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Posted on 9/10/20 at 9:42 am to GEAUXT
Probably adequate on sizing but its not correct. Does this breaker feed direct to 3 separate disconnects for the units outside?
Posted on 9/10/20 at 9:48 am to GEAUXT
quote:
Neighbors units are running fine
So? Unless his power comes through your house (which it doesn’t) then what your neighbors house is doing is irrelevant.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 9:51 am to MikeBRLA
quote:You mentioned that a phase could be out, wouldn't that affect the neighbor too?
So? Unless his power comes through your house (which it doesn’t) then what your neighbors house is doing is irrelevant.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 9:53 am to GEAUXT
I havn't seen a trash compactor in 20 years.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 9:53 am to JusTrollin
quote:
Does this breaker feed direct to 3 separate disconnects for the units outside?
Yes
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:04 am to Korkstand
quote:
You mentioned that a phase could be out, wouldn't that affect the neighbor too?
Maybe,maybe not. Depends on how the neighborhood is designed and where the failure is.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:23 am to GEAUXT
100 amps is more then enough. How is the power feed split to each unit? To me, this is a no no in my book feeding three units off one breaker feed. 
Really would like to know how it is wired. 
Really would like to know how it is wired. Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:23 am to GEAUXT
quote:
Is this adequate to handle 3 units? We have a 5 ton and 2 2.5 ton units
I would think so but the electrician can tell you that - look at the RLA (rated load amps), not the LRA (locked rotor amps), for each unit, and that info will be on each outdoor condenser, and sum them. But the electrician will likely check that. For example, my 4 ton unit has a RLA of 18.9 amps (LRA 109 amps) and it’s on a 50 amp circuit breaker.
It’s always a possibly that you could be having a compressor related issue on one of the HVAC units which causes the trip shutting down all three units and when that unit cools everything works but I still think it’s proper to have the electrician trouble the issue first.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:26 am to CrawDude
Agree 100%.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:31 am to CrawDude
quote:He said the breaker isn't tripping though.
It’s always a possibly that you could be having a compressor related issue on one of the HVAC units which causes the trip shutting down all three units and when that unit cools everything works but I still think it’s proper to have the electrician trouble the issue first.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:39 am to Korkstand
quote:
He said the breaker isn't tripping though.
Yes, that is what is so puzzling to me. Like I said, the units will "click" on and off but they don't actually turn on, and the breaker never trips.
The way I was able to get them to turn on was to flip the breaker while the indoor units were already running.
The units are running fine and cooling perfectly right now, but if one shuts off then kicks back on they will all shut off. It doesn't seem to matter which unit is starting/stopping the same thing happens.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:43 am to GEAUXT
Electric stovetop? Does it work fine? Dryer too?
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:45 am to Korkstand
Yes, other appliances are working fine
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:49 am to Korkstand
quote:
He said the breaker isn't tripping though.
Yep, he said sometimes it was tripped and sometimes it wasn’t when they stopped working and that’s why I suggested he have a electrician check it first as opposed to a HVAC tech. If the breaker was tripping everytime I would have suggested a HVAC tech come out first and check each unit as a possible cause.
HVAC techs are trained to troubleshoot electrical issues up to the HVAC outside disconnect, and licensed electricians are supposed deal with issues upstream of the outside disconnect. I know some HVAC techs will replace a breaker in the main panel for homeowner if they determine that is the issue, and some carry breakers on the truck for that purpose, but not sure if they are supposed to do that - liability and all that stuff.
ETA: OK I see you say the breaker never trips which in my mind leads to an electrician troubleshooting the problem first.
This post was edited on 9/10/20 at 10:57 am
Posted on 9/10/20 at 10:54 am to CrawDude
quote:
he said sometimes it was tripped and sometimes it wasn’t
I may have been confusing, but it breaker has NOT tripped whether the units are running or just "clicking" off and on it has not tripped.
I am thinking it has to be a breaker issue. I am thinking of just swapping it out for a new one when I get home to see what happens
Posted on 9/10/20 at 11:00 am to GEAUXT
A couple things:
1.) You can try turning one AC off at a time for an hour or so. See if the other 2 run fine. This would narrow it down to your one AC having an issue. You can trouble shoot this very quickly, only have to do it twice. Turn one off, if they other two work its the one that's off. If it happens again, turn another off and see if it happens.
2.) Definitely check your Thermostat. I've had that issue.
3.) Is your thermostat maintaining power? 100% sure on that? How many thermostats do you have?
4.) I'd think the 100 amp breaker on his main then splits off and each unit has its own breaker right? I'm not an electrician but I think that's how they normally run.
ETA: Pour some bleach in your drain lines OP. I've never seen that but I wouldn't doubt they may be ran together. So that if you have a blockage your float switch on one would cut power to all 3. I'm guessing cutting the breaker off lets it run again until the float switch cuts it off.
ETA2: It really doesn't sound like an electrician issue, it sounds more like a thermostat issue to me which would require a HVAC tech if anything.
1.) You can try turning one AC off at a time for an hour or so. See if the other 2 run fine. This would narrow it down to your one AC having an issue. You can trouble shoot this very quickly, only have to do it twice. Turn one off, if they other two work its the one that's off. If it happens again, turn another off and see if it happens.
2.) Definitely check your Thermostat. I've had that issue.
3.) Is your thermostat maintaining power? 100% sure on that? How many thermostats do you have?
4.) I'd think the 100 amp breaker on his main then splits off and each unit has its own breaker right? I'm not an electrician but I think that's how they normally run.
ETA: Pour some bleach in your drain lines OP. I've never seen that but I wouldn't doubt they may be ran together. So that if you have a blockage your float switch on one would cut power to all 3. I'm guessing cutting the breaker off lets it run again until the float switch cuts it off.
ETA2: It really doesn't sound like an electrician issue, it sounds more like a thermostat issue to me which would require a HVAC tech if anything.
This post was edited on 9/10/20 at 11:08 am
Posted on 9/10/20 at 11:08 am to GEAUXT
quote:
I may have been confusing, but it breaker has NOT tripped whether the units are running or just "clicking" off and on it has not tripped.
I am thinking it has to be a breaker issue. I am thinking of just swapping it out for a new one when I get home to see what happens
Got it - swapping out the breaker is an easy enough DYI and when the cover plate is off check to see if any wires with that breaker appear to be loose, burned. Happened to me once, but not the HVAC, but another appliance, and removing the cover of the main panel to replace the breaker it was a loose wire and it caused some arcing and burning at the connection at the breaker.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 11:20 am to CrawDude
Yeah, I've wired/swapped breakers before so I'm comfortable doing that.
My only other thought was could a bad capacitor possibly cause a surge leading to the systems shutting off, but then again the breaker should be tripping.
My only other thought was could a bad capacitor possibly cause a surge leading to the systems shutting off, but then again the breaker should be tripping.
Posted on 9/10/20 at 11:24 am to baldona
quote:
ETA2: It really doesn't sound like an electrician issue, it sounds more like a thermostat issue to me which would require a HVAC tech if anything.
I would assume each HVAC has a separate thermostat, each with a separate 24 V transformer controlling it, I suppose if each of those transformers were plugged into the same 120V electrical circuit and an issue was associated with that circuit, then it could be something crazy like that.
I’ll really be interested in what’s causing this issue.
quote:
You can try turning one AC off at a time for an hour or so. See if the other 2 run fine. This would narrow it down to your one AC having an issue. You can trouble shoot this very quickly, only have to do it twice. Turn one off, if they other two work its the one that's off. If it happens again, turn another off and see if it happens.
That is a good DYI idea as well.
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