A/C flipping breaker

[Bird_Freak]

Ok guys, here's the problem.
I have not been able to use 5er much for 3 years since stroke and heart attack. Just a couple of winter runs when a/c was not needed. So I'm checking everything out and my a/c runs and cools fine for about 30 minutes the flips breaker. Seems to be pulling to many amps for some reason. I'm going topside tomorrow and pull cover and clean coils. What else should I look for while the cover is off.
Unit starts easy and runs cool until it flips. Car a/c systems I know well but not this thing.
Unit is a dometic 13.500

[blofgren]

Glad to hear you have solved it! We were just in desert country for 3 weeks and I was a bit nervous about our 11 year old air conditioning unit, but it kept going with no issues.

[Bird_Freak]

Just to update guys. The hard start capacitor seems to have solved my problems.
Going camping this weekend and if it still has a problem I will update.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[sayoung]

Bird Freak wrote:
Ok guys, here's the problem.
I have not been able to use 5er much for 3 years since stroke and heart attack. Just a couple of winter runs when a/c was not needed. So I'm checking everything out and my a/c runs and cools fine for about 30 minutes the flips breaker. Seems to be pulling to many amps for some reason. I'm going topside tomorrow and pull cover and clean coils. What else should I look for while the cover is off.
Unit starts easy and runs cool until it flips. Car a/c systems I know well but not this thing.
Unit is a dometic 13.500

As a retired AC tech, from your description I would start at breaker & check terminal for tightness. Loose connection causes heat along with higher resistance which makes for higher amps. When breaker trips is it pretty warm to the touch , maybe even HOT ? Check for arcing on breaker & bus bar . Do these checks before getting on the roof .

[colliehauler]

Frank55 wrote:
Mine was doing the same thing. Turns out the compressor fins were dirty. Clean those and everything was fine.

I would agree with this as well. If it is as been sitting for three years outside could be clogged with debris. If so the compressor will draw more amps then normal.

[Michelle_S]

Before changing the Breaker, pull the panel off the Distribution Box where all the Breakers are, and with AC power removed from the unit, check the tightness of the wire connections on the breaker that's tripping, and while in there check all the other Breakers too.
Had the same exact problem with a Dryer in a Mobile Home and that was all the problem was, just loose connection causing excessive current and tripping the breaker.

[Frank55]

Mine was doing the same thing. Turns out the compressor fins were dirty. Clean those and everything was fine.

[Bird_Freak]

cavie wrote:

ETCrockett wrote:
I’m guessing your FW is 50 amp service and you said you were tripping a 20 amp breaker. Sounds like you are using adapters to plug into a regular household outlet in your garage. This can be a problem depending what else is drawing current in the FW or possibly in your house on the same circuit. I used to have this same issue on my TT with 30 amp service plugged into a household outlet. Especially in July and August when it is the hottest. Try running your AC in the evening after the outside temperature has cooled down. See if it runs longer than 30 minutes. If that works, you might see if you can find someone with a 50 amp box or generator where you can get 30 to 50 amps of continuous power and see if that solves your problem.

My guess is he is tripping the 20 amp breaker in the trailer marked A/C'

Change out the breaker. It.s cheap at Lowes, HD. Could be defective.

Buy new run and start caps. Some units have 1 ea. Some have a combo.

You are exactly right. I think this is what Im going to do. Parts are getting old.

[cavie]

ETCrockett wrote:
I’m guessing your FW is 50 amp service and you said you were tripping a 20 amp breaker. Sounds like you are using adapters to plug into a regular household outlet in your garage. This can be a problem depending what else is drawing current in the FW or possibly in your house on the same circuit. I used to have this same issue on my TT with 30 amp service plugged into a household outlet. Especially in July and August when it is the hottest. Try running your AC in the evening after the outside temperature has cooled down. See if it runs longer than 30 minutes. If that works, you might see if you can find someone with a 50 amp box or generator where you can get 30 to 50 amps of continuous power and see if that solves your problem.

My guess is he is tripping the 20 amp breaker in the trailer marked A/C'

Change out the breaker. It.s cheap at Lowes, HD. Could be defective.

Buy new run and start caps. Some units have 1 ea. Some have a combo.

[ETCrockett]

I’m guessing your FW is 50 amp service and you said you were tripping a 20 amp breaker. Sounds like you are using adapters to plug into a regular household outlet in your garage. This can be a problem depending what else is drawing current in the FW or possibly in your house on the same circuit. I used to have this same issue on my TT with 30 amp service plugged into a household outlet. Especially in July and August when it is the hottest. Try running your AC in the evening after the outside temperature has cooled down. See if it runs longer than 30 minutes. If that works, you might see if you can find someone with a 50 amp box or generator where you can get 30 to 50 amps of continuous power and see if that solves your problem.

[cougar28]

First check your voltage while the compressor is running you don't want to be any lower than 109v. If that's good check your running amps on the unit. If that's showing a higher than rated amp draw get someone to check the compressor capacitor. If the run capacitor has lost some of it's mfd value it will cause increase amp draw.If all that checks ok you may have a faulty breaker.

[Bird_Freak]

jkwilson wrote:

Bird Freak wrote:

jkwilson wrote:
How is the voltage on the supply and what size breaker is tripping?

have not checked voltage on supply yet. Will do that tomorrow. Breaker is a 20 amp.

Any chance your refrigerator, converter or water heater is running as well and causing excess current draw?

Nope, everything else is off. Converter may have kicked on but not the same breaker.

[Bird_Freak]

opnspaces wrote:
It would probably be good to know if the breaker is tripping, is it happening when the compressor tries to cycle on? Or is the compressor running and it just trips? If you reset the breaker to you get another 30 minutes of AC before it trips?

Check this link for some more tips, especially checking the drain holes while your up there. Link

also make sure you at least inspect all the caulking on the roof. You took the time to get up there, you might as well inspect everything.

I think the compressor was running when it tripped and yes after breaker cools I can run about another 30 minutes.
I have already done the roof maintenance.

[jkwilson]

Bird Freak wrote:

jkwilson wrote:
How is the voltage on the supply and what size breaker is tripping?

have not checked voltage on supply yet. Will do that tomorrow. Breaker is a 20 amp.

Any chance your refrigerator, converter or water heater is running as well and causing excess current draw?

[opnspaces]

It would probably be good to know if the breaker is tripping, is it happening when the compressor tries to cycle on? Or is the compressor running and it just trips? If you reset the breaker to you get another 30 minutes of AC before it trips?

Check this link for some more tips, especially checking the drain holes while your up there. Link

also make sure you at least inspect all the caulking on the roof. You took the time to get up there, you might as well inspect everything.