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HVAC Contractor or Electrician Advice

Emiller22207

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2020
Member Number
1748
Messages
120
I had a new furnace and AC installed about 6 months ago. The AC shut down last night. The 20 amp circuit that feeds the furnace room kicked off and will not reset. I called the HVAC company that installed everything and they are coming out late afternoon. I'm wondering whether they will be able to diagnose the problem or whether I'll end up calling a electrician tomorrow. Any thoughts welcome on most likely causes and solutions.
 
Did you turn the breaker full off and then back on? Most that trip won't go directly to on. Or is it tripping again immediately?
 
Shut the unit off at the thermostat and try resetting the breaker
 
If you have another 20A breaker in the box you can try swapping them to see if the breaker is bad. Only if you're comfortable with it. Otherwise reset everything and try again. Have you checked the starter cap? Any frayed wires in the outside unit? I had one go down and after calling a buddy he opened the unit to find one leg of the wires had worn through and was shorting on the frame.
 
Did you turn the breaker full off and then back on? Most that trip won't go directly to on. Or is it tripping again immediately?

Yes, full off. It won't reset at all, not even for a split second. It just trip back to off when released from my hand. Btw, the AC unit is on a 30 amp circuit, it fine. This is a 20 amp circuit that feeds the furnace, blower, etc.
 
If you have another 20A breaker in the box you can try swapping them to see if the breaker is bad. Only if you're comfortable with it. Otherwise reset everything and try again. Have you checked the starter cap? Any frayed wires in the outside unit? I had one go down and after calling a buddy he opened the unit to find one leg of the wires had worn through and was shorting on the frame.

Yep, swapped it and AC is back on. Bad breaker. Thanks everyone. The only thing of importance on the now swapped dead circuit is my downstairs fridge and I just plugged it into another outlet. Will be ordering a couple new breakers from Amazon.
 
Yep, swapped it and AC is back on. Bad breaker. Thanks everyone. The only thing of importance on the now swapped dead circuit is my downstairs fridge and I just plugged it into another outlet. Will be ordering a couple new breakers from Amazon.

Good deal, I thought "Bad breaker" while at lunch and was coming back to post. Glad the beer in the fridge didn't get warm!
 
Not necessarily bad breaker. If there’s a disconnect in the furnace itself shut that off see if breaker in panel will reset. Or disconnect and tape up wires in furnace. Try resetting breaker if it doesn’t Resetveither wire going to furnace is bad or bad breaker. If it holds problem is in the furnace.

Again like stated above make sure blower motor spins freely and cap isn’t swelled.
 
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