I keep blowing a circuit

nirrah

I installed a 20A outlet in to a standard two prone outlets place to hook up my 23,000 BTU air conditioner. I keep blowing a fuse very time I turn the air conditioner on, please help?

micromind

A couple of questions first; is this unit 120 volt or 240? How far from the panel is it? Is it on its own circuit, or does it share with other stuff? What brand of breaker is it, or is it a fuse?

I'm just guessing here, but 23,000 BTU would be about 12 amps at 240 volts or 24 amps at 120 volts. Obviously, if it's 120 volts, the circuit is overloaded.

If it is indeed a fuse that blows, it's most likely because the fuse is not a time-delay type. A standard fuse cannot handle the inrush current of a motor.

Rob

nirrah

You are right it is 120 volts and I do not have a time delay fuse so I am going to hire someone to install one because I don't know how to. Thanks for all your help I really appreciate it.

jerryh3

Are you sure it's a 120V? I haven't seen too many ACs over 18K that are 120V. Can you provide the model number.

BigJimmy

Simply changing the rating of the receptacle does not increase or otherwise improve the rating of the circuit. Was the original circuit protected by a 15A or 20A fuse? You cannot arbitrarily increase the fuse size without verifying that the wiring is of compatible size. To do so is against code and can be dangerous.

Is the plug on the air conditioner a standard type with both blades parallel to one another? Why did you need to replace the receptacle in the first place? Would the plug not fit into the existing receptacle and if so, why?

If the wiring is compatible with 20A protection, then as Rob said, the issue is more than likely fuse type. Of course, if you have a bunch of other appliances on that circuit, it could be a simple overload condition that you're dealing with.

Thanks,
Jimmy

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Yoyizit

Not an HVAC guy, but
1 kW = 3413 BTU/hr, so 23,000 BTU/hr at 80% efficiency would draw (100/80)x(23000/3413) = 8424w: this is 70A at 120v or 35A at 240v. . .?

Stubbie

You have a 240 volt unit and I would assume that you simply changed the outlet (receptacle) to match your units plug. You need to also change the wiring.

23,000 BTU is not 70 amps or 35 amps at least not in America. I believe they use joules everywhere else and have not used the british unit for some time. In America 12,000 BTU is a 1 ton A/C. So the OP simply has a 240 volt 2 ton unit operating somewhere around 25 amps.

Yoyizit

OK.

I think I can make my case for the ACs seemingly violating the laws of physics but some of my evidence is on the forbidden website.
I hereby respectfully request your permission to use this site just one more time [at least until the next time I need it]!

jerryh3

Forbidden website? Not the Wiki......?

Yoyizit

Yeah, it was the Wiki.
But I can't make my case in any case and now I have to write on the blackboard 100 times

Study and understand the COP for heat pumps and A/Cs before posting on HVAC topics.

The btu thing works only for electric heaters.

Grainger shows ~2450W for a 23,000 BTU/hr AC. The highest 115v unit comes in at 14,500 BTU/hr.

jerryh3

I have a 15k LG A/C in my house. It has a nameplate rating of 1380W. It was the larget 120V unit I could find. I was out of space in my panel and didn't have the room for another double pole.