A/C Problems

[Alan]

Just purchased a 34H and tried to use the central marine air system. Every time I turn the system on the a/c breaker cuts out. I had the system running a few weeks ago. When the compressor cuts in that is when the breaker cuts out. The marina is not set up with a good electrical outlets. Could the sytem not getting the correct current which makes the breaker cut out ?

 

[Jim Rushing]

AC Problems

These are the things to check for if you are kicking the A/C breaker. Does it trip immediately or take a while. Does the compressor start and run for a short time before the breaker trips. Depending on what is happening, there are different problem possiblities. Do you have access to a clamp on ac ammeter? If the breaker trips immediately, you probably have a dead short somewhere in the system. This could be a shorted capacitor in the startup control box or even a burnt up compressor motor. If something is burnt up, you should be able to smell it. When capacitors go bad they generally bulge at the end. But, not always though. If the compressor starts and then the current goes off the scale, there can be a new set of problems. Let me know what the problems are.

 

[Alan]

The a/c compressor kicks on and runs for a few seconds and then the breaker trips. I think there is not enought power setup by the marina. The electricity is free and is setup with a convential outlet like in your house. Like I said I had it running before but had a hard time getting it started without the breaker kicking out.

 

[Phil Teter]

low voltage

Check the supplied voltage. The voltage should be between 115 and 130 volts. V x A = W so reduce the volts and the amps must increase to supply the required watts. The circuit breaker is only looking at amps. I have assumed the breaker that is tripping is onboard not a marina breaker. If it should be the marina breaker that's tripping it could be a different ballgame alltogether. If your marina can't or won't check the voltage you can get a small cheep volt ohm meter for about $20.00 or so that should be accurate enough to check your voltage level. I am betting it is low voltage.Phil Teter poteter@webzone.net

 

[Jim Rushing]

AC Problems

Phil is right, if the voltage is low,the current will rise. The power for your compressor is watts or volts X amps and when the voltage drops, the current will rise. Another thing that will cause the current to increase is if there isn't sufficient water flow through transfer coils. However, this normally takes a long period of time to kick the breaker, ie., 30 minutes.