Ask Me Help Desk - Circuit problems

Circuit problems

OK I have a question... I have a 15 amp breaker that only has a window unit 6.8 amp ac and a small fridge that I know can't be pulling 8.2 amps the breaker is tripping every 30 minutes with only these. Do you think I have a bad 15 amp breaker? As far as I know it has never been changed. It just started yesterday. I dced the fridge from the circuit and it still trips with just the ac running I hook the ac up to a different circuit and it works just fine.

I suspect that you have hit an peak draw time caused by one unit cycling while the other unit is cycling. For example, the A/C is running and hits the compressor to pump cooler air into the room, while at the same time the refrigerator cycles it's compressor to cool the inside if the refrig.

In the refrig, see if you can turn up the inside temp to see if that affects the breaker tripping. If it does not, raise the temp of the A/C a little to see if that changes anything.

Lastly, make sure that there is nothing else on the circuit that is on a timer that cyles every 30 minutes, like a pool pump.

If you have an "Ammeter" that lets you clamp on to the black wire on the breaker you can see how much current is actually being drawn at the time the breaker trips.

Because of the fact that the breaker trips at such regular intervals makes me suspect of other causes, however you could have a defective breaker.

Try replacing the circuit breaker with a new 15 amp breaker. Seems you have already proved the existing breaker is defective.

While your changing the breaker, be sure to check the connect of the wire to the breaker. Look closely at the bus bar the breaker plugs onto for any indication of heat or corrosion. If the busbar is damaged, the breaker cannot be installed into that slot and the panel will need to be replaced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by STWizard

ok i have a question...... I have a 15 amp breaker that only has a window unit 6.8 amp ac and a small fridge that i know can't be pulling 8.2 amps the breaker is tripping every 30 mins with only these. do you think i have a bad 15 amp breaker? as far as i know it has never been changed. it just started yesterday. i dced the fridge from the circuit and it still trips with just the ac running i hook the ac up to a different circuit and it works just fine.

My house is an old trailor from the 60's and I looked at the way the house is wired. For some reason the breaker that keeps poping is the only breaker that controles one side of the house. I made sure that everything but the AC was unplugged and it still poped the breaker... only thing s that I am having a hard time figureing out is where I am susposed to get a new breaker that matches this old style. Or if it is a conversion of glass fuses...
When the breaker pops the breaker isn't even warm its cold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by donf

I suspect that you have hit an peak draw time caused by one unit cycling while the other unit is cycling. For example, the A/C is running and hits the compressor to pump cooler air into the room, while at the same time the refrigerator cycles it's compressor to cool the inside if the refrig.

In the refrig, see if you can turn up the inside temp to see if that affects the breaker tripping. If it does not, raise the temp of the A/C a little to see if that changes anything.

Lastly, make sure that there is nothing else on the circuit that is on a timer that cyles every 30 minutes, like a pool pump.

If you have an "Ammeter" that lets you clamp on to the black wire on the breaker you can see how much current is actually being drawn at the time the breaker trips.

Because of the fact that the breaker trips at such regular intervals makes me suspect of other causes, however you could have a defective breaker.

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I used to be able to run a TV 2 computers 2 vcr's a sterio and a dvd player along with everything pulling only 12 amps out of 15 with no problems then all the sudden it just starts to trip out of the blue so I removed everything but the fridge and the ac and it kept tripping. The window unit is ran on the same circuit as the rest of this half of the house is and the fridge is in the kitchen a small fridge at that.

Can you provide a photo of the panel?

1 Attachment(s)

I can
But all I can get is a closeup of the breaker with uploading it to here

I would rather a general photo so I can determine the manufacturer of the panel. Looks like a GE, but the photo is too close and fuzzy.

Don't lose your day job. Photography is not your bag. Lol

IS there a label on the panel? Perhaps inside the door?

Underwriters Laboritory Inc. Class-CTL its stamped on the back of the box has no lid just a wooden door that protects the whole thing

As you can see I don't have a good cam but it's a single pole breaker

Can you read a manufactures name or part numbers anywheres?

GE part number TQ or THQL

Square D part number QO

Westinghouse part number BR

Murray

Siemens part number BQ

Bryant

Something other than UL numbers

By the way, covering a panelboard with only a wood door is a big problem.

Any sparks get created in that panel and you won't need to worry about this one breaker.

St Wizard,

How are you giving us an accurate Amperage reading? Do you have an Ammeter? If you are counting on the labels, you are not seeing the inrush amperage when you turn a component on.

I still suspect that you are overdrawing current because of the timing of the breaker tripping. What do you mean by, "The breaker controls 1/2 of the trailer." Do you know the gage of the wires in the breaker's circuit?

Curious, are you in a single wide or double wide? Does your camera allow you to upload pictures at a different resolution? If not, do you have any software that lets you manipulate the resolution, like PhotoShop or similar applications. The resolution that you want to put on the web is 72ppi. This will yield a clear shot without choking the web receivers.