Rheem air handler eating circuit breakers
#1
08-02-15, 02:05 PM
Rheem air handler eating circuit breakers
My Rheem air handler has a built in 60A circuit breaker located at the top of the unit; about once every summer this breaker fails and has to be replaced. I live in a very hot and humid environment and the air handler is located in a small closet-like space in my attached garage. The problem is the inside of the air handler warms up when the A/C is off causing moisture to condense inside the unit, all over that breaker. When the failed breaker is removed it's all corroded and dripping with water. My A/C guy sealed around the hole for the toggle with tape which seemed to help a little, but that's not a permanent fix. He recommended insulating the walls around the air handler to keep the heat out but that's a major project. For now I'll just order new breakers on Amazon and replace it each fall. I wonder if a little conductive grease on the breaker's terminals will up the safety factor a bit.
I searched the forum and didn't find anyone with a similar problem, is there anything else I can do to keep that breaker dry? Thanks for any advice.
I searched the forum and didn't find anyone with a similar problem, is there anything else I can do to keep that breaker dry? Thanks for any advice.
#2
08-02-15, 04:12 PM
Having the AH in a uncondioned space is not a good idea, but I have never seen this happen. Are you sure condensate is not dripping from the A coil? Is the drain line clear? There are a lot of units in attic's and they don't condense inside the unit.
#3
08-02-15, 04:34 PM
Thanks for the response! The air handler "closet" is located in the corner of the garage and shares two walls with the house and two are exposed to hot garage air, one with an uninsulated half-height hollow core door to access the unit. The A coil is located in the lowest part of the air handler so everything above it, including the blower and electrics, gets nice and cold soaked during operation. The inside of the handler has a thin layer of felt like insulation, I'm considering adding more where I can to the outside. I just wish there was a safe way to waterproof that pesky breaker!
#5
08-03-15, 02:32 PM
Not really. The plenum is built up from sheet metal, tape and mastik. That's a good call, I think I'll get some fiberglass wrapped around that. Thanks for the tip!
#7
08-03-15, 08:13 PM
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Are the main circuit breakers also in the garage? If they are only a few feet from the unit you may be able to just eliminate the unit breaker altogether.
#8
08-04-15, 03:36 AM
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Or mount a fused disconnect on the outside of the AHU , to take the place of the circuit breaker .
Or a little indoor 2 circuit loadcenter with a circuit breaker ? Kind of like this .
Square D Homeline 70 Amp 2-Space 4-Circuit Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover-HOM24L70SCP - The Home Depot
Make sure it is rated at least to the amperage of the circuit breaker feeding the AHU .
God bless
Wyr
Or a little indoor 2 circuit loadcenter with a circuit breaker ? Kind of like this .
Square D Homeline 70 Amp 2-Space 4-Circuit Indoor Surface Mount Main Lug Load Center with Cover-HOM24L70SCP - The Home Depot
Make sure it is rated at least to the amperage of the circuit breaker feeding the AHU .
God bless
Wyr
#9
08-09-15, 04:58 PM
Thanks for all the great advice! Believe it or not, there is a separate small panel with it's own circuit breaker feeding the air handler. I doubt I even need the built-in breaker but the way it's wired up it'll be hard to bypass. Plus I don't want my insurance company to get the wrong idea should the unthinkable happen!
I bought a fiberglass water heater blanket that looks to be about the right size to wrap around the plenum above the unit, plus I'll seal up a few small leaks while I'm in there. Hopefully this will reduce the condensation that might be running down to that breaker. I'll let you all know how it went and maybe even tack on a picture or two.
Thanks again!
I bought a fiberglass water heater blanket that looks to be about the right size to wrap around the plenum above the unit, plus I'll seal up a few small leaks while I'm in there. Hopefully this will reduce the condensation that might be running down to that breaker. I'll let you all know how it went and maybe even tack on a picture or two.
Thanks again!
