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Troubleshooting
Circuit Breaker Pops Immediately Upon Startup

Circuit Breaker Pops Immediately Upon Startup
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geoffschultz

posts 7

8:52 am April 28, 2011
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I have a Marine Air 16K BTU split AC system with 2 air handlers (12K and 4K BTU).  I'm currently in La Paz, Mexico where it get's pretty hot during the day, so we've regularly been running the system all day and it doesn't keep up with the heat load, so it run constantly.  Due to the dry air, the handlers don't frost over.

 

Typically it cools off nicely at night, but last night there was no wind, so we left it running.  During the night it got down to temp (68F) and the compressor cycled off.  I woke up to the lack of the sound of the blowers running and found the circuit breaker popped.  When I reset the breaker and try to turn it on, the fans turn on, the pump begins pumping and then I see the AC amp meter pegs and within a second or two the circuit breaker for the air conditioning pops.  Not good.

 

I'm hoping that it's just a blown starting capacitor as I have spares of those.  What else should I be looking for?

 

– Geoff

 

P.S.  I've been stuck in La Paz for almost 2 weeks waiting for a generator voltage controller, and that's supposed to arrive today.  I sure hope that I don't have another 2 week delay…
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Steve Pooler

posts 1127

9:31 am April 28, 2011
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Geoff~

If I'm reading into your statements correctly…Your right…It's not good  Cry

I'm assuming that if in a wetter climate that you have been icing ???

You also don't mention the boat or size so I'm not sure about your cooling capacity, and what should be expected from it in that climate.

First…It does not hurt a system to run continuously but…If you have been icing in the past, then there is a very good chance that you have been running low on refrigerant…Which is one of the worst things for a compressor…It's the refrigerant return that cools the compressor not the water flow…The water only removes the heat from the refrigerant in the condenser coil and dumps it overboard.

If low on refrigerant it will not return enough to the compressor to cool it…With that 12K compressor, you should be able to hold your hand on the top of it and have it feel close to room temp when running…If it's hot, then you have a problem that will cook the oil, and not only that, but with that refrigerant travels some of the compressor oil…If not enough refrigerant returns…Usually that also means that not enough oil is returning…All this is cause for seizure or lockup of that piston in the compressor.

You may get lucky by allowing the compressor to fully cool & trying again, but If it does start…I wouldn't run it until I got the refrigerant level checked.

 

Steve~
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geoffschultz

posts 7

10:40 am April 28, 2011
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Steve,

 

Thanks for the prompt reply.  The reason that I mentioned air handler frosting was that in the past I've had problems with them frosting if I was in very humid environments and the system ran continuously.  I haven't had that issue here.

 

I have a 40' sailboat and a 12K air handler for the V-berth and main cabin.  It's 95F+ here on many days (today it's headed to 98) and the AC just can't keep up.  (As an an aside, I think that the installers ran too small of lines to the 12K air handler, which is at in the V-berth and the compressor is in a lazarette in the stern…40+ feet away.  They ran a 1/8" HP line and a 1/4" suction.)

 

The system was well charged.  Based upon the charts that I had from Marine Air, it was exactly correct.  It doesn't restart afte fully cooling.  Anyhow, I'm about to crawl into the lazarette and check out the starting capacitor.

 

– Geoff
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geoffschultz

posts 7

12:14 pm April 28, 2011
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I'm happy to report a good outcome from this.  When I opened the electrical box on the compressor, I found that the orange wire attaching to the run capacitor had burned off at the connector.  I repaired that and spliced a couple of small wires that had their insulation compromised by the heat, and all is well.  Pressure levels look good and it's cooling nicely.

 

Phew!  I was sweating this one!

 

Thanks, Geoff
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Steve Pooler

posts 1127

12:37 pm April 28, 2011
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That's Great Geoff !!!  Laugh

But I would be concerned about those line set sizes…I'm not sure if you are talking plumbing sizes which are ID, or if you are talking Refrigeration tubing size which is measured OD…

Anyway that 16K unit should have (talking refrigeration tubing) 1/2" suction & 1/4" discharge to the Tee where it splits…Then 3/8" & 1/4" to each air handler…

Glad to hear it was simple to get back online though…

 

Steve~
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