Electric shock question

[Minimo 59]

This will sound like a daft question but can you get an electric shock from a washing machine that is not plugged in?

An engineer in my home has just claimed this happened. He had unplugged the machine, then when he touched the washer he jumped and was rubbing his hand for some time afterwards. There was no sign of a burn or anything. He didn`t make any fuss about it to me so I am left wondering. He didn`t charge anything for coming either when he said my machine could not be fixed.

[wiz* 10]

sounds more like static electricity to me!

[Danny_Boy 10]

It could have been a static shock.

[JoeP 11]

Yes, you can.

 

Most washing machines contain something called a capacitor, which stores electricity. In a washer they're sued to supress electrical noise from the motor and also to provide smoothing of current, stuff like that.

 

When the washer is running, they charge up.

 

HOWEVER....you normally get the shock by touching either the live or neutral pin of the plug after you unplug it, rather than the case, but it's possible to get a shock via the case if one side of the capacitor is connected to the case and he earths it through himself.

 

I've done it a few times with power supplies and such (and I should know better) but never with a washer.

 

And then there's static - if he's been scrubbing around on th floor then he could discharge the static electricity through the washer frame.

[lowby 11]

yes you can mine give a horrible shock.

i think its something to do with a short cause it only does it on a 90 degree wash or on a fast spin.

[alex3659 11]

my washing machine gave me a shock,

she left me.

[muddycoffee 10]

There can be many problems with washing machines, but this sounds like static, which hurts but cannot really do you any harm.

 

When plugged in, your washing machine should have a metal body which is connected to electrical ground via the earth pin in the plug.

If your engineer has nylon socks on, it is likely that he is charging himself up with static until he touches something metal and painfully discharges himself.

[Andy_sheff 10]

reminds me of gettin random shocks off escalators, had that a few times in meadowhell

[Minimo 59]

Thanks for your replies, I think its time to buy a new washer