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#1
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
A.Taylor wrote:
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. It could be a number of things. Anything from a weak breaker to a nearly dead A/C. My guess is a basic service/maintenance call will take care of it. When was the last time you had it serviced? -- Joseph Meehan Dia duit |
#2
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
Depending on the age of the house (breaker box), breakers do wear over
time and become more resistive. When you turn your AC on, it gets very hot and that's what typically causes breakers to trip. The breakers trip when they get hot due to overcurrent, or just old age. My personal experience was that my box was so old (1968), the busses feeding the circuit had corroded to about 1/2 the size and basically lit up like a lightbulb when the AC was on, causing the breakers to trip. I had to remove the box. Good luck, tim1198 |
#3
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
It sounds a lot like your unit is drawing excessive amperage.
-- Christopher A. Young You can't shout down a troll. You have to starve them. .. "A.Taylor" wrote in message news I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. |
#4
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
A.Taylor wrote: I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. Is the fan running on your outdoor condenser unit when you have the air on and the breaker is not tripped? Is it cool air at the indoor air vents when the AC is running? Had any storms around lately? Bob ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#5
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
First, a heat pump should have exactly the same cooling capacity as a
regular A/C unit of the same tonnage. You should really have your unit serviced yearly to be sure it is working at maximum capacity and efficiency. As to the breaker tripping, it is hard to diagnose without being there, but from what you describe, it sounds more like a problem in the electrical service to the unit rather than a problem with the unit itself, but there are many possibilities, and unless you have some basic experience with electrical work, it is best left to a pro. Your best bet would be to call an A/C company, explain the problem to them, and ask that they send an experienced service tech out. Most larger companies will have techs with varying amounts of experience, and some with more expertise in certain areas than others, so it wil be in their best interest as well as yours to send someone out that can diagnose your system rather than guess at it. Good luck, Larry |
#6
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
"Bob Urz" wrote in message ... Is the fan running on your outdoor condenser unit when you have the air on and the breaker is not tripped? Is it cool air at the indoor air vents when the AC is running? Had any storms around lately? and check your filter |
#7
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
I think you need to check the time/date on your computer. That would make
this group happy. cm "A.Taylor" wrote in message news I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. |
#8
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:24:13 GMT, "PipeDown"
wrote: "Shopdog" wrote in message news:KfW0g.6006$JY5.829@trnddc01... Damn, this is going to top my list for awhile! I think maybe I'll wait it out though! Just hit delete and it will disappear from your viewer but not anyone elses. Yes. With some news clients, Shopdog will have to wait 9 years before the first post in this thread goes away. It probably won't be deleted because of age, because it has a negative age. When the first post is deleted, the others will be in date order, like usual. The date stamp comes from the server not the originating PC unless you use malicous software. I don't think so, at least not all the time. When my clock is wrong and I post with Agent, whatever my own clock shows is what shows in the list. I set this post for 10:42 AM, before the post I'm replying to, so you all can see. |
#9
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
Damn, this is going to top my list for awhile! I think maybe I'll wait it
out though! |
#10
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
"Shopdog" wrote in message news:KfW0g.6006$JY5.829@trnddc01... Damn, this is going to top my list for awhile! I think maybe I'll wait it out though! Just hit delete and it will disappear from your viewer but not anyone elses. The date stamp comes from the server not the originating PC unless you use malicous software. |
#11
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
"Bob Urz" wrote in message ... A.Taylor wrote: I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. Is the fan running on your outdoor condenser unit when you have the air on and the breaker is not tripped? Is it cool air at the indoor air vents when the AC is running? Had any storms around lately? Bob ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- Good advice on checking if the outside fan is running. If it is siezed or shorted that can trip the breaker. IF it is open and not running that can also trip the breaker by causing the compressor to draw to much curret, . After checking this replace the breaker if you can DIY it. |
#12
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
A.Taylor said something like:
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. I had the exact same thing, and after talking my service technician OUT of replacing board after board in the indoor part of my a/c unit, we went to the circuit breaker and discovered that that the wire to it was loosely screwed in. And discolored. This by itself can cause a circuit breaker to throw. We tightened the screw and it has been fine ever since. Note: PULEEZ shut down the universe before attempting touching that screw. -- "Realtor" and "realty" are pronounced "reel'-tor" and "reel'-tee", *not* "reel'-a-tor" and "reel'-i-tee" !!!! If you pronounce them with the extra syllable, you will sound like a complete idiot. |
