Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

The overhead/house AC unit will trip the main (green) breaker on the breaker box after about 30-60 mins of running it on medium fan at about 80% max cold.

Nothing else is running in the rig except for the frig.

Any ideas?

You should check incoming voltage , as voltage goes down current goes up . If the supply voltage is 120 volts +or_ 8% , you should measure incoming current .

After checking the voltage and the amps, it would be a good idea to replace the breaker. The breakers, after years of service, get little corroded (contacts and terminal points) and start overheating.

Agree with Oliver. The more often a breaker is tripped, the weaker it becomes. I'd try replacing the breaker first.

Bill

It's the main breaker that trips, not the A/C breaker. Obviously, it's a 30AMP breaker. I hookup up a clamp ammeter to the wire feeding the breaker and it peaked at 18AMPs but otherwise ran at about 16AMPs. I did notice that the wire was hot to the touch.

I will look into getting a new breaker. No harm in that.

Thanks!

If your wire going to the breaker is hot this may indicate a poor connection. Try tightening all the terminal screws on all of the breakers this may help with your problem. Mike

My opinion is that your 30 amp circuit breaker has developed enough resistance between its contacts that the 16.3 amps for the A/C is generating enough heat to trip that circuit breaker. Sufficient heat buildup is what causes a circuit breaker to trip. That heat at the internal breaker contacts is conducted to the attaching wires via the breaker screw terminals making the wires hot also. My opinion is that that 30 amp breaker is worn out and should be replaced.

is there a standard type of breaker? how would i know if the one i see on amazon will work? spec number or something?

This one looks nearly identical except for the brand:

https://www.amazon.com/Square-Schneider ... it+breaker

Most likely Squire D. If you bring the old one to Home Depot, it would be very easy to select one.

It's a westinghouse breaker. I'll see what they have at HD.

Thanks for all the advice.

Agree with Mike, check your terminal screw connections on electrical bar. They have a tendency to work loose and cause wiring to get hot and melt. Poor conection equals higher amperage...

Everything was tight. I'm going to make it to HD soon for a breaker.

Since replacing the breaker, I've had no issues. FYI.