The aircon tripping problem is customary in most buildings. Tripping problems need immediate attention to keep the aircon’s health intact. Moreover, tripping the aircon is the last thing you want on a hot and humid summer day. If you are unlucky enough to encounter such an issue, you will wonder what is happening to your aircon.
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The circuit breaker is a device that trips when the current exceeds a limit, which happens with excessive overloads or short circuits. If the circuit breaker does not trip in the event of a short circuit or hefty load, the cables or wires can burn and cause fire to light up. Knowing the solution to deal with such a situation is more pertinent.
What to Do First When the Aircon Starts Tripping?
Many start turning back on the aircon when it trips, which is not a good practice. If there was a switching surge due to voltage changes, once you turn on the breaker, it will not turn off again. But when there is a fault or a short circuit in the line or device, your aircon tripping problem will occur repeatedly.
When the aircon breaker trips, reset it only once. It is okay if it usually starts working, but if it starts tripping again, do not reset the breaker. If you keep resetting the breaker, the damage will worsen. Therefore, you should avoid turning the breaker on several times when it trips.
Here are some of the essential steps that will help you when your aircon trips:
- If the aircon has tripped once, just reset the breaker and wait for the response.
- If the aircon breaker trips again after resetting, you should not turn it on again.
- Wait for thirty minutes and do the above step again, and if the aircon still trips, you will need to hire an electrician because it indicates a possible fault in the device or the line.
Causes and Solution to the Aircon Tripping Problems
When we say that the aircon is tripping, it certainly indicates there is an issue. But it is vital to know the causes, effects, and solutions of the tripping problems.
The Aircon Works for a While and Then Turns Off
Sometimes, we will observe that the aircon turns off after a short while, and when you reset the breaker, it turns off. This behavior indicates the air filters are not in good condition. It would help if you either replaced the air filters or you needed to clean them.
You might be thinking, what is the connection of air filters with a tripping breaker? The answer is that a dirty or clogged air filter pushes the fan motor to do extra hard work. Resultantly, the aircon draws more current or electrical power. If the breaker of the aircon has a small current trip rating, it will trip.
Dirty Condenser Coil
When we talk about aircon, we know that it contains two units, namely the indoor and the outdoor units. The condenser of the aircon system is placed in the outer environment. Therefore, the condenser coils are prone to catching dirt. Once the condenser coils become dirty, the aircon consumes additional energy that can cause the aircon breaker to trip.
Connections and Component Failure
If the electrician has not done the connections right and the aircon is continuously tripping. A professional electrician can resolve this issue, and it is better to call one.
Fan Motor Malfunctioning
The compressor fans in the aircon can malfunction sometimes, and their motor can fail at any point. If this fault occurs, the circuit breaker trips. And this is how it should work to keep the system safe. You will need to change the fan motor to solve this problem.
Frozen Evaporator Coil
You can face problems like a frozen evaporator coil when you ignore maintenance longer than usual. When this happens, the airflow in the room vanishes away. In this case, the protective circuit breaker trips to save the device.
Refrigerant Cool
The aircon that starts leaking the refrigerant needs serious maintenance. Leaking refrigerant can be observed by the ice on the aircon and a specific kind of smell in the room. In this situation, the aircon draws too much power; hence a large current flows through the breaker, and it trips. You should immediately call a professional to fix it for you, or else your aircon will behave like an ordinary fan.
Compressor Failure
When a unit’s compressor fails to operate, the unit does not work correctly. Moreover, if you keep turning on the aircon breaker without knowing the nature of the fault, this turning can affect the compressor.
Conclusion
The aircon tripping problem happens because of several electrical issues related to it. It is better to review some of the common causes of the trip, what we should do first in case of a trip, and the solution to the frequently occurring problems.