This page will provide you with the reasons as to why your air compressor keeps tripping its circuit breaker as well as providing you with existing reader problems and responses. If your air compressor circuit breaker trips and you check your air filter and it is dirty, replace it and try again! If your compressor still trips, you will need to troubleshoot further. The key difference between an air compressor blowing the circuit breaker and the motor thermal overload switch is that the latter is solely due to the compressor motor overheating, and so, the thermal overload triggers and doesn’t allow the compressor to turn on until it has sufficiently cooled.
When the air compressor tank is drained down to the cut in pressure level, the pressure switch reacts to the drop in tank pressure, it trips to “Passing” and the compressor should start and run until the compressor tank pressure has reached the normal cut out pressure setting, at which time the compressor should stop and wait for the tank air pressure to drop to the cut in pressure level again. If for some reason the motor cannot start, it will continue to draw power, and may pull enough amperage to exceed the capacity of breaker or fuse and as a result the compressor trips the breaker or fuse on restart. If the compressor starts easily again, then it’s pretty much certain that it’s the air compressor unloader valve failure that is causing your air compressor to trip the breaker on restart.
Motors can draw 6-8 times there normal full load current when starting. Breakers work don’t tripp the instant the current is more than 20.1 amps. First check if the Unloader is working on the compressor.
Most air compressors have a built-in circuit breaker that performs these functions to protect the air pump and compressor. When an air compressor has a dirty air filter, the air compressor motor has to work harder than it normally would have to. The most common reason why an air compressor keeps tripping the circuit breaker is a failed start capacitor.
In this article, I will be writing about some of the ways to troubleshoot a tripping circuit breaker so you can know when the circuit breaker is the reason your air compressor is not starting. A dirty air filter is one of the reasons circuit breakers in air compressor trips. Another reason the circuit breaker in your air compressor trips too often is if it is faulty.
I tell you what it is really hard to get by without a compressor but it can also be but it can also be a real headache if the circuit breaker regularly, or even unpredictably, trips when the compressor tries to top off the tank. My experience is that consumer air compressors list a low draw number like 15 amps and can draw more than that under peak load. So, for example, if you have a 15 amp circuit and a compressor that says it needs 15 amps – you may be having some challenges that this modification might help with. The problem is that the volume of air in that tube is relatively small and when your compressor starts, it can only turn a few times before the tube is full and then the motor must work much harder and thus draw more amps to overcome the check valve to put air in the tank.
If you have multiple devices plugged into the same circuit, turning on your air compressor may simply put it over the edge – air compressors tend to draw a lot of power when the motor starts up. It’s typically more common for an air compressor to trip the breaker after running for a short time or as the motor kicks on a second time to maintain pressure in the air tank. As you can see, there are numerous reasons your air compressor might be tripping the breaker.
how to stop air compressor from tripping breaker Related Question:
What causes a compressor to trip the breaker?
A “grounded compressor” or “compressor short to ground” means that an electrical winding inside the compressor has broken and hit the side of the compressor. This causes a direct short to ground, igniting the oil and causing a burnout. And, of course, the circuit breaker trips due to the sudden current surge.
Can you stop a breaker from tripping?
The easiest way to prevent your circuit breaker from constantly tripping is to simply not overload one circuit. Keeping your electrical load split between multiple circuits means each breaker won’t have to bear the full load of current flowing through.
Does an air compressor need a dedicated circuit?
If the air compressor is larger then it is best to install a dedicated circuit to make sure the air compressor has plenty of power by itself. You could install a switch that would control the air compressor as well, however once the air tank has been fully pressurized the unit should not cycle on and off.
Will a bad compressor trip a breaker?
Old or weak compressor 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.
Do air compressors have a reset button?
To reset your reciprocating air compressor, allow time for the compressor to cool down and then push the reset button before attempting to turn the unit on again.
How do you fix a overloaded circuit?
The short-term solution to a circuit overload is easy – move some devices from the overloaded circuit to another general-purpose circuit. Then you can just flip the circuit breaker back on or replace the fuse.
How do you know if your air compressor unloader is bad?
You can have two problems. Air leaking from an “unloader” valve on the pressure switch continuously (after the motor shuts off) is an indication of a leaking tank check valve, not a bad pressure switch. Air leaking from the unloader while the motor is running is an indication of a bad unloader valve.
How do you know if your unloader valve is bad?
Water leaks and inconsistent behavior are also signs of a potential failure in the near future. González: The typical signal when there is an unloader malfunction is a reduction of flow through the nozzle, which results in pressure loss. Dean: Typical symptom of an unloader failure is a sudden smooth pressure loss.
What size breaker do I need for a 15 amp compressor?
A 12 wire and a 20A breaker is needed. 15A ends can be used on 20A circuits.
What size breaker do I need for a 240v air compressor?
James5: If you are are running 6ga, make sure to use at least 3/4 emt, and stick a 50 amp dual pole (240v) breaker on it. You are most likely going to put a 50a plug on the end for the compressor anyway.
What size breaker do I need for a 220 air compressor?
Remove the cover from the fuse box and install a 30-amp 220-volt circuit breaker for the compressor.
Why does my air compressor keep blowing fuses?
The most logical cause of your air conditioner tripping a breaker or blowing a fuse when it comes on stems from a problem with the electrical connection, the power supply, or the circuit that powers the system. Breakers and fuses are designed to trip or blow when too much voltage is sent through the line.
Why did my air compressor stop working?
If your compressor is failing to work properly, it could simply be from a nearly empty oil tank. Power switch failure — When the compressor fails to power on, it could be due to a lack of contact between the pressure switch and inner circuitry. This can possibly be remedied with adjustments to the pressure switch.
Is it safe to reset a tripped breaker?
It is safe for someone to reset a home’s circuit breaker if all that needs to be done is a simple reset. Every now and again, a circuit breaker will trip or automatically turn off when it is overloaded. In these cases, all that usually needs to be done is resetting the breaker in order to restore power.
Can a tripped breaker cause a fire?
When a circuit breaker trips, too much electricity is trying to move through the circuit at once, causing the circuit breaker to literally break the circuit. Too much electricity passing through a circuit can overheat the electrical wiring in your home or electrical devices, which can cause a fire or electrocution.
