Circuit breakers play an important role in your home’s electrical system. These safety switches protect electrical devices, including your air-conditioning system, from overcurrent conditions. Keep reading to get a better understanding of AC circuit breakers, including what to do when it trips.
How Your AC Circuit Breaker Works
Your AC circuit breaker is a device that turns off the power to your air conditioner when the unit pulls in more power than the breaker is supposed to handle. For example, a 20-amp circuit breaker will trip and cause your AC unit to turn off if the unit is drawing in 30 amps. Tripped circuit breakers protect you from an electrical overload, which could damage your equipment or start an electrical fire.
What to Do When the AC Circuit Breaker Trips
A one-time power surge can trip the AC circuit breaker. You can reset it by taking the following steps:
- Turn off the A/C unit at the thermostat.
- Switch the circuit breaker back to the “ON” position at the electrical panel.
- Leave the thermostat off and give your air conditioner 30 minutes for its internal circuit breaker to reset.
- Set the thermostat to cool after those 30 minutes.
If you take those steps, your air conditioner should run normally after that without tripping again.
Even after resetting the breaker, it can trip repeatedly. A clogged air filter may be to blame. When a dirty filter blocks airflow, it can make the motor overheat and trip the circuit breaker. In such a case, you’ll need to replace the filter.
Nevertheless, your AC circuit breaker may keep tripping for several other reasons, such as a dirty condenser coil, a frozen evaporator coil, a malfunctioning fan motor, or refrigerant leaks. You shouldn’t keep resetting the AC circuit breaker, as that could have costly and dangerous repercussions. It’s best to call for professional repair if the circuit breaker trips again after you’ve reset it.
Bear in mind that you can prevent most issues that cause AC circuit breakers to keep tripping through routine AC maintenance. Contact Ace Hardware Home Services if you need assistance with any air-conditioning issue in the Dayton area.
