Standard visit
Monday to Friday, until 6pm
£100
including the first hour of labour
then £25 per 30 minutes
Home›Tripping the electrics
Electrical faults · Bristol
Commercial Dishwasher & Glasswasher Tripping the Electrics
When a warewash machine trips the power, the protective device is doing its job: something is wrong. I’m an electrical commercial catering engineer, and I look for the cause of tripping for kitchens and bars across Bristol.
Or email joshua@
You deal with me, the engineer, directly.
Fully insured (£5m public liability) and DBS checked.
Safe steps
What to do when it trips
- Switch off the isolatorTurn the machine off at its own isolator, so the circuit isn’t restored with the fault still connected.
- Don’t keep resetting itIf it has tripped more than once, leave it off. Repeated resets can damage parts and mask a dangerous fault.
- Note when it tripsOn switch-on, while filling, when heating starts or when the wash pump runs. That timing narrows the search.
- Look for waterWater on the floor or under the machine is a common cause. Don’t touch the machine if the area is wet.
- Check what else went offDid other equipment lose power too? That helps tell a machine fault from a circuit problem.
Common causes
Why warewash machines trip
Many trips on warewash machines come from earth leakage, which is what an RCD detects. Heating elements are a common source: as an element ages its insulation can break down and let moisture in, letting current leak to earth. The machine may run happily from cold, then trip once the element warms up.
Water is another common cause. A leaking pump seal, a split hose or condensation can reach a motor, terminal block or control board, and pump motors can also fail internally. Where a breaker rather than an RCD trips, the circuit may be overloaded, a component may have shorted, or the machine may be sharing a supply it shouldn’t.
Fault finding
How I trace the fault
I isolate the machine safely, then test each circuit, using insulation resistance testing on elements, pumps and wiring to find the one leaking to earth. I can also check the supply itself, because a tripping machine isn’t always the machine’s fault. Once the fault is found, I can explain what has failed and quote the repair, and the machine is retested before it’s handed back. With water and electricity side by side in every warewash machine, this is not a job for guesswork.
Pricing
The price covers coming out to you and the first hour of labour. Any extra time after that is charged in 30-minute blocks.
No VAT to add. The price you see is the price you pay.
Evening & Saturday visit
Weekdays after 6pm, and Saturdays
£150
including the first hour of labour
then £35 per 30 minutes
Sunday & bank holiday visit
All day
£200
including the first hour of labour
then £50 per 30 minutes
Parts are always quoted and agreed before fitting. No hidden extras, so you’ll know the cost before any work goes ahead.
Every job comes with an invoice. Payment is due on visit completion, by bank transfer or cash. Account terms are available for regular customers.
FAQ
Questions customers ask
Why does my machine trip only after it’s been on for a while?
This often points to a heating element whose insulation has broken down. It may hold out when cold, then start leaking to earth as it heats. It needs testing rather than resetting.
Is it the machine or the building’s electrics?
It can be either. I can test the machine’s components and look at the supply too, to work out which it is.
Can I plug it into another socket instead?
Please don’t. Moving a faulty machine to another circuit only moves the risk, and many commercial machines are wired in through an isolator anyway.
Do you trace trips on three-phase machines?
Yes. Passthrough dishwashers and pot washers can be single or three phase. Three-phase machines have more circuits to test, and they’re routine work for me.
What does it cost to find an electrical fault?
Fault finding is charged at the visit rates: £100 on weekdays until 6pm including the first hour, then £25 per 30 minutes. Parts are agreed before fitting.
Contact
Machine keeps tripping? Get in touch
Leave it switched off and tell me when it trips, along with the make and model.
Write down what the machine was doing at the moment it tripped. It’s one of the most useful clues I can have.