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Started By
Message
OT Electricians - Question
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:11 am
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:11 am
Last week I had an electrician come out to fix problem with my breaker automatically shutting off when one of the AC units switched on (the one tied to this switch on in the breaker box). It's the only switch that messes up. Guy came out and fixed it and it worked for a week until this past weekend. Electrician came back this morning and says he can't fix the problem and says it has to be the AC unit. The unit runs fine and ran fine for all last week while it was "fixed". Has anyone else seen this issue of know what might be causing it?
4
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:13 am to olemissfan26
Electrician was an LSU fan.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:14 am to olemissfan26
Sounds like your AC is pulling too many Amps and overloading the breaker.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:16 am to olemissfan26
Bad relay in AC unit that periodically shorts which would cause breaker to trip. That's what I would look into first.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:22 am to boddagetta
Or a compressor starting to fail.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:25 am to BoostAddict
quote:my money is on this. OP, Install a hard start kit in the condensing unit and it might give you a few more years.
Or a compressor starting to fail.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:31 am to meauxjeaux2
quote:
my money is on this. OP, Install a hard start kit in the condensing unit and it might give you a few more years.
This is an inexpensive thing to try. Just make sure you turn off the power AND discharge to power from the capacitor. If that doesn't fix the problem, you gotta call an AC guy.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 9:31 am to boddagetta
quote:
Bad relay in AC unit that periodically shorts
Only if it's a dead short. Way more likely to be a Compressor seizing up. Locked Rotor current will trip your breaker every time. Could be happening due to bearing issues or due to startup under a load.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 11:09 am to mdomingue
Appreciate the feedback. Thanks everyone 
Posted on 6/7/16 at 11:13 am to olemissfan26
i'm dead serious about the hard start kit.
amazon
Cost less than ten bucks and you plug in two wires. Remove the service disconnect(or throw breaker) on the outside condensing unit. Remove panel and connect the 2 wires where the instructions say to connect.
While you're in there i'd go ahead and replace the main run/start capacitor as well. All this can be done for less than $30 and it may give you a few more years of use out of your AC system and will probably cure your breaker problem you're having.
amazon
Cost less than ten bucks and you plug in two wires. Remove the service disconnect(or throw breaker) on the outside condensing unit. Remove panel and connect the 2 wires where the instructions say to connect.
While you're in there i'd go ahead and replace the main run/start capacitor as well. All this can be done for less than $30 and it may give you a few more years of use out of your AC system and will probably cure your breaker problem you're having.
Posted on 6/7/16 at 11:14 am to olemissfan26
One of two issues:
1. AC unit is drawing excess current at startup. You can upsize the breaker, but the cable may then be undersized. Put a clamp meter on one of the AC feeders and cycle the unit on and off and monitor the current. Report with the current and the breaker size.
2. You may have an intermittent grounding issue on the AC unit which eventually means you will have to replace the outside unit altogether.
1. AC unit is drawing excess current at startup. You can upsize the breaker, but the cable may then be undersized. Put a clamp meter on one of the AC feeders and cycle the unit on and off and monitor the current. Report with the current and the breaker size.
2. You may have an intermittent grounding issue on the AC unit which eventually means you will have to replace the outside unit altogether.
This post was edited on 6/7/16 at 11:15 am
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