Yes it is perfectly safe. With many air conditioners the circuit Over
Current Protective Device (OCPD) is only there to provide protection
against short circuit or ground fault. The overload protection for
both the compressor and the circuit is provided by an overload
protective device located at or even in the compressor housing. The
overload is designed to allow the compressor to start which with some
motor compressor units a breaker sized for the running current or the
wire size would not do. So the breaker is sized to the locked rotor
current so that the compressor can actually draw enough current to
start the load. If the running current increases do to overload then
the built in overload at the compressor opens the circuit to protect
the supply circuit and the motor from the overheating and insulation
failure that would result from a prolonged over current condition.
--
Tom Horne


On Aug 7, 10:23*am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Possible, yes. But safe?

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
*www.lds.org
.

wrote in message

...

I suppose it would make everyone's brain hurt if I told you
it is
possible to have a 40a breaker on 14ga wire feeding an HVAC
condenser.
This all depends on what the minimum circuit ampacity and
maximum
overcurrent protection is listed on the label.