Hi!

It's a Goodman A32-10 (model number on air handler) w a 10kw strip on a double 60 amp breaker.

The system has worked great for 6 years so it's not a new install or rewire. Breaker trips overnight. In the morning, I reset the breaker only for it to trip again in 2 - 7 minutes.

I can bump up the thermostat request a degree at a time (it's digital) to prevent the heat strips from kicking in and get the house warm in a few hours. Occasionally the breaker trips during the defrost cycle though. If I switch manually to emergency heat I get a few seconds of nice warm air and then the breaker trips again.

I pulled the heat strip and cleaned a little attic insulation from the coils but it still trips the breaker. It is in good shape visually (nothing is rusty, corroded, broken).

Is this a sign of a strip gone bad?
Could it be the little thermostats on the strip?
bad breaker?

Thank you for your ideas!

 

ID start and check out each heater strip and see if they are ok first
do they touch any where in there. can be a breaker .But Id check with and amprobe first and see what they draw
If you found this how is the coil ? Does it have insulation in it?

ED

 

Nothing is touching. The coil looks free of insulation.

I don't have an amprobe. Is there an inexpensive brand you could recommend?

thanks!

 

For home use any of the ones here will work fine http://doityourself.com/store/circui...agetesters.htm or if you don't want to order one, a few inexpensive brands that will do fine are UEI, Sperry, Amprobe. If you want to spend a few bucks geta Fluke or Fieldpiece.

I would start looking for loose electrical connections. Also make sure the filter is clean.

 

It's working ok again. I didn't do anything. It's not as cold at night as it was.
Maybe that has something to do with it.

No loose connections and the filter is clean. I'll try to get an amprobe and post back if it starts tripping again.

Thanks for the recommendations!