When your AC blows a fuse, it can be concerning. Not only can an electric shock permanently damage your air conditioning unit, but it can also destroy property and even kill people.
Therefore, always pay attention to any potential AC electrical problems (even if your system and wiring are new). We want you to know that there are many reasons why your AC might blow a fuse.
Blown Fuses – Why, How, And How To Fix Them
When an air conditioner blows a fuse, there must be something wrong with it. You need to replace the fuse, and repair the unit if possible.
We’ve dealt with many clients who kept on wondering why their AC fuses keep blowing up. Little do these clients know that a blown AC fuse is actually an indicator of an underlying problem.
Don’t worry, blown fuses are quite common air conditioner problems, but some homes are modern and use panel breakers instead of fuse. But the result is still similar.
What Is An AC fuse?
Fuses are wires inside a glass casing, used to protect your air conditioners from electrical damage. When you turn off your air conditioner, the fuse blows up and breaks the circuit to prevent further damage.
Fuse faces have a small glass window, through which you can see the melting metal ribbon. A blown fuse shows as a cloudiness in the window. Smaller fuses are 15 amps or less, while larger ones are 20 amps or more.
For 240-volt circuits that run appliances, such as air conditioners and ranges, the fuses are smaller than the ones used for 120-volt circuits. Fuse blocks are found in the same place as circuit breakers.
A fuse box is a large metal box containing several fuses. To replace a fuse, you need to pull it out of the fuse box and remove the old fuse. You then insert the new fuse and push it back into the fuse box.
What Happens When a Fuse Blows
Fuses are safety devices that help prevent electrical fires. A fuse melts when an appliance draws more current than what it was designed to handle.
You should replace fuses if any of them become damaged. Toaster ovens, electric blankets, and hair dryers are among the household items most likely to damage fuses. Of course, AC units can blow fuses too.
A short circuit sometimes causes a fuse to burn out and blow. When this happens, most people think the fuse always blew due to a short circuit. However, there could be other reasons why fuses blow.
For instance, a fuse may blow if someone trips over the cord, or if someone simply plugs something into the wrong socket.
Diagnosing the location of a problem requires patience because many electrical problems occur in plugs or appliances. Unplug everything first.
Then check fuses and outlets. If the new fuse doesn’t hold, then the problem may be in the wiring. Call an electrician.
Safely Check AC Fuses
When your fuse blows, you’ll hear strange sounds coming from your air conditioning system. There is always a reason why something happens. You must figure out what caused the problem before you can fix it.
Your panel breaker keeps on tripping until you repair your air conditioner‘s electrical faults. You need to know what a circuit breaker is and how it works before you start fixing your air conditioner.
Disconnect blocks should be checked first before replacing or repairing them. Blown fuses can mean there’s a problem with a part inside the condensing system.
In these cases, replacing the fuse won’t solve the problem. You need to replace the part, and then check if the condenser works properly after. If it doesn’t work, call a professional.
You are going to need some help here. There are two wires coming out of the disconnect box. One wire is connected to the compressor and the other wire is connected to the fan motor.
Find the fuse in the disconnect box and remove it. Now open the disconnect box and locate the wires. Take care when working with high voltage!
Fuses are used to protect electrical circuits from damage due to overcurrent conditions. Each fuse has a specific amperage rating. When a fuse blows, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
You should call an expert to help you fix your air conditioner if you’re not confident or knowledgeable about working with electrics or HVAC units. Both can be deadly.
Shutting off the power supply will prevent any damage to your house. Follow the electrical conduit from the kitchen to the basement. Remove the access panel. Store the retaining screws.
Discharge the capacitor before replacing the panel. Check for rodent nests or chewing on wires. Clean up the mess if necessary. Call a professional electrician.
The fuse might be in a disconnection box together with wires. The fuse might be stuck inside the T-handle. Remove the old fuse using a pair of pliers. Put in the new fuse and reattach the disconnection box.
You should always check the new fuse before using it. A fuse is rated according to how much current it can handle. To find out the correct fuse, take a look at the blown one. The rating is usually printed on the fuse.
If you don’t know how to replace a blown fuse, you should contact an AC repair technician. You can also search online for information about replacing fuses.
You should use the right fuse for your air conditioning unit. Using too high-rated fuses will cause your air conditioner to overheat and burn out.
Why Does My AC Blow Fuses?
Clogged motors cause problems because they make the whole system work harder than it needs to be. As a result, the AC draws more power, which damages the capacitors. When this happens, the fuse blows.
Air conditioning units have fuses that protect them from overheating. During hot weather, these fuses blow and cause an electrical short circuit.
This results in the compressor running continuously. Blown fuses are most common when the weather is extremely hot.
Refrigerant is being forced through the compressor faster than normal, causing the motor to overheat.
This overheating then damages the stator winding, which leads to a short circuit and an electrical overload. The resulting high current flow causes the fuse to blow.
To repair this issue, turn off the power supply to the unit. Check the fuse box or panel under the unit to see if there is a blown fuse. If there is, replace the fuse.
You may need to check other components, such as the fan motor, condenser coils, and evaporator coil, before replacing the fuse.
Clogged Filters
Your air conditioner needs to be cleaned regularly. Filters need to be changed periodically. Otherwise, you’ll end up frying the fuse. Dirty and blocked air filters will make your HVAC system work harder.
Overloaded circuits will result in tripping breakers, causing further damage to your HVAC system and requiring more repairs. Air filters should be replaced regularly to ensure proper airflow and prevent any future issues.
Dirty Condenser Coils
Dirty or insulated condenser coils mean they’re not able to lose heat efficiently. Your air conditioner is forced to draw extra power to force out more heat.
When your air conditioning system isn’t working properly, you may be experiencing problems due to the coils.
Surge Circuits
Surge circuits occur when there is too much current flowing through an electrical circuit. Surge circuits can damage sensitive electronic devices, blow fuses, and even start fires.
To avoid surge circuits, turn off power to the affected areas until repairs can be made.
Low Refrigerant Levels
Your AC unit needs refrigerant to work properly. Refrigerant levels must be maintained or else your AC won’t work right.
A leaky compressor could drain your refrigerant levels. A professional HVAC technician can check your refrigerant levels and fix any leaks.
Condenser Shuttering
When you hear the sound of an electric fan, you know there is something wrong. You should check if the fuse is blown or not.
Failing HVAC Compressor
Your HVAC compressor can sometimes be the culprit, using too much electricity because it is old and inefficient. You should replace it with a new model.
Bad AC Capacitor
A continuously tripped breaker or blown fuse could mean a bad capacitor. These capacitors regulate the flow of electricity into your house. When these capacitors fail, you’ll experience irregular current.
You should contact an electrician if you suspect a problem with your AC capacitor. The capacitor regulates the flow of electricity through the condenser.
When there is a problem with the capacitor, it leads to fuses blowing. Fuses must be replaced before the fuse box blows.
General Circuit Problems
You’ve noticed that even after solving the problems above, your air conditioning system’s fuse still keeps on blowing.
It’s time you call in an HVAC technician to thoroughly check your air conditioning system’s electrical circuit and wiring.
Conclusion
Air conditioners use electricity to cool your house down. When there is too much electricity flowing into the system, the fuses blow. You need to check the fuses regularly to prevent them from blowing.