#13
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
A.Taylor wrote:
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? What's going on is that something's not working right. Could be anything from a bad breaker to a loose connection at the breaker to a plugged filter or at worst, a compressor near the end of its life because there's shorted turns in its motor windings. I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. If you don't know enough to tell the difference between a heat pump and an A/C in your own place then I think you better stop right there and fix the problem with your checkbook by calling in a pro. He'll probably even tell you what kind of system you've got at no extra cost. HTH, Jeff -- Jeffry Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE) "Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." |
#14
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
"A.Taylor" wrote:
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. ================================================== ============= My mom lived in a condo before her death. The second year that she lived there, the central A/C unit would pop the breaker 2 or 3 times a day. I would have to go over there and reset it for her. The A/C was freezing cold, and I saw no reason for the breaker tripping. It followed no pattern--sometimes it would run for 10 minutes and trip, and other times a few hours. I finally got fed up of going over there multiple times a day, and got another double pole 30 amp breaker, and installed it--problem solved--it never tripped again--some breakers do get weak. Try a new breaker. ================================================== ====== Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail. |
#15
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
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#16
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I
decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped That's because IT'S WINTER. You should have saved the cold from last month and used it now. They make insulated containers for this. My mom lived in a condo before her death. The second year that she lived there, the central A/C unit would pop the breaker 2 or 3 times a day. I would have to go over there and reset it for her. The A/C was freezing cold, and I saw no I would have gotten a big stick, so you could flip the breaker from your house. Those are just genius suggestions.......NOT |
#17
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I
decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. ================================================= ============== My mom lived in a condo before her death. The second year that she lived there, the central A/C unit would pop the breaker 2 or 3 times a day. I would have to go over there and reset it for her. The A/C was freezing cold, and I saw no reason for the breaker tripping. It followed no pattern--sometimes it would run for 10 minutes and trip, and other times a few hours. I finally got fed up of going over there multiple times a day, and got another double pole 30 amp breaker, and installed it--problem solved--it never tripped again--some breakers do get weak. Try a new breaker. Right. It's either a bad breaker, or something in the electrical innards of the AC unit. Replace the breaker first. If that doesn't solve it, time to call an A/C repairman. |
#18
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
One of several choices.
1) you have a mystery electrical problem 2) Your breaker is weak 3) The system is overloaded for some reason, and drawing too high of current. Did it trip the single breaker to the air handler, or the double to the outdoor unit? -- .. "A.Taylor" wrote in message news I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. |
#19
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air conditioner circuit breaker trips
On May 11, 9:07*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote: One of several choices. 1) you have a mystery electrical problem 2) Your breaker is weak 3) The system is overloaded for some reason, and drawing too high of current. Did it trip the single breaker to the air handler, or the double to the outdoor unit? -- ."A.Taylor" wrote in message news I live in Dallas and the weather has been very nice until today. Today I decided to use the central A/C, the unit ran without incident for maybe 20 minutes than the circuit breaker tripped. I reset the breaker and 10 minutes later again the circuit breaker tripped (The a/c was cold before the breaker tripped and returned cold after I flipped the breaker). What is going on here? I believe I have a heat pump unit (you know the one that gets cold but not as cold as someone with a regular unit). Thanks in advance. Heat pumps cool just as much as a regular ac. Works the same way. Just reverses in winter to provide heat instead of ac. A relatively cheap thing you can try is to replace the breaker if that is within your diy abilities. Turn off the main first of course. Regular breakers are less than $10 at lowes or home depot. Breakers do get weak. If you can find the paperwork for the unit you might confirm that the correct sized breaker is on the circuit. Do not be tempted to increase the breaker size unless you know that a larger breaker is called for by the heat pump manufacturer and the circuit was wired with the correct gauge wire for a larger breaker. If that's not the problem then something is causing a larger current draw and needs to be investigated further. Is it a split system with the air handler inside the house somewhere and an outside unit? Or a package unit that sits outside and has the house duct work hooked directly to it? |
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