# AC Pulling Too Many Amps



## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

my AC unit is pulling 30-32 amps (on a 30-amp breaker) and the breaker intermittently trips. the system is 8-10 years old.

is the compressor dying a slow death?

could the capacitor be the culprit?

i'm no expert on AC systems. i've seen compressors go out, but not slowly. makes me think it could be something else.


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## Cast Off (Jun 24, 2004)

I'm not an A\C guy but it sounds like the starting capacitor. Had one do the same thing. When a\c tried to turn on it would just sit there and hum. New capacitor and everything went to working.


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## willyhunting (Apr 21, 2006)

Have you tried rinsing the condensor coil?

If you have never done it, it has gotten fouled over time with dirt, dust grass clippings,ect., causing your head pressure to go up and making your compressor work harder, thus the high amp draw.


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## Chunkn' Charlie (Dec 30, 2004)

Have you changed out the breaker?


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## 2slick (Dec 5, 2008)

I think Willyhunting has the right solution. The capacitor is only there to supply extra current when the compressor and possibly the condenser fan starts. I don't see it effecting running amperage.

BTW, the problem is not with the breaker if it's drawing 32 amps on a 30 amp breaker. The breaker is doing what it is designed to do.


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## FishinFoolFaron (Feb 11, 2009)

X2 on clean the condenser.
FYI, it is called a run capacitor and is important during the running cycle. A start capacitor uses a relay to remove it from the circuit once the motor (or compressor) starts. Could be a weak run capacitor.
Check the rating label on the outdoor unit for the minimum circuit ampacity and breaker size. I have seen many A/C's run okay on undersized breakers for years, only to eventually stress the breaker. Also check for overheated connections on the contactor, disconnect switch, and breaker, they will cause excess amp draw.
If you're not confident in checking those items, please call a qualified A/C tech or electrician.

Be safe.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

thanks for the replies/info. the technician tightened the power wiring connections and cleaned the condenser coils. but, the guy left and hasn't called us back yet (left voicemails for him). i wanted to know what the amp draw was after he cleaned coils! and, i want to know if he checked the run capacitor. i'm sure he'll call when he wants to get paid...probably very busy with this heat and all.

charlie/slickwillie: i've had breakers go weak before and have had to change them out. but it's pulling 32A on a 30A CB.

so far so good though...no trips.

thanks a lot for the info!


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## KoolAU79 (Apr 15, 2008)

We are having the exact same problem. Our's has been tripping the 40A breaker off and on for a few weeks. Tech came out again yesterday cleaned the coils and said that our compressor is on it's way out, it's pulling 36A and climbing as it works harder and harder. They say we'll need a new compressor or new system but I think I'm going to get a second opinion just in case as it's not going to be cheap.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

KoolAU79 said:


> We are having the exact same problem. Our's has been tripping the 40A breaker off and on for a few weeks. Tech came out again yesterday cleaned the coils and said that our compressor is on it's way out, it's pulling 36A and climbing as it works harder and harder. They say we'll need a new compressor or new system but I think I'm going to get a second opinion just in case as it's not going to be cheap.


get another opinion! we did.

found out this morning that the second company tech came out, replaced a capacitor, added a little freon, cleaned the coils and now the unit is pulling 11 amps!

the owner of the first company we had out there said we needed a new unit, inside and out, at a cost of ~$5K. and they wanted $700 to clean the coils...second company did it for $200.


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## fwoodwader (Jul 18, 2008)

Same thing happened with my moms unit. She thought she was going to need a new unit, one of Monts guys came out to her house and it was just a capacitor. She had the service plan so I think she just paid for the part which was nothing compared to a new unit.

Always get a second opinion and if you can, get one of Monts guys to come out. Most honest guys our family has ever dealt with.


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## Mike77015 (Dec 27, 2007)

You need to clean the coils every year. I clean mine in March before there is really a demand for the AC. Just be careful not to bend the fins over restricting the airflow. If you do bend them, they make a coil comb to strighten them out.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

fwoodwader said:


> Same thing happened with my moms unit. She thought she was going to need a new unit, one of Monts guys came out to her house and it was just a capacitor. She had the service plan so I think she just paid for the part which was nothing compared to a new unit.
> 
> Always get a second opinion and if you can, get one of Monts guys to come out. Most honest guys our family has ever dealt with.


kind of burns my butt about the first company that came out...telling me we needed new AC units inside and out. told my wife this very emphatically.


