Wifie DEMANDS - 9kg+ Top Loading Washing Machine EDIT: Bought LG 7.5 kg T8018AEEP5

MCB/fuse does prevent short circuits but what happened with his socket can't be prevented with MCB as that's not a short circuit.

Big appliances cause inductance. They want to keep going even if there's not enough power supply or it's intermittent. In not-so-technical term, big appliances pull the current so hard that it starts flowing through air if there isn't sufficient metal contact.
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It's not a short circuit. Appliances on the other side are so damn power hungry that they don't care if the current is coming through the wire or is jumping through the air. They just want to keep going. MCB can't do anything about it because it doesn't see anything is wrong. Such sparking might be detectable with oscilloscope though.
Very good. Are you saying this could also happen if the wall socket was brand new? Any name for this inductance-driven phenomenon? I'd like to understand it better. Am asking under what conditions is it most likely to occur

The way you explained it the machine would not have failed when it was just started. More likely it happened mid-operation. Do you remember @terence_fdes

That should settle this once and for all. Did the machine die when it was just turned on or sometime in the middle or even a few minutes after it got going?

Hi Bro
At the end of the day ..... JUST TAKE THE BASIC Precautions.....
Even GOD may not have an Oscilloscope at hand :D
Just good hearing might be enough. Or a field sound recording app on the phone. There will be some sound when this happens. That sparking heats the air up and creates mini shockwaves. Some sort of buzzing. Wonder if a shortwave radio could detect it.

Also, think it likely happened a few times before the mainboard could not take it anymore. I have to think the circuit design had some built-in protection for this sort of thing but that is only good for so long. It will eventually fail at some point if remedial measures are not taken in time.
 
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Very good. Are you saying this could also happen if the wall socket was brand new? Any name for this inductance-driven phenomenon? I'd like to understand it better. Am asking under what conditions is it most likely to occur
Highly unlikely on a brand new socket as it would help to form better contacts. Sockets accumulate dust and carbon as they age. More dust or carbon the sockets have more chances of sparking. For older sockets, I clean/scratch the metal contacts using screwdriver or a sand paper. It might not the best method but it does the job. Ultimately, sockets should be changed after a decade or two. Also I don't let people who use power tools without plugs use our sockets. I have made a rugged extension box for that purpose.

I have to think the circuit design had some built-in protection for this sort of thing but that is only good for so long. It will eventually fail at some point if remedial measures are not taken in time.
Most circuits have a big fat capacitors to smooth out the noise in the supply line. Low power gadgets like mobile charger won't notice the irregularities. Same can't be said about big appliances though.
 
Highly unlikely on a brand new socket as it would help to form better contacts. Sockets accumulate dust and carbon as they age. More dust or carbon the sockets have more chances of sparking. For older sockets, I clean/scratch the metal contacts using screwdriver or a sand paper. It might not the best method but it does the job. Ultimately, sockets should be changed after a decade or two. Also I don't let people who use power tools without plugs use our sockets. I have made a rugged extension box for that purpose.
How about steel wool wrapped around a stick? I think medium instead of fine can work too.

It's hard to tell just by looking at socket contacts I guess unless there is good light in there.

Replace if older than ten years is easiest to do. The trouble with these sockets these days is the quality of the contact metal only seems to decrease over time.

I have no idea how much copper is in it. All look shiny and presentable. Durability, heh.
 
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