2 expensive machines - kaput from the same socket?

cormie · 06-07-2011 08:07AM #1

Hi,
Just wondering about this, a few months ago, I was using my Blendtec HP3A (3 horsepower motor and operates at 1,500 watts/13 amps) and doing a regular enough load I started a cycle and the trip switch went in the house. It's happened a few times before with it actually, it's a powerful blender after all. This time however, when I turned the switch back on, the blender wasn't the same. I recorded this for the manufacturer to show them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40OjBLzJOwI

I sent it off for repair and while it was away, I was using my food processor, again as I have done many times before, regular load nothing that the machine can't handle and I was just giving it a few pulses when all of a sudden it just stopped working and hasn't come back on since. I tried change the fuse in the plug etc etc but nothing helped.

That was arranged for collection for in warranty repair thankfully, the blender was out of warranty by a few months and was delivered back to me after paying €146. Literally about 4/5 minutes later the food processor was collected by a different courier company altogether. The blender still isn't fixed properly so I'll have to send it back... to Lithuania for some reason as that's where the serial number says it needs to go for repair.

Anyway, I was just wondering, seeing as though both machines went kaput from the same socket, is there any chance the socket could be at fault itself? It's just a regular two plug socket and I'd generally only be using one socket at a time and wouldn't have much else on in the house besides fridge, freezer, laptop, speakers and that's about it. The socket itself is appears to be fine, not loose or dodgy looking at all and I use it quite often with a variety of other things and have never had any other problems.

Any feedback appreciated

Bruthal · 06-07-2011 03:14PM

Where did you buy them?

cormie · 06-07-2011 06:32PM

Blender from America, had it shipped to a friend who brought it over on a flight they had booked soon after to save on shipping etc, but it came with proper 3pin UK plug.

Food processor from a UK website.

I know the voltage etc would be different, but they are made for the UK/Irish market and I don't use any converters, inverters etc.

bassey · 06-07-2011 06:47PM

The blender is probably rated for 240V 60 Hz supply and doesn't like our 230 V 50 Hz.

cormie · 06-07-2011 06:49PM

Hmmm, just checked the sticker on the blender and it does say 240v ac but says 50/60hz... Is the UK 240v and were 230v here? Would that cause it to trip the switch etc?

bassey · 06-07-2011 07:24PM

As far as I know the UK has a 230 V 50 Hz supply these days. Used to be 240 V alright.

M cebee · 06-07-2011 08:01PM

they're 230 nominal afaik

but supply voltage is still up at 240 or higher a lot of places

brightspark · 06-07-2011 08:40PM

It might be worthwhile replacing the socket.

I had a microwave go faulty twice, at the time I put it down to poor ventilation. I relocated the new one to a different area (needed to be lower down, other half is only 5') and had no furher problems.

By chance I had to remove the former socket some time later and found a loose connection!

A loose connection could possibly be causing 'spikes' in the power supply and electronics of your blender, so it is certainly worth investigating.

The ESB is actually permitted a range of supply voltage variation (207 Volts to 253 Volts!) so whether your appliance says 230 or 240v is of no consequence, it also should be designed to accept the same variation.

(Historically our voltage was centred around 220V, UK was 240V, don't know about other parts of europe but it was agreed that 230V would be the 'standard' domestic supply throughout europe)

M cebee · 06-07-2011 08:47PM

ya esbn is +/-10% i think

uk is +10% -6% on supply side

also installation VD is 4% here

uk is 5% for power 3% for lights

appliances may not accept these variations though

M cebee · 06-07-2011 08:56PM

the rules in the voltage drop section says

under normal service conditions the voltage at the terminals of any current using equipment shall not be less than the limit specified by the manufacturer

Bruthal · 06-07-2011 09:44PM

A few volts out either way should`nt have much effect on the item. Might be worth while testing the voltage in the house itself.

M cebee · 06-07-2011 10:09PM

i would get circuit checked anyhow

bit late for me to make sense of that video-giving me a headache anyhow

Bruthal · 06-07-2011 10:18PM

Sounds like a faulty jet engine.

M cebee · 06-07-2011 10:21PM

i assume the 1500watt is the rating or wattage of the appliance

so it cant be 3hp unless i'm mistaken

cormie · 07-07-2011 12:13AM

Things have gotten awfully confusing in here

I don't really understand electrical language, but the consensus is that a normal socket should be fine to take that appliance even though it's 240v and there's a possibility the socket could have a fault?

07-07-2011 07:28AM

cormie wrote: »

Things have gotten awfully confusing in here I don't really understand electrical language, but the consensus is that a normal socket should be fine to take that appliance even though it's 240v and there's a possibility the socket could have a fault?

Yes

Bruthal · 07-07-2011 11:36AM

cormie wrote: »

Things have gotten awfully confusing in here I don't really understand electrical language, but the consensus is that a normal socket should be fine to take that appliance even though it's 240v and there's a possibility the socket could have a fault?

A loose connection or bad contacts at the socket concerned could have a less than idea affect on the item alright. We will assume the proper rating label is on the items, and that they are in fact 230-240v items, not sure if its possible for an item from the USA to be wrongly labeled.

I would check the voltage in your house itself, and at that socket, although a proper voltage reading at the socket wont mean the socket itself is in good shape. Voltage in house should be somewhere reasonably close to 230v.

cormie · 07-07-2011 11:48AM

Thanks again folks. So if I check the socket and it's what it should be, should I assume that the fault is with the two machines and nothing to do with the wiring or sockets in the house? If the voltage is around 230, is there still a possibility something else in house could be causing the problem or is it a much bigger possibility that it's just luck that I happened to get two machines that packed it in. Bearing in mind the blender has tripped the switch a few times. My friend also got a blender at the same time, exact same model and he's had no problems with his.

Bruthal · 07-07-2011 11:53AM

Replacing the socket with a new one would be a good way of eliminating that as the problem, although a bad connection problem with the socket circuit wiring does not certainly have to be at the affected socket. Replacing it would eliminate the possibility of contact problems within the socket itself, as in the contacts that the appliance plug connect to.

But if the blender was tripping the socket circuit, its likely there was a problem with the blender itself. It would be unusual for 2 appliances to fail though. How long were you using them?

Again, just because 230v might show on a tester at the affected socket will not mean the socket is in good condition.

cormie · 07-07-2011 12:01PM

So even if the socket was replaced, there could still be a deeper problem along the wiring of the house somewhere that would require a much bigger job to determine and fix?

I've used the blender and processor quite a lot. The blender had about 1,500 cycles on it (there's a counter on it) that doesn't mean it was turned on 1,500 times, but I'd have used it at least once every day anyway and could have done a few cycles in the time it was on. The food processor is still in warranty, not even a year old, used a good few times but definitely not daily, maybe once or twice a week. It's a decent one too and would take a fair load.

Bruthal · 07-07-2011 12:06PM

It could just be through normal usage so, and you were just unlucky, especially with the one still in warranty. If they were 2 machines only just bought and still new then you would think some problem in the house electrical setup. I was thinking they were both new for some reason.

See what they say about the warranty one when its fixed.

cormie · 07-07-2011 01:23PM

Thanks, will do

Haven't had problems with anything else connected to same socket, microwave, projector, printer, hand blender etc.

2 expensive machines - kaput from the same socket?

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