Ye old switch-a-roo
#1
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Ye old switch-a-roo
Granny's duplex, circa 1983, has no place for an AC. Bought her one of them new fangled portable ones . . . the built in GFI, after a month keeps tripping after about 10 minutes.
Checked the circuit breaker panel, where it is at is a 15 amp . . .
. . . question, can I just plop in a 20 amp?
Checked the circuit breaker panel, where it is at is a 15 amp . . .
. . . question, can I just plop in a 20 amp?
#3
Not unless you intend to burn Granny out.
You might be able to find a more lightly loaded circuit, but don't run an extension cord to use it. The better solution is to have an electrician install a new dedicated 20-amp circuit for the A/C.
You might be able to find a more lightly loaded circuit, but don't run an extension cord to use it. The better solution is to have an electrician install a new dedicated 20-amp circuit for the A/C.
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The breaker is sized to protect the wire, not the appliance. If you put a 20 amp breaker on a wire designed to safely carry only 15 amps, then the appliance will run until the insulation melts off the wire and the house burns down.
If the wire on the breaker is #12 AWG, then a 20 is OK. But it is probably #14 AWG and will overheat at 20 amps.
What is the nameplate FLA (Full load amps) of the unit?
If the wire on the breaker is #12 AWG, then a 20 is OK. But it is probably #14 AWG and will overheat at 20 amps.
What is the nameplate FLA (Full load amps) of the unit?
#6
594, I think you read that post better than I did. I thought he meant that the breaker was tripping, but your interpretation that the GFCI was tripping seems more likely correct. So not only would changing the breaker to 20 amps be dangerous, it also would not help a bit with the GFCI tripping.
#7
I think he is talking about the GFCI too. If thats the case it doesn't matter what the breaker size is, sounds like the AC is faulty.
Before the AC trips, does it cool at all? You could have a few different things wrong. It could be the cord or it also could be the compressor/coolant charge issue.
Before the AC trips, does it cool at all? You could have a few different things wrong. It could be the cord or it also could be the compressor/coolant charge issue.