AC Gets Cord Hot, Didn't Last Year, AC Itself? (heating, drain, appliance)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just curious. Do you have any of those cottonwood trees around? I service residential units and in some areas, depending on how often they run, one cleaning a season is not even enough. That condenser fan will pull those things in like a huge vacuum cleaner and load that coil like a wool blanket. If it's 80 the unit will think it's 110 degrees. I'm not talking about the evaporator coil with the filter in front. I am talking about the coil that you feel the hot air exhaust from. Sadly, you can really clean that without pulling the unit out and taking it apart.
If you do not have those cottonwood seeds, disregard. I do not offer advice over the internet on electrical issues.
OK, laugh, but to me every single outlet in the house ought to be designed to handle whatever you throw at it period, AND they shouldn't charge so much. BOTH. A person shouldn't have to think about such things, they should be able to just plug in what they need and go with it AND it shouldn't cost so much. Having an outlet be able to handle a window AC isn't a far fetched possibility, it's not like we're powering the DuPont factory here.
Seriously, if I knew how, I'd BYPASS the breaker box, MAKE it stay on whether it likes it or not. I'm hot, I DON'T CARE that wussy wiring is "hot." I'M hot, that's all I care about. Cool ME, and yes, DON'T CHARGE SO MUCH. Make it RIGHT, or don't make it at all. If wiring can't handle what a person plugs in, that means it's done wrong. It should be illegal to do that AND it shouldn't cost so much.
Rant aside, the thing is, those 5000 BTU units in the bedrooms and the refrigerator AND stand alone freezer I have they all hum along and nothing ever trips or gets hot. That does make me think the 13k AC, which was also that way last year, is the culprit. I don't mind doing routine cleaning to it per se (I've done the filter) other than that thing is HEAVY (dealing with anything heavier than, say, 20 lbs really annoys me) and heaven knows what someone would charge to come out and clean it, if they do that.
I wonder if it's an easy thing to add a dedicated 20 amp circuit from the breaker box just for that? If it can be done, and it would cost (say) $200-300, my inclination is to do that. I suspect, however, it would be more like $500-$800 and at that point I go like "GEEZ!!!"
I totally get where you're coming from, but the wiring you're plugging into - just based on having no ground, would be 50+ years old - the code was changed to add the ground about 1960-ish.. you can forgive the people who put in the wiring for not knowing how we would end up using that wire so many years later.
It's a little harder to forgive the guys selling window a/c's that require a dedicated 20 amp plug, when pretty much no-one actually has a dedicated 20 amp plug next to a window (unless they added it after reading the warning sticker on the new a/c they just bought).. they know you're going to plug it in anyway & most of the time, you're fine.. if something happens though, it's all your fault.
Depending on how hard that wall is to access, $200-300 might well get you a dedicated 20 amp, installed by a licensed pro..
Many of those airconditioners have what is called a start relay. They provide a different connection to the motor to give it high starting torque so it starts when it is hot. The relay can be bad or you have an overall low voltage to the outlet which is not letting the start relay shift to run. This will allow the compressor to keep running but draws much more power and generally melts the power cord. Seen it many times.
Never use smaller than a 14 gauge cord on a window A/C. If you must use an extension on a 10K BTU A/C (115V) or greater you'd better use a 12 gauge cord and keep it short as possible. Depending on the model and efficiency there are some that 14 gauge would handle. It's preferable and far safer to not use an extension cord or ground adapter for that matter. If you do you must keep an eye on the condition of the the A/C plug, the receptacle and both ends of the extension cord for discoloration or melting. All can be replaced if needed. Ground adapters alone are responsible for many fires. If the cord or plug gets hot it's a good sign they need attention.
The circuit you're using must of course be rated high enough for the appliance you wish to run on it.
Most single phase A/C compressors are PSC these days and don't require relays except for added hard start kits. Now a bad capacitor can cause excessive amp draw.
Clogged condensers can cause a unit to run hot and draw excessive amperage. Cottonwood trees are notorious for clogging condensers.
I have a window AC of about 13,000 BTUs that last year worked OK but this year keeps making the cord become so hot you can barely touch it and it melts the 3-2 prong adapter (the outlet is 2 slots not 3) and trips the breaker. Understand that last year this AC did just fine with this arrangement, even when it was 96, this year it can't even handle 90.
I also have run space heaters on that outlet in the winter, the breakers never tripped. The extension cord I've used for the AC is thick and meant for such.
Everything I've read suggests the outlet or cord etc, but I'm wondering if it's possibly something with the AC itself. I also think this because I leave it running at night, in part to get it cool to make up for how hot it gets in there by day, and it hums right along. So I'm thinking it's time for a new AC.
OK, laugh, but to me every single outlet in the house ought to be designed to handle whatever you throw at it period, AND they shouldn't charge so much. BOTH. A person shouldn't have to think about such things, they should be able to just plug in what they need and go with it AND it shouldn't cost so much. Having an outlet be able to handle a window AC isn't a far fetched possibility, it's not like we're powering the DuPont factory here.
