You are here:Home »In Kansas we rely heavily on our air conditioners in the due to the states hot, humid spring and summer seasons. From time to time, problems arise in air conditioning units that cause them to overload a house's circuit breaker. If your air conditioning unit is tripping your circuit breaker, the first thing to remember is don’t turn it back on. Your circuit breaker’s job is to protect your home by shutting down the flow of electricity when it gets too high. There are a variety of possible causes for the circuit breaker to be tripped, but it could be due to overheating. If your A/C is overheating, it’s drawing more amps than the circuit was meant to handle and will trip the breaker after the A/C has been running. Here are some possible reasons why your unit might be overheating: A/C Refrigerant level too low – Refrigerant is the chemical solution that enables the air conditioner to keep the air in your house cool. If the refrigerant is running low in your unit, it will not produce cool air and force the unit to overheat trying to cool the house.

The low level of refrigerant might be due to a leak in your lines as well. Dirty A/C condenser coils – Your A/C condenser coils are located in the outside unit and their function is to disperse the heat that refrigerant has taken in from your home. why is it wet around my ac unitDirt, leaves and other debris can sometimes accumulate on the coils and prevent them from functioning properly, causing the air conditioner to overheat.split ac unit diagram Condenser coil fan problems – The condenser coil fan is responsible for cooling your outside A/C unit’s condenser coils. industrial wall mounted air conditioning unitsIf the fan malfunctions, the coils won’t be cooled and the unit will overheat and trip the circuit breaker.

Dirty A/C air filter – Dust can also collect on your A/C’s air filter. If the filter hasn’t been changed in a while, it can cause the unit to work harder to cool the house and eventually overheat. There are some other common problems your A/C might be experiencing as well. These issues have to do with electrical problems in the unit that are causing the breaker to trip. Loose electrical connections – If the electrical connections on your outside unit have come loose, usually through expansion and contraction due to contact with the weather, your breaker will likely trip. Tightening the connections is required if this is the problem. Electrical short – Another reason the breaker might trip is due to an electrical short somewhere in the system. When a short is present, the breaker will trip immediately. If this happens, it’s best not to reset the breaker and call for service. Bad capacitor or compressor – The capacitor is responsible for starting the compressor and both parts will need replacing from time to time.

You can tell if the capacitor has gone bad when the air conditioner has trouble starting before the circuit trips. The compressor could trip the breaker when it has trouble starting. It could be old and in need of replacing. Some other common issues that can cause your air conditioner to trip the breaker would be: If your breaker is tripped in your Kansas home from running your air conditioning unit this summer, contact the professionals at Reddi HVAC for immediate service. We’re here to help.How to Replace a Central Air Conditioning Capacitor For most homeowners, the first time they know anything about a faulty capacitor on their air conditioner unit is when the house gets hot and the A/C unit will no longer turn on. Having a professional replace a bad capacitor can be costly, in some cases exceeding $300. The capacitor itself is not terribly expensive. With a few tools and a proper replacement, learn to change a dual capacitor that operates both the fan and the compressor.

Open the breaker box, usually a separate box specifically installed on the outside of the house near the unit, and flip the breaker to the off position. Always cut the main power before attempting any repairs on this high-voltage appliance. Also, turn the A/C unit off at the thermostat inside your home. Open the access panel to your A/C unit with the nut driver. Remove all screws as necessary and place them with the cover of the unit in a safe area. Keep the screws and cover close by where they won't get lost, but out of the way so you can work on the unit. Inspect the old capacitor and note where each of the three wires -- fan, common and compressor -- is attached. The top of the old capacitor should have markings that tell where each wire goes. These markings should read "Fan" for fan, "C" for common, "Herm" for compressor. Mark pieces of tape and wrap them around each wire as a label if needed. Remove the spade wire connectors and wires from the old capacitor. Remove the capacitor by unscrewing the mounting strap and pulling the capacitor out of the unit.

Place the new capacitor into the same spot as the old one. Attach the new capacitor to the unit with the strap. Use the old strap or a new one as necessary. Slide the ends of the spade wire connectors onto the appropriate posts on the new capacitor, ensuring you pay attention and place the fan wire with the fan (Fan) post, the common wire with the common (C) post and the compressor wire with the compressor (Herm) post. Turn the power to the A/C unit back on at the breaker box and on the indoor thermostat. Verify the unit is working properly and replace the access cover. A turbo capacitor is more expensive, but fits most units and has different power settings that can be used as necessary. Pull the spade wire connectors off the posts and crimp them if they fit loosely on the new capacitor. Working on an A/C unit with the power on is hazardous and can cause injury. DIY HVAC Repair: Capacitor Repair for Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps What Is an AC Capacitor?