Does your air conditioner cool for a while but then trip your circuit breaker and shut off?
Typically, your AC breaker trips when there’s a short circuit, the AC is overworking or a part is bad or malfunctioning.
If you continue to run your AC, you could permanently damage the air conditioner. Get a professional AC repair tech out as soon as you can.
Now let’s look at the specific causes of an AC tripping the breaker.
If you leave your air filter in so long that it is completely clogged with dirt, it can suffocate your AC, causing it to work much harder than it should, overheat, and trip the breaker.
These coils, located in the outside AC unit, are designed to release the heat from your home to the outside. But if they’re covered in dirt, they can’t do that. (It’s like you trying to cool off while wearing a wool sweater).
A capacitor is responsible for starting and keeping your air conditioner running. If it goes bad, it can pull too much electricity and trip your breaker.
The compressor is in your air conditioner’s outdoor unit. A weak compressor has trouble starting. When it does try to start, it may try to pull too much electricity, which will trip your breaker.
If this is the problem, an air conditioning professional might recommend installing a hard start kit.
Wires expand and contract as the weather changes, which can cause loose electrical connections inside of your air conditioner and result in a short circuit.
There are numerous small mechanical problems that could also be causing your AC to trip your breaker.
Need help with your air conditioner and live in the Atlanta, Nashville, or Birmingham, AL areas? Give Coolray a call! We have been keeping people cool since 1966 and our technicians have the tools and experience to handle all your AC issues.
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