The steam cleaner is tripping the circuit breaker – how can I fix it?
As soon as you flick the switch, your steam cleaner trips the circuit breaker… and your cleaning session goes up in smoke before it’s even begun! It’s enough to turn a burst of motivation into a sudden urge to put it all off until tomorrow. So, what’s going on? Unfortunately, the solution isn’t going to appear as if by magic (even with all the steam in the world). Take a few minutes to read this article: it guides you step by step to identify the cause of the fault and get your appliance up and running again.
THE REASONS FOR THIS FAULT:
WARNING
Before carrying out any work on your appliance, please ensure that it is disconnected from the mains.
Risk of electric shock.
Make sure you wear suitable gloves if you are carrying out the dismantling
Risk of cuts.
Check that the electrical socket is working
Before dismantling your household appliance, the first step is to check that it is connected to a 230-volt mains supply. To do this, you have two options:
- Plug the equipment into another socket. If your steam cleaner starts up normally, this suggests that the problem lies with the socket itself rather than with the appliance.
- Test the wall socket affected by plugging in another electrical appliance. If this confirms a power supply fault, call in an electrician. Otherwise, you can move on to the next test.
The power cable is damaged
Now, check the condition of the power cable and its power plug. Check for any signs of wear or if the sheath is crushed, cut or melted.
At this stage, we recommend to test the cable using a multimeter. After unplugging the appliance, remove the base of your steam cleaner using a screwdriver to access the wiring. Set the tester to the lowest setting on the Ohmmeter mode. Next, place one probe on the metal part of the plug and the other probe on the connector of the blue wire. Repeat the process with the brown wire. If no reading is displayed, this indicates that the power cable is faulty and will need to be replaced.
Buy a power cord for my steam cleaner
The internal wiring of the steam cleaner is damaged
If there is nothing wrong with the power cable, the trip may have been caused by a short circuit caused by a faulty internal electrical wire. Check the underside of the appliance visually and repair any damaged parts (wire, connector, terminal, etc.) if necessary. You can also make a multimeter test to confirm the wiring fault. After unplugging connectors, set your multimeter to the ohmmeter setting (lowest range). Place the test leads in the various connectors (blue, red, white and brown wires). If nothing appears on the display, this indicates a fault in the wiring, which will need to be repaired or replaced.
The heating element is out of order
If no electrical fault has been confirmed, it is likely that the heating element has a fault with the insulation. This component is also accessible from the underside of the unit and is securely fastened to the boiler with bolts. You don’t need to take it apart to test it. Simply disconnect the terminals. Then place each probe tip of your multimeter on a terminal. If ‘1’ or ‘OL’ appears on the multimeter’s display, this confirms that the power is off (poorly insulated), which causes the circuit breaker to trip. In this case, it will need to be replaced to repair your cleaning equipment.
Depending on the make and model of the steam cleaner, the heating element may be sold separately or as part of a set with the boiler. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to find out whether or not you need to take it apart!