Why Is My A/C Tripping the Breaker?

Even more frustrating than an a/c that only blows out lukewarm air is one that continually trips its breaker each time it turns on. Fortunately, this is an issue that usually can be quickly diagnosed and repaired. Learn more about some of the reasons your a/c breaker may be tripping, as well as what you’ll need to do to get it back into good working order.

What Causes a Tripped Breaker?

Your home’s breakers help protect your wiring (and appliances) from overheating by automatically shutting off the electrical supply to an outlet that is drawing too many amps from the circuit. This means that an a/c that continues to trip the breaker is usually starting to overheat.

Your first step should be to ensure that it’s your a/c, not something else on the same outlet, is actually causing the breaker to trip. If you’re running electricity to another appliance from the same outlet, the combination of this appliance’s draw with your a/c’s electricity usage can be enough to shut the breaker down.

Why May Your A/C Overheat?

Once you’ve isolated the issue to your air conditioner, your next step is to determine why it is overheating. The first things you should check for are:

• Dirty air filter: A dirty air filter can impede airflow and force the a/c to run so long it overheats.
  
• Dirty condenser coils: Dirty condenser coils can prevent the fan’s air from reaching the refrigerant needed to achieve a low temperature. As with a dirty air filter, dirty condenser coils can force the a/c to run continuously.
  
• Refrigerant leak: A refrigerant leak prevents the a/c from achieving the thermostat temperature. Unless the thermostat is turned up, the a/c will continue to run until it is prematurely shut off by the breaker.
  
• Broken or damaged condenser coil fan: Without a fan to circulate air over the condenser coils, the a/c will be unable to cool the air flowing through the unit. Not only will this result in lukewarm air flowing out of the vents, it will force the a/c to constantly cycle on and off as the thermostat signals it to reduce the temperature.

Whether you need a new air filter, a refrigerant refill, or a replacement condenser coil fan, the team at A/C Designs can help. Our experienced, professional technicians can quickly inspect your a/c unit and get to the bottom of the issue you’re facing. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer or to schedule an appointment.