Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Heater keeps tripping circut breaker

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mburman
12-26-03, 12:53 AM
Hello all...

My electric furnace keeps tripping its circut breaker. It is on a 30 amp breaker but in heat is pulling 45 amps. After 5 minutes, the breaker trips (of course). In A/C mode, the furnace is only pulling 1 amp. When the heat is on, all seems to be working normally except for the current at the breaker.

Where should I start trouble shooting? Any obvious components to check?

Thanks for the help!

Michael

Ed Imeduc
12-26-03, 12:00 PM
If the unit calls for a 45 amp breaker you have to put a 45 amp beaker on it right now. Look at the wire lay out there on the door it should saywhat you should have there. When the AC is on what you will read on amps is for just the blower in the blower unit .Should be a little more amps per leg cause its wired 220V on the blower.;) ED
trinitro
12-26-03, 12:55 PM
How did you measure 45A?
Is this a new installation? As Ed said, 1A is too low.

Don't forget, if you change the breaker to a larger size you also need to change (or at least make sure) that the wiring is also capable of handling 45A (you'll probably need a #6 wire).