SCS Basement AC tripping breakers

SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - Printable Version

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RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - whited44 - 07-06-2026

(07-06-2026, 06:03 PM)whited44 Wrote:
(07-06-2026, 05:33 AM)Richard Wrote: Do you have a clamp on ammeter? First thing I would do is measure amperage coming out of control board going to the compressor(s).

Is this a one or two compressor unit?

If you don’t have a clamp on ammeter or are not comfortable working in the box with live circuits then do this. Turn the unit off. Record the amperage each leg is drawing on the ammeters above the cockpit. Now turn the unit on set on LOW cool. That way only one compressor will activate. After the unit settles, what is the increased amp draw? Now, change to HIGH cool, and watch the other leg on the ammeter. Obviously record the increase. You should be seeing about 12 to 13 amps increase on each leg.

If it is a two compressor unit, are both breakers tripping or just one?

We are in Custer for two more days if you want to wander down here.

I do have a clamp on amp meter. I know how to test the amperage coming off the board. I'll report back.

It's only tripping one breaker on the 2 compressor unit. From a start on high cool it goes from 18 to 28 on leg 1. All 3 ac breakers are on leg 1.

I'm in Wyoming today thru the 12th.

18-28 on low cool too

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - Richard - 07-06-2026

Whoa, all three AC breakers should not be on one leg.

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - whited44 - 07-06-2026

(07-06-2026, 06:20 PM)Richard Wrote: Whoa, all three AC breakers should not be on one leg.

I was thinking that. Breaker 1 trips after about 20 minutes. It shuts the fan off, thermostat is still on.

Should I first
1. Check the amp draw on compressor 1 and 2 of the large 2 compressor unit??
2. Move one of the breakers to the other side of the box to something i'm no longer using like the grill??

Or both??

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - whited44 - 07-06-2026

Here are pictures of the box

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - johnkosir - 07-06-2026

I think 15 is on a different leg I would pull the cover on the breaker box and check the buss bars

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - whited44 - 07-07-2026

Inside the box

I don’t think I have enough wire to move anything to the other side.

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - [email protected] - 07-07-2026

Are you thinking they are all on one leg because they are on the left side of the panel? Each side of the panel has both legs, they alternate. For example circuit 1 is on leg 1 and circuit 3 is on leg 2 and that continues down the panel on both sides of the panel. So not all of the of them are on the same leg of if I am seeing the picture correctly. So circuit 1 is on leg 1 and circuits 11 and 15 are on leg 2.

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - pairodice - 07-07-2026

(Correct me if I’m wrong here guys): When compressor 1 comes on my unit will run ok, if compressor 2 kicks in (high) they daisy chain… then it will blow a breaker. Your issue may be that the unit is trying to start comp 2 due to the t-stat requesting HIGH. It could also be the compressor is going out. You probably already have a hard start from the factory like mine did, but you might want to try a soft start (have to remove the hard start)…

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - [email protected] - 07-07-2026

(07-07-2026, 09:57 AM)pairodice Wrote: (Correct me if I’m wrong here guys): When compressor 1 comes on my unit will run ok, if compressor 2 kicks in (high) they daisy chain… then it will blow a breaker. Your issue may be that the unit is trying to start comp 2 due to the t-stat requesting HIGH. It could also be the compressor is going out. You probably already have a hard start from the factory like mine did, but you might want to try a soft start (have to remove the hard start)…

The two compressors do not share any piping, they are separate when it comes to the refrigerant. The tubing does go into one evaporator and one condenser but the refrigerant does not cross connect.

There could be any number of problems but as Richard suggested the easiest place to start is to get the amp draw on each compressor and tbat will tell us what could be going on.
Could be a loose connection, could be the compressor is going out. Could be the system is overcharged. I cannot remember now if these have high pressure cut outs.
As the outside temps increase so does the refrigerant pressure. A cheat test to see if this is the issue is to spray the condenser coil with some water and that will bring down the refrigerant pressure in the system. It’s good to clean the condenser too.

RE: SCS Basement AC tripping breakers - Richard - 07-07-2026

First of all I am completely lost on which unit is your “large”’unit, which unit is you 2nd unit, which unit or all units are tripping the breakers, and if the statement all three are on the same leg is based upon know wiring, observed amp draw, or inferred by fan behavior.

So lets start with putting the clamp on all three compressors and seeing the results.’

I apologize for my confusion but I do not have intimate knowledge of how you coach is set up.