# Electric furnace blowing breaker



## Tator1076 (Dec 22, 2009)

You need to check the temp on breaker. If its hot then you may have heating elelments going bad but if not hot it can just be a bad breaker. I like to say at this time please call the pro's


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## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

You need to get it checked by a licensed service electrician or heating tech ASAP. You may have bad connections inside and they WILL overheat, arc/spark and the wiring can melt and smoke and if left long enough start on fire. Seen quite a few roasted electric furnaces in my career.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

burnt03 said:


> I've woken up
> the breaker (in the box) has blown.


If it took hours for the breaker to trip you may be looking for a very mild overload or bad breaker connections.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

filtersupply said:


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

Did it again last night, tried calling a tech today. No one available that's familiar with electric furnaces, but the guy said that the first thing they'll do is change the breaker.

As a side note, the two 60A breakers on the furnace have never tripped on me (I assume one for each stage), only the main 125A one.

I took the clamp on multimeter home from work and read approximately 80A running through the feed wires at first start-up and during regular operation. The connections at the breaker are tight and it doesn't seem to be getting very warm.

I guess I'll try changing the breaker and if that doesn't work, have to wait for a tech to check it out.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

If you are tripping the Main 125a breaker then it is either:

Main breaker is failing
OR You are exceeding the 125a capacity

What else in your house uses electricity ?

You have (2) 60a feeds for electric heat & only a 125a Main panel ?


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

Hi Scuba,

Sorry I wasn't more clear.

I have a 200A service to the house. The electric furnace has a 125A breaker switch. On the furnace itself is a small hatch, behind it being (2) 60A breaker switches. It is the 125A breaker specifically for the furnace that is tripping on me.

Like I mentioned, I had a gauge on the amperage draw on startup (which I assumed to be where the most draw will occur?) and it doesn't get much higher than 85A. So unless there's a short that occurs at a different part in the cycle, it doesn't seem to be exceeding the 125A.


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## kennzz05 (Nov 11, 2008)

sounds like youre on the right track suspecting the breaker. im suprised they didnt run 2 circuits to the furnace.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Did you check the amp draw at the air handler. Or at the 125 amp panel box?


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

At the panel box. Are you thinking there might be a problem with the wiring between the 125A breaker and the (2) 60A breakers in the handler? I'll have to check that after work.

On the bright side, it didn't kick off last night


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

Could be a bad connection to the breaker which causes heating at the connection.


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

motor making noise,filter clogged? check simple things first.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

plummen said:


> motor making noise,filter clogged? check simple things first.


Yeah simple things first then amp readings then solution.

Oh sorry it's back wards first open heater and look around real good and check all connections then proceed to our suggestion.


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

how about checking obvious stuff before the guy starts replacing circuit breakers? like a filter that hasnt been changed in months cusing no air flow across motor or heat exchanger,or a filter wrapped up in the motor causing an overload.definately dont check simple things first! :laughing:


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

Sorry I didn't mention, the filter is brand new and the blower motor doesn't seem to be making any unusual noises or have anything bound up inside it.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

OK time to open up the electrical panels on the heater and look at all the wiring and check all connections for loose ness(is that a word?) .Also look for burnt wires.

AFTER YOU SHUT OFF THE MAIN POWER.


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## kennzz05 (Nov 11, 2008)

let us know what happens my vote is still on the breaker


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Need an amp meter. Not voting until then.


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## kennzz05 (Nov 11, 2008)

SULTINI said:


> Need an amp meter. Not voting until then.


 
he has one, 85 amps on a 125 brkr


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks Kennzz05, must have failed reading missed the 85 I vote with Kennzz05.


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

Connections all seemed fine, didn't see or smell any burnt wires/connections.

I'll try changing out the breaker, probably won't know if it works for a while though, problem is very intermittent. 

I'll let you know!


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## burnt03 (Sep 20, 2009)

Changed the breaker a couple of weeks back and all seems well. 

A fellow that does instrumentation work for us is an electrician and offered to buy the breaker for me, little bit cheaper that way. He happened to be in town so came over and looked and found quite a few problems.....

20A breakers where 15A breakers should have been
30A breakers running two appliances (220V hot water heater, 220V dryer, etc)
There was a single pole 40A that he took out, I'm not sure what that was supplying 


So, all is said and done, have a new 125A breaker, 3 new 30A breakers and the peace of mind to know that it's as it should be. The breakers below the 125A seemed a bit loose on the panel, he said it was possible that the heat that was generating was moving up and causing false trips.

Thanks for all the tips, hopefully this'll solve it!


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## bremax (Jan 4, 2011)

*Burnt wiring in electric forced air furnace*

I just checked my furnace today, and found this, as you can see the panel is burnt, Time to call an electrician, Is it safe to run the furnace with this wiring issue in the inturm??
Thanks


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Not really. The wire will burn up more as its used. May need an HVAC tech, to find out why its burning. Many electricians don't get involved with electric air handlers.


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## plummen (Jan 10, 2010)

is that limit switch shorted causing the overheating of the wire?


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## bremax (Jan 4, 2011)

Are these heating coils that are burnt, I hope this wont be a costly fix


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Those are the thermal limits that have the burnt wires. Depends what caused the burnt wires, as to how expensive the repair is or isn't.


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