Seriously, if I knew how, I'd BYPASS the breaker box, MAKE it stay on whether it likes it or not. I'm hot, I DON'T CARE that wussy wiring is "hot." I'M hot, that's all I care about. Cool ME, and yes, DON'T CHARGE SO MUCH. Make it RIGHT, or don't make it at all. If wiring can't handle what a person plugs in, that means it's done wrong. It should be illegal to do that AND it shouldn't cost so much.
Rant aside, the thing is, those 5000 BTU units in the bedrooms and the refrigerator AND stand alone freezer I have they all hum along and nothing ever trips or gets hot. That does make me think the 13k AC, which was also that way last year, is the culprit. I don't mind doing routine cleaning to it per se (I've done the filter) other than that thing is HEAVY (dealing with anything heavier than, say, 20 lbs really annoys me) and heaven knows what someone would charge to come out and clean it, if they do that.
I wonder if it's an easy thing to add a dedicated 20 amp circuit from the breaker box just for that? If it can be done, and it would cost (say) $200-300, my inclination is to do that. I suspect, however, it would be more like $500-$800 and at that point I go like "GEEZ!!!"
WRONG.
Different outlets throughout the house are designed/installed for different purposes. When outlets are installed, it is done based on the requirement of that time period. Over time, things changes so things need to be updated. My house from 1980's were built per codes required at that period. Can you believe that I can't even run my dyson vaccum and big screen TV at the same time?
A 13K BTU window AC is pretty big. You definitely want dedicated power running to it. Make sure you decide whether you need dedicated 20A or run a 220v line.
I think what the poster was saying was that years ago, window a/c's over a certain btu range (about 7-8k btu's?) were all 220v - 10k/12k/15k btu's would have a 220v plug - the reason being, normal houses don't have 220v outlets next to windows & the dollar store doesn't carry extension cords for 220v's = so the homeowner is forced to call in an electrician & get a correct outlet(and wiring) vs. being able to rig something that's unsafe, or plug into a normal 110v outlet & think it's safe when it isn't.
Update--yesterday I bit the bullet and moved that sucker out of the window to the outdoors onto a "utility wagon" (picture below) and rolled it near the garden hose. I actually (surprise) managed to get the entire "shell" off. Upon doing so, I sprayed everything down, carefully avoiding the areas near the two OFF/ON and thermostat knobs but spraying hard as heck otherwise, going by that video someone posted. Unlike that guy, the REAR coils weren't so bad off, but the front ones, they were quite dirty, despite the usage of an air filter. Also, unlike this guy, I didn't wait 24 hours for it to dry (risky move I know), I tipped the unit (towards the HEAVY compressor, which by the way was also HOT) so it would drain the water out faster, and maybe an hour later I re-installed it.
The "utility" wagon is one like this:
So far, it's working much better. The cord still gets warm, but not AS warm, and the only time it's kicked off was one time when I turned the thermostat knob down so the compressor would turn off and then I IMMEDIATELY turned it back up higher so it would kick on. It "tried" to turn on and after a second or two the breaker threw. I think it may be as this person described:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe33
Many of those airconditioners have what is called a start relay. They provide a different connection to the motor to give it high starting torque so it starts when it is hot. The relay can be bad or you have an overall low voltage to the outlet which is not letting the start relay shift to run. This will allow the compressor to keep running but draws much more power and generally melts the power cord. Seen it many times.
Then again, I don't know, this appears to be an older unit as it uses mechanical knobs despite being a larger more powerful unit (the new units only tend to use knobs with the cheapest 5000 BTU $100 models, I've noticed) and the plug isn't a "GFCI" type with buttons, it's a "plain' plug. Also, I can't remember EXACTLY what its BTUs are, it's somewhere between 11k and 12k, possibly 13k, but definitely not one of those small 5k or 7k units at all.
Regardless (this was yesterday afternoon when I first put it back in the window), I simply turned it back on in "fan" mode, gave it a minute or two, tried again, and the compressor re-engaged OK and ran OK all night long into this morning (I set it on a colder setting to make it keep running, or throw the breaker, until it became cool enough).
Later this morning I woke up to a house which was MUCH cooler than it's been in ages, with the unit still on but the compressor off, and when I turned up the thermostat knob high enough for the compressor to turn on, it did, no issues, and so far it's remained on, and it's easily as warm outside as it was yesterday when it was an absolute head case inside of here (dumb thing would kick off after running maybe 5-10 minutes), but totally I'm totally comfortable.
I eagerly await how it fares on these upcoming 95'F days, if it can stay on and not overheat, but so far so good.
Yep! 14K use to be the biggest 115 volt unit. 15 K (115 volt) units have been around for at least 15 years or more.
Short cycling is another cause of tripped breakers and blown fuses. Faulty thermostats and or manually turning a unit off and back on again rapidly. Compressors overload protectors can be faulty as well. Just to show how much cheaper units are these days our local grocer has new 5,000 BTU units for $61.00.
Last edited by SATX56; 06-15-2016 at 12:14 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
UPDATE: Problem (Possibly) Fixed
