating is appreciated for answering your FREE question.

THE SPEED SELECTOR SWITCH MAY BE SHORTED CAUSING THE MOTOR TO TRY AND RUN ON BOTH THE LOW AND HIGH SPEED WINDINGS. THIS WILL PULL TOO MUCH CURRENT AND TRIP THE BREAKER.
THE MOTOR WINDINGS FOR THE HIGH SPEED COULD BE SHORTED CAUSING EXCESSIVE CURRENT DRAW.

Does this happen every time or once in a while? If it happens everytime, I would guess there is a shorted spot in the timer. If you can put it into the spin cycle manually, then the motor is not shorted. It will be hard to diagnose it from long distance, but if it is tripping the house breaker it has a dead short somewhere. If it only happens sometimes, check to see what else is on the circuit that might be running at the same time. It pulls the most amps when it goes into spin, spiking around 16-20 amps. If you have other things running on a 20 or 30 amp breaker it could just be the curcuit is overloaded at that point or the breaker is weak. If we can narrow it down to the timer, it is a pretty simple repair, but some of the timers are pretty expensive. Post back with the exact model number if you need more help.