Potential Causes of Air Conditioner Reset Button Keeps Tripping and How to Fix Them

An air conditioning that’s not functioning well during hot summer days is the last thing you want. If you find your air conditioner reset button keeps tripping and causes the unit to fail to work correctly, consider reading about the potential problem and fixing option below.

How Do I Stop My AC from Tripping the Breaker?

Here are several possible reasons why your ac reset button keeps tripping:

A dirty air filter impacts the unit’s blower function negatively, causing the blower component to work harder and longer to make the air circulate pass the filter. Consequently, the breaker will trip, and your electricity bill will jump. This problem can be fixed by changing the air filter.

  • The exterior unit is dirty

There is an interior and exterior unit of an air conditioning system. The interior unit draws the heat in the air through a component called refrigerant, then it flows to the exterior unit so the heat can be dispersed. This process won’t go well if the external unit is dirty because it will work harder and draw more current, causing the breaker to trip out.

air conditioner reset button keeps tripping

To solve this issue, you need to call a technician to help clean the AC exterior unit properly. It wasn’t something that all AC owners can do because it required the proper cleaning chemicals and equipment. Using the wrong tool and material may result in more problems than solutions.

  • The circuit breaker is in a problem

If you’re currently dealing with the ac tripping problem, it’s essential to understand that it may not be the AC that causes the issue, but the breaker. The connecting breaker to the wire can be loose, or something might be wrong with it.

A breaker problem is usually not expensive to fix, but you will need to contact a professional tech to connect the breaker’s wires or replace the equipment.

  • The motor experiences “short” issue

The air conditioning motors sometimes run for hours. When it operates for far too long, there’s a possibility of damaged wire insulation that causes power “short” conditions. A “short” is a condition when the electrical power bypasses the regular path.

Simply explained, the electricity takes a shortcut, causing more power to flow that what can be handled by the wire. This causes different problems, including overheated and melted wires that can possibly start the fire and trip the circuit breaker.

To fix this issue, you will need to call a repairman to discover the source of the electrical short.

  1. The compressor struggles to start

A compressor is the heart of an air conditioning system. It draws a lot of electricity to surge up. However, the compressor may be worn out or damaged that it struggles to activate. This results in more power to be drawn and a tripped breaker.

This situation requires you to contact an AC technician, who would set up a capacitor called ‘hard start kit’. This equipment gives a higher power jolt to make the compressor motor to move. Note that there’s possibility that the compressor needs a replacement.

  1. The compressor is burnt out

Another possible reason of ac compressor tripping problem is a burnt-out compressor. This is a condition where the engine winding or compressor’s discharge area experiences high temperature, then the winding insulation is going to break down and causes an open winding or grounded compressor.

You have to reach for an AC technician because this problem requires compressor replacement.

Most issues that cause your air conditioner reset button to keep tripping can actually be prevented by regular maintenance. Even though you need to invest in energy, time, and money for the maintenance, it can help save you from stress during the lifespan of your AC system.

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AirconMag is an experienced author and Air Conditioner expert. With years of practical experience in the field authored several informative articles on various aspects of AC unit, including installation, maintenance, and repair