If you accidentally connect your HVAC system to a breaker with too low an amperage to support it, it can trip that breaker. This is only one of several things that can cause your HVAC system in St. Petersburg, FL, to trip the breaker. Read on to find out about four of them.
Dirt in the System
Dirty components can cause your air conditioner to work harder, drawing more power than it should. If the discrepancy between the two power amounts is large enough, it could trip the breaker. The dirty components could include:
- The outdoor coil
- The air filter
- The condenser
A Loose Connection
This loose connection could be in the breaker itself or somewhere in the HVAC system’s wiring. A loose wire could cause electricity to arc to another wire, which could cause the breaker to trip.
A Short Circuit
Short circuits go hand in hand with loose connections but also occur when your wires’ insulation frays or melts. The exposed wire can allow the electricity to jump from the path it should follow to a different path, causing the short circuit. Short circuits also cause power surges before tripping the breaker.
A Fault in the Compressor
Worn compressors can cause a trip, and hard starting is the most common way this happens. That’s when the compressor won’t start the way it should and draws extra power in an attempt to start.
The compressor could ground itself, too. That’s where the winding inside the compressor breaks loose and touches the metallic side of the compressor. That results in a special kind of short circuit called a “short to ground,” which causes a current surge that trips the breaker.
Fortunately, we can quickly diagnose and fix nearly any issue that causes your HVAC system to trip the breaker. To book an appointment for HVAC maintenance or repairs, call us at Air Bros Air Conditioning & Heating today.
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