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

This heat is hard on capacitors. Once it gets (and stays) in the mid and upper 90's, those things drop like light bulbs hitting concrete. As others have pointed out, cleaning the coils should be done yearly and it's pretty cheap if you get it done every year. It's kind of like going to the dentist. You can go every 6 months, and be in and out, or every 3 years and count on an extended stay. Maintenance is the single best thing you can do for your system and if you get on a contract with someone, they should call and remind you twice a year that it's that time again.


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## Mike77015 (Dec 27, 2007)

Mont said:


> This heat is hard on capacitors. Once it gets (and stays) in the mid and upper 90's, those things drop like light bulbs hitting concrete. As others have pointed out, cleaning the coils should be done yearly and it's pretty cheap if you get it done every year. It's kind of like going to the dentist. You can go every 6 months, and be in and out, or every 3 years and count on an extended stay. Maintenance is the single best thing you can do for your system and if you get on a contract with someone, they should call and remind you twice a year that it's that time again.


X2 PM contracts will prevent a whole lot of your problems.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

we'll be on a contract from now on. think i'll tell the tech to replace the start and run capacitors every visit! thanks for the info all.


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## GoFaster (May 4, 2005)

The run capacitors actually only cost about $10. $2 for the fan motor capacitors. You will get charged $$$$$$$$$$$$ to have these changed in the middle of the summer. lol



Also, check to see if the fan motor turns freely when the power is off.

I used to charge people $50 to clean their units. It takes maybe 30 minutes. I was not checking freon levels or anything like that since I was not licensed to do so.


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## PasadenaMan (Dec 5, 2007)

wonder is a hard start kit would help your ac unit out..... pm mont he is in the know of A/C.


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## GoFaster (May 4, 2005)

hard start kit is just delaying the inevitable..........


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## KoolAU79 (Apr 15, 2008)

Well just had another reputable company come out for a second opinion, looks like I just lost a large part of our fishing budget for this year-we need a new unit. Darn.sad2sm


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## Coon (Jul 18, 2006)

If you're looking for a hard start device, try www.kickstartoem.com. PM if you need more info...


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

KoolAU79 said:


> Well just had another reputable company come out for a second opinion, looks like I just lost a large part of our fishing budget for this year-we need a new unit. Darn.sad2sm


i called the owner of the company that told me i needed a new unit and told him about the outcome of my problems. he apologized for his tech missing the capacitor being bad. from what little i've learned about AC systems the past couple weeks, the capacitor should have been one of the first things he checked.

i think the company is reputable; not so sure about the tech. unfortunately, the owner's tech represents the company...and i doubt i'll be calling them again.


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## Pier Pressure (Aug 30, 2009)

monkeyman1 said:


> get another opinion! we did.
> 
> found out this morning that the second company tech came out, replaced a capacitor, added a little freon, cleaned the coils and now the unit is pulling 11 amps!
> 
> the owner of the first company we had out there said we needed a new unit, inside and out, at a cost of ~$5K. and they wanted $700 to clean the coils...second company did it for $200.


Man thats too much.

Isn't cleaning the coils just a matter of getting a water hose and spraying down the coils from the inside out? Thats what I did on my unit. I took the top of the unit off with the fan (the fan has a plug you can unplug) 
I got the water hose out and started spraying. I even took the cover off the compressor, cleaned it and the compressor.

My outside breaker still trips about once a month.


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Pier Pressure said:


> Man thats too much.
> 
> Isn't cleaning the coils just a matter of getting a water hose and spraying down the coils from the inside out? Thats what I did on my unit. I took the top of the unit off with the fan (the fan has a plug you can unplug)
> I got the water hose out and started spraying. I even took the cover off the compressor, cleaned it and the compressor.
> ...


company #1 mentioned taking the unit apart and "acid washing" (if i'm not mistaken). he made it sound as if it was a pretty involved process. but i don't know, maybe his cleaning was $500 better than the cleaning company #2 did (not sure what they did).

as for breaker tripping, from my recent and past experience, i've had 1) a weak breaker on an outside unit, 2) a bad capacitor, 3) a bad capacitor and contactor, 4) dirty coils and 5) low freon. this was on 2 houses over the course of several years.

if you can, be there with the technician when he comes to check it out and make him show you what he's seeing that's wrong. a few hours off from work is much better than paying ~$7K on a bogus report.

not saying all companies/techs aren't trustworthy. some are, some aren't.


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## Pier Pressure (Aug 30, 2009)

Yea I had a guy come out this summer and check this amps its drawing and he said it was only drawing 19 on a 60 amp breaker. I called him out because the compressor was making some noise, he said a spring inside must of broke, but everything checks out ok.


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