Air Conditioner and Tripping Circuit
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My Air Conditioner trips the circuit breaker, does the breaker need to be replaced? Troubleshooting an Air Conditioner Problem. © By: Dave Rongey |
Problem with Air Conditioner Circuit
Electrical Question: My Air Conditioner trips the circuit breaker,does the breaker need to be replaced?
- I live in a 60 year old co-op condo with a dedicated 220 volt line for a new 22,000 BTU in wall air conditioner.
- There is an outlet with a 20amp breaker wired to it approx 18 inches off the floor.
- A new single 220 volt outlet was tapped off the outlet from the floor and put underneath the a/c which is approx 5 feet off the floor.
- The breaker trips occasionally. The voltage ranges around 210 volts and 12.2 amps taking a reading from the outlet near the floor.
- Only the AC is on this line, and I’ve tried plugging the a/c in the top and bottom outlet at different times, and the breaker trips with both.
- There is #12 wire was used to feed the new (top) outlet. Is it as simple as a bad breaker?
I appreciate any help in this manner. Thanks, Rob.
This electrical question came from: Rob, from Whitestone, New York.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Rob.
Air Conditioner Tripping Circuit Breaker
Application: Replacing a 220 Volt Circuit Breaker for an Air Conditioner.
Skill Level: Advanced – Best performed by an Electrical Contractor or a Licensed Electrician.
Tools Required: Electricians pouch of hand tools, voltage tester and protective safety gear.
Estimated Time: Depends on the make and model of the panel and the condition of the existing electrical circuit breakers and wiring methods.
Precaution: For safety the main circuit breaker should be turned off or any other disconnect means that would deenergize the panel before replacing a circuit breaker, however turning off the main circuit breaker may not deenergize all of the areas of the panel components and wiring. This is an extensive project that requires experience and should be performed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Troubleshooting a 20 Amp 220Volt Air Conditioner Problem
Rob, if the original outlet is still in place is there a possibility that it is being used as well by another device? If so this may be contributing to the problem and it would be best if the original outlet was removed, then splice the circuit through and install a blank cover. If the 12.2 amp reading is correct then there may be a Circuit Breaker bad circuit breaker, however the air conditioner may be loading up and creating an overloaded condition as well. If the amperage load shows 12.2 at the time when the circuit Circuit Breaker Problem breaker trips off then the circuit breaker will need to be replaced.
See more about Air Conditioner Circuits and Circuit Breakers
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