Help - washing machine & dishwasher have no power

[SimplyTes]

can't think of any reason why they would both stop working half way through a cycle. I can open door on both and it clothes are soaking and dishes half washed!

Any ideas - thank you

[GentleOtter]

Check the trip switch in your fuse box.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Yeah, likely to be a fuse.

[SimplyTes]

can I ask what I will be looking for in fuse box? Also once I find it (?) what shall I do, off to have a look thx

[SimplyTes]

have looked at fuse box and all switches are facing up, there is one big on / off switch facing up shall I turn it off and on again? If so will this turn everything in house off and on??

[northerngirl41]

From experience: Check the switches on your plugs. Once had a particularly embarrassing repair visit where the guy just switched it on at the wall... To be fair, we'd changed the fuse but forgotten there was another switch on the wall and my cleaning lady had bashed some soap boxes into it and switched them off £45 later....

[SimplyTes]

The switches on the plugs of w-machine and dish washer are behind our cupboards, v v tricky to reach and also different sockets, so am thinking it would be too bizarre that they both switched off without being knocked at same time.

How do I know if fuse needs changing?

[PoledrathePissedOffFairy]

OK, if you switch off the big ('mains') switch in the fusebox, you will indeed turn off everything in the house. When you looked in the fusebox, are the switches labelled (mine say things like 'downstairs lights' and so on) so you can identify the one for the sockets for your machines.

And can I ask the obvious question - do you have a powercut??

[SimplyTes]

No power cut as just made cup of tea

The switches are yellow, red, blue and white - does this mean anything?

Sadly no sensible labels on switches to tell me what they relate to just numbers. Shall I just go along turning them off and on one at a time?

[PoledrathePissedOffFairy]

We're moving out of the limits (very small limits!) of my experience here! I would assume that you could try turning them off and on one by one but I'm not sure. And anyway, if the fuse was the problem, the switch would be tripped, wouldn't it?

Something else that's occurred to me is that the other thing they've got in common is the water supply - could that be the problem rather than the power? [clutching-at-straws]

[SimplyTes]

Pulled down a couple of switched, thought I should maybe wait for more advice. May have pulled it down too far as I saw a little round battery in switch, never knew that they had them!

OMG you will not believe this man just come round to read the electricity metre - spooky!!!!!! He was however no use at all - said all switches looked OK and not marked he also flipped b ig switch which I wanted to do under advice.

Madness that he cane to door while I was looking at the box!!!!

[SimplyTes]

cane = came you can probably tell I am a little bit freaked!! I think he thought I was completely barmy as I mentioned my mum is a witch!!

[HenriettaFarthingay]

Sounds to me more like a problem with the water. Have a look outside and see if there's any water board vans around. Did you fill the kettle to get your cuppa? If not, then check your cold water taps. Doesn't sound to me like it's the electrics if both cut out at the same time, and the switches in the cupboard haven't tripped.

[SimplyTes]

I still have cold water and no sign of any water vans. But if it was the water not electricity at fault wouldn't the light on front of both appliances still be showing?

[HenriettaFarthingay]

Ah, no light on appliances, didn't realise that. Ok the power has been cut to both the appliances. Strange that it didn't trip at the main board though. Looks like it's time to check out your electric plugs then.

[PoledrathePissedOffFairy]

I would agree that the lights should still be on if the power was OK.

This is my final piece of advice - call an electrician .

Hope you get it sorted out.

[JaxTellersOldLady]

maybe the fuse on both plugs have gone at the same time. This happened to me the other week (dishwasher) and DH took out the fuse to change it which is also behind cupboards... wasnt until I turned round and realised the oven and microwave didnt have their lights on did we think to check the trip.

Anyway, if it isnt the fuse box then Im not sure what it could be?

And if the water was switched off you would still have the water in the tank to use before you ran out of water.

[SimplyTes]

Did not think of fuse on plugs will have to wait for DH to return as I am v crap (as I am sure you have gathered!) at this stuff.

Thank you for advice...........off now to wash dishes / clothes by hand

[MrMayoNessie]

There is sometimes a fused socket up on the wall with has a red light on it, this allows you to isolate the machines rather than having to pull them out aqnd reach behind.
Do you have anything like this?, if the red light isnt on this fuse will have blown (sometimes they have a switch on them as well so check that.

[SimplyTes]

Hurrah!!!!!

Just spoke to DH and he said the plug socket is at the back of the under the sink cupboard (what a mess that is

The sockets are a bit burnt so borrowed extension lead from neighbours and plugged it into socket on wall (not burnt) then put in two plugs from w-machine and d-washer and da dah!! Fell v happy and am now off to clean under the sink as will need electrician to fir new wall socket.

V pleased as rinsing clothes in kitchen sink not effective.

[SimplyTes]

Thank you for all your help, MN rocks!

[MrsIH]

This zombie thread just solved my identical problem! Mumsnet does rock!