Thanks John,
It’s strange you should mention the heating element … the cleaning I was doing only involved running it through a short cycle with the cold feed turned off – as opposed to any manual cleaning - the machine filled with only
hot water – and it might have been hotter than the machine is used to. Having said that, we have done it before.
The only reason for doing it today was my wife had cleaned out the detergent drawer earlier in the week and presumably pushed an amount of soap scum into the drum – when she washed this morning the sheets came out worse than when they went in.
It only tripped after I started it on hot water only.
The worst thing is it will run on a standard MCB supply – I might be buying a new machine for the sake of the ELS.
On the second question … It’s that long since I put the consumer units in I can’t remember the internal layout … having one of the twelve MCB’s spare, I wondered whether it was possible to by-pass the ELS for just one MCB … but I think not … if someone could confirm.
And what would I need otherwise to end up with a socket not covered by the ELS …
Remove the 50amp fuse.
Connect a single 32amp MCB via 2.5 flat twin and earth to the tail box?
Connect an earth wire.
Connect a new 13amp socket to the new MCB.
Replace the fuse.
????
Even if it were straightforward the consumer unit is about 30 yards away from the washing machine!
I could have been cleaning the car today