How Do I Stop My AC From Tripping the Breaker?

Struggling with a malfunctioning air conditioner? Call Gladiator Services at (201) 571-1715.

Your AC system relies on electricity to work properly. Broken AC units often lead to tripped breakers, causing extreme stress and frustration. To make matters worse, determining why an AC unit is tripping the breaker can be especially tricky.

Is your AC unit causing you breaker problems? Before searching "How do I stop my AC from tripping the breaker?" online, read this guide from Hillsdale's air conditioning repair experts at Gladiator Services. In it, we explain some of the most common reasons why AC units trip breakers and what you can do to stop these problems.

Stopping your AC from tripping the breaker can be tough, but it's possible.

Is My Breaker or AC Unit Causing the Problem?

If your AC unit causes your circuit breaker to trip, it means one of two things. Either your AC unit or your breaker doesn't work. While it's possible that both your breaker and your unit aren't working, it's usually one or the other.

Circuit breakers are electrical contraptions that rely on a series of wires and pieces to function. However, only three main issues cause an AC unit to fail: old wiring, unsheathed wiring, and a size mismatch between a breaker and an AC unit.

Air conditioners feature many parts, such as capacitors, coils, refrigerant lines, fan motors, compressors, condensers, and air filters. Unfortunately, any of these parts may fail, making diagnosing AC unit problems more challenging than breaker issues. In any event, contacting your local professionals can help you determine whether your AC unit or breaker is to blame for your short circuit issues.

Fix Your Circuit Breaker

If you've inspected both your breaker and air conditioner unit only to discover that it's your breaker causing your problems, consider yourself lucky. Broken AC units are much more expensive to fix while addressing circuit breaker issues is more straightforward.

After ensuring your breaker is off and safe to work with, follow these steps:

1. Check to see if it's in its proper position.
2. If it's loose, try securing it in its framing.
3. Check if your breaker is the right size for your AC unit. If your breaker's electrical capacity isn't enough for your unit's wattage, it'll constantly trip.

If you address these issues and your air conditioner still malfunctions, or if you don't have any of these problems to begin with, then you should turn your attention to your AC unit. 

Address Improper and Loose Wiring

Before searching "How do I stop my AC from tripping the breaker?" you should inspect your unit's wiring. When these wires become loose or frayed, they cause connectivity issues such as short-circuiting. Also, if your unit doesn't have the right type of wires, it won't be able to receive a consistent supply of electricity. 

Another serious wiring issue occurs when wires become unsheathed. In particular, unsheathed compressor wires can cause grounding, leading to a spike of electricity that renders both the compressor and the unit inoperative.

Check your unit's wires to ensure they're insulated and away from any metal parts. If you don't feel comfortable fixing your AC unit's wiring, contact an HVAC professional. They have the tools and experience needed to handle your problems.

Change Your Air Filter

Air conditioners use air filters to separate particulates and dust from their air supply. If you search "How do I stop my AC from tripping the breaker?" there's a good chance your air filter needs changing.

Dirty and clogged air filters often lead to overheating, causing electrical issues and short-circuiting. Air filter issues also impact a unit's effectiveness, making it harder to cool your living space. In some extreme cases, overheating resulting from air filter issues can cause a unit to break entirely.

You should clean or replace your air filters every few months, incorporating it into your air conditioning maintenance routine. If you live in a heavily wooded area, you'll need to clean your filter more frequently to account for pollen.

Check the Compressor

Compressors often fail to start or take a long time to turn on. Since your unit relies on the compressor to turn your refrigerant from a gas to a liquid, it won't work properly if it's suffering from compressor issues.

Faulty compressors lead to overheating, which often causes a tripped breaker. Unfortunately, compressor issues almost always require you to replace the entire compressor. In many cases, it might make more sense to replace the AC unit altogether.

Address Dirty Condenser Coils

Condenser coils let your air conditioning system remove hot air from your home. If they're dirty or broken, your AC unit can overheat and malfunction, leading to a tripped circuit breaker. These circuit breaker issues often occur because your unit has to expend more and more energy to make up for having dirty coils, leading to exhaustion and failure.

Like air filters, coils can become dirty after repeated exposure to dust, plants, and other substances. Unfortunately, DIY cleaning techniques don't work well with condenser coils. Instead, you'll need to contact your local AC professionals to have them inspect and clean your unit's coils. 

Check Your Refrigerator Lines

Refrigerator lines are an essential component of your air conditioning system. If these lines leak, your unit won't have the refrigerant it needs to cool its air supply. This lack of cooling material often leads to overheating, causing electrical failures such as tripped breakers.

Contact your local AC experts if you notice your unit overheating or see refrigerant build-up on its exterior. They'll disassemble your unit and replace any broken lines. Whenever you feel like searching, "How do I stop my AC from tripping the breaker?" it's almost always a good idea to contact the pros!

Contact Hillsdale's AC Experts

Our team at Gladiator Services offers expert AC services in Hillsdale, NJ.

Our experts know all about common AC problems, so they've got you covered no matter what. Call us at Gladiator Services at (201) 571-1715 to get reliable air conditioning services!