Breakers trip for a reason, when they are pulling more amps than the breaker can handle. They trip so the over-current won't damage your equipment and cause an electrical fire. So when your air conditioner breaker trips, reset it and wait to see if it happens again right away. If it does, then you have a problem that needs addressing.
Here are some of the reasons your air conditioner may be tripping the breaker:
Why Your Breaker Is Tripping
- Wiring. Wiring expands and contracts with temperature changes and can come loose.
- Breaker gone bad. Breakers wear out over time. Some of the signs your breaker is going bad: it feels hot; there's a burning smell; there are visible signs of damage, such as a burnt spot; and frayed wires.
- Dirty coils. Dirty coils can prevent your air conditioner from cooling the home properly. As the equipment struggles to cool, it works harder and can trip the breaker.
- Dirty air filter. Again, as the A/C struggles to cool the home with a dirty air filter that is impeding air flow, it is working harder, pulling more amps, and can trip the breaker. Damage to the A/C can result, so keep the air filter changed.
- Short in the motor. This happens when the motor runs hot for too long.
- Compressor struggling to start. As compressors age, they may struggle to start, pulling more electricity and tripping the breaker. A technician might install a capacitor that provides an extra electrical push to get the compressor motor going.
- Low refrigerant. Your A/C requires the proper refrigerant level to run properly. If there's a leak, it has to work harder and can trip the breaker.
- Grounded compressor. This happens when a winding in the compressor breaks, hitting the side of the compressor and resulting in a short to the ground. The oil may ignite and cause a burnout, tripping the breaker. The compressor may have to be replaced.
For more on tripping the breaker of your A/C, contact Russell's Heating and Cooling, serving the Hampton Roads area of southeast Virginia.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about circuit breakers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 757-750-1831.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name”
The post Reasons Your AC is Tripping the Breaker appeared first on Russell’s Heating and Cooling Blog.
