[pezman726]

Hi All,

My house was built in 2017, the breakers are all Eaton Breakers. Most are AFCI. The one that my Washer is plugged into is a 20a Combo AFCI/GFCI, model: BRLAFGF120CS

This past month, it has been tripping randomly (3rd time it happened was today). It seems to happen right when the spin motor is going to kick on to drain. I checked the code on it, and the LED blinked 2x, which means (according to the documentation)

Parallel arc
Description: A high current arc has been
detected between two conductors. High current
arcs are typically parallel arcs, and are usually
found in installed wiring where the wire has been
compromised by a nail or screw, tight staple, and
damaged insulation.
Resolution: Locate fault location and replace
wire.

Now, this has been running fine for the past nearly 3 years, it only started doing this in the past 30 days. The washer is in the same room as the breaker box, so I can easily go and reset the circuit.

Anybody have any clue why after 2.5 years this would start acting up like this? Could there be an issue in my washer, or is something wrong with the wiring? I'll be calling my electrician as well, but i figured i'd ping you all on here to see if you've got any ideas.

Thanks!

 

[anyacolo]

if i had to place a bet, i would bet on a problem with the washer, as opposed to the house electrical

 

[hlopez77]

Have you tried plugging washer into a different outlet on different circuit.you will need a heavy duty extension cord that's at least 12 gauge wire.

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[ktownskier]

Have you tried the obvious?

What, if anything, may have changed in the past 30 days? Has anything been hung on the walls that required using a nail, screw, or something metallic being used?

Keep in mind that while the washer may be in the same room as the Electrical Panel, the cable may be run a long way before it reaches the outlet for the washer, or it may continue beyond the outlet.

 

[seharper]

Have you tried plugging washer into a different outlet on different circuit.you will need a heavy duty extension cord that's at least 12 gauge wire.

Yeah. If most of the house is AFCI breakers, that should be a good test.

14 AWG extension cord should suffice, though; just don't use bog-standard #18 or #16 extension cords. The important part is it's grounded.

 

[pezman726]

I've got some other plugs that I could try it on. could run it into the basement bathroom w/GFCI on the wall outlet (and afci on the breaker), or some other outlets in the room that just have afci on them.

 

[hlopez77]

How did the testing work out.

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[pezman726]

How did the testing work out.

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Haven't done it yet!!! Waiting on it to trip again, so i can get another error code to make sure it's the same! I'm sure it'll do it again some time this week though!

 

[pezman726]

Have you tried the obvious?

What, if anything, may have changed in the past 30 days? Has anything been hung on the walls that required using a nail, screw, or something metallic being used?

Keep in mind that while the washer may be in the same room as the Electrical Panel, the cable may be run a long way before it reaches the outlet for the washer, or it may continue beyond the outlet.

I am able to actually follow that line up the wall, through holes in the unfinished ceiling, and straight down into its own dedicated circuit in the breaker box. So, nope, no chance of anything new added to the equation there.

I called one of the electricians that has been involved in my builder, and they stated that they've replaced quite a few problematic Eaton Combo AFCI/GFCI breakers in the last few months...so maybe the breaker is going?

I DO have another one in the panel that i'm not using...had another laundry room made in basement as well as the default one on 2nd floor. So i'm not using that plug at all...i could swap breakers out, and see if that fixes it....

 

[hlopez77]

I'm curious,but believe it's the washer.

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[seharper]

Yeah, I would do a 2-stage process. First I'd swap it onto an AFCI-only so it's there and whatever *was* there is now on AFCI+GFCI protection. See if it stops tripping. Then, swap that back, and swap this onto a GFCI-only. If you don't have any GFCI-only breakers, run an extension cord to a bathroom etc.

If it doesn't trip AFCI breakers, and it doesn't trip GFCI breakers/outlets, then it's not the washer, it's the breaker! Call Eaton - they may have warranty on it. They astonish me by what they will cover.

 

[dmxtothemax]

elecrical leaks in washing machines are not unusual,
And this is the most likely cause,
but the position in the wash cycle may give a clue.
if you say just as it starts to drain,
then look around the drain pump

 

[ablodneyget]

I have an Eaton dual-function AFCI/GFCI breaker feeding a brand new Speed Queen, which has a centrifugal start 2-speed motor The breaker would trip on parallel arc fault at least half the time the instant the motor started. I plugged the washer into a $10 plug-in line filter purchased from Amazon and it solved the problem.

It was a new home run to the panel, all cable undamaged, new receptacle, new appliance, etc. Definitely an over-sensitive breaker.

The filter was "Surge Protector, 1 Outlet, 540 Joules with EMI/RFI filter". Eaton used to supply the same one, apparently.

 

[hlopez77]

Curious ,did you ever figure out the cause?

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