Any electricians here. :-)

I have a customer who has some window units installed, but they keep blowing the breaker(s).

---------------------------

I want to find out which breaker controls the outlets near the window units.

---------------------------

He has two fuse boxes.

Outside has 6 breakers from 40 - 60 amp each.

He also has a breaker box inside with 15 -20 amp breakers.

But the inside has NO main cutoff breaker which seems strange to say the least.

Flipping the outer breakers off did NOT shut off power to those outlets.

I am writing down what each breaker goes to.

This may not be related, but two of the outside breakers are required for one of the outside AC units.

That makes no sense to me.

Any ideas appreciated.
:-)

On Thursday, June 19, 2014 10:16:46 PM UTC-4, Andy wrote:
Any electricians here. :-)



I have a customer who has some window units installed, but they keep blowing the breaker(s).



---------------------------



I want to find out which breaker controls the outlets near the window units.



---------------------------



He has two fuse boxes.



Outside has 6 breakers from 40 - 60 amp each.



He also has a breaker box inside with 15 -20 amp breakers.



But the inside has NO main cutoff breaker which seems strange to say the least.



Flipping the outer breakers off did NOT shut off power to those outlets.



I am writing down what each breaker goes to.



This may not be related, but two of the outside breakers are required for one of the outside AC units.



That makes no sense to me.



Any ideas appreciated.

:-)

It would seem if the AC units are tripping the breakers
all the time, then someone would know which breakers they
are. And if they don't, what's wrong with plugging in a
light or radio and turning off breakers until you find
the ones in question?

Andy wrote:

I want to find out which breaker controls the outlets near the window
units.

Get a boom box, plug it in to the outlet and turn it up to 11. When the
noise stops, you've found the right breaker.

On 06/19/2014 09:37 PM, trader_4 wrote:

:-)

It would seem if the AC units are tripping the breakers
all the time, then someone would know which breakers they
are. And if they don't, what's wrong with plugging in a
light or radio and turning off breakers until you find
the ones in question?




The guy is a troll.

I used to see his posts elsewhere

On Thursday, June 19, 2014 10:02:09 PM UTC-5, philo* wrote:
On 06/19/2014 09:37 PM, trader_4 wrote:



:-)



It would seem if the AC units are tripping the breakers

all the time, then someone would know which breakers they

are. And if they don't, what's wrong with plugging in a

light or radio and turning off breakers until you find

the ones in question?









The guy is a troll.



I used to see his posts elsewhere

Your reputation as a moron is legendary and known in many groups. :-)

rbowman wrote:
Andy wrote:

I want to find out which breaker controls the outlets near the window
units.

Get a boom box, plug it in to the outlet and turn it up to 11. When the
noise stops, you've found the right breaker.

Hi,
Really funny, one couldn't visualize tripped breaker or popped fuse, Sigh!?

Troll or not, he seems to be asking a legitimate question.

Andy:
Window air conditioning units draw a lot of power when the compressor motor is starting. That initial power demand only lasts for a half a second or so while the motor is coming up to speed. Once at speed, the current draw quickly comes down, but often the fuse will blow before the compressor gets up to speed.
To prevent the fuse from blowing during the initial power surge, you need something called a "Slo-Blo" fuse or a "time delay" fuse. This kind of fuse will allow overcurrent in the wiring for a short time... enough time for the motor to come up to speed and the current draw to subside. The overcurrent for such a short time doesn't do any harm to the wiring at all.

http://highfields-arc.co.uk/construc...iles/fuse1.gif

Slo-Blo fuses are expensive, costing about $5 each. I expect there's the equivalent of a Slow Blow fuse when it comes to circuit breakers, but I'm just not familiar enough with circuit breakers to tell you what to buy.

Also, you ideally want the window air conditioner on it's own dedicated circuit so that there's nothing else on the circuit that's also drawing power. To do that, plug the air conditioner unit into the convenience outlet on the kitchen stove. The two power cables going to a kitchen stove will handle 50 amps each but the convenience outlets are fused down to 15 amps each. Unless you've got some other things drawing power from that same convenience receptacle, then it'll provide a full 15 amps (or more) to whatever you plug into it.

On 06/19/2014 11:17 PM, nestork wrote:
'Andy[_35_ Wrote:
;3250183']
I have a customer who has some window units installed, but they keep
blowing the breaker(s).

Troll or not, he seems to be asking a legitimate question.



Possibly but I put him in my KF

On Friday, June 20, 2014 3:32:57 AM UTC-5, philo* wrote:
On 06/19/2014 11:17 PM, nestork wrote:

'Andy[_35_ Wrote:

;3250183']

I have a customer who has some window units installed, but they keep

blowing the breaker(s).



Troll or not, he seems to be asking a legitimate question.







Possibly but I put him in my KF

You said that before.

Please tell me you did. ??

Your friendly troll.

On Thursday, June 19, 2014 11:17:23 PM UTC-5, nestork wrote:
'Andy[_35_ Wrote:

;3250183']

I have a customer who has some window units installed, but they keep

blowing the breaker(s).



Troll or not, he seems to be asking a legitimate question.



Andy:

Window air conditioning units draw a lot of power when the

compressor motor is starting. That initial power demand only lasts for

a half a second or so while the motor is coming up to speed. Once at

speed, the current draw quickly comes down, but often the fuse will blow

before the compressor gets up to speed.

To prevent the fuse from blowing during the initial power surge,

you need something called a "Slo-Blo" fuse or a "time delay" fuse. This

kind of fuse will allow overcurrent in the wiring for a short time...

enough time for the motor to come up to speed and the current draw to

subside. The overcurrent for such a short time doesn't do any harm to

the wiring at all.



http://highfields-arc.co.uk/construc...iles/fuse1.gif



Slo-Blo fuses are expensive, costing about $5 each. I expect

there's the equivalent of a Slow Blow fuse when it comes to circuit

breakers, but I'm just not familiar enough with circuit breakers to tell

you what to buy.



Also, you ideally want the window air conditioner on it's own dedicated

circuit so that there's nothing else on the circuit that's also drawing

power. To do that, plug the air conditioner unit into the convenience

outlet on the kitchen stove. The two power cables going to a kitchen

stove will handle 50 amps each but the convenience outlets are fused

down to 15 amps each. Unless you've got some other things drawing power

from that same convenience receptacle, then it'll provide a full 15 amps

(or more) to whatever you plug into it.

nestork

Thanks nestork.

The 2 window units draw 7.1 amps each.

Safety is No. 1 for me.

I will not do ANY work that I would not do in my own home.

I worked in a labs and plants for 20+ years and saw a lot of preventable accidents that brought me to tears.

Take care,
Andy

They draw 7.1 amps each when the compressor motor is running.

You can count on two to three times that when the compressor motor is starting, and that's what's causing your problem.