I got a used 14.8 cu ft chest freezer from craigslist, ~5 years old. It keeps tripping the 15 amp circuit breaker. The only other things on the circuit are a ceiling fan and lamp, both are off. Any suggestions?
Chest freezer keeps tripping breaker...
- Thread starter Coastarine
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Surfman
Well-Known Member
this happened to me but ever since i hooked up the temp control and fet it to around 45ish ive been ok. knock on wood.
OP
OP
I have a johnson analog temperature controller from northern brewer. Same results with or without.
The guy who sold it to me said that I shouldn't plug it in right away because it had been running when I picked it up (as a demo, froze a pitcher of water) and that if I did it would keep tripping the breaker. He said I should wait a day or so, let everything warm up, then plug it in.
OP
OP
Doing better for the moment...
edit: now not so much.
edit: now not so much.
Huh? What's the rationale behind that? "It doesn't trip the breakers as long as it's not plugged in!"
OP
OP
If the system was cold, transported, and partially warmed it would have trouble. If it started over, it wouldn't. I don't know why that would happen.
mnadamn
Well-Known Member
i know your supposed to wait 24 hours if you have it in any position but upright
OP
OP
Either way it has had about 5 days. I'm thinking it did this to him too and he blamed it on not waiting, or something like that. I'm hoping as it cools down it will stabilize.
I thought waiting after transport had something to due with the lubricant in the motor - I can't imagine (although this certainly is not my area of expertise) how that would impact its electrical draw. I'm just worried that you've found out the reason it was such a deal!
OP
OP
It wasn't an amazing deal. Lots of chest freezers get sold on craigslist around here and they all seem to go for 80-125. I paid 100.
OP
OP
lapaglia
Well-Known Member
How old is the breaker. With age they do get weaker.
Voltage Rating: 115V
Minimum Circuit Required: 15 Amp
Is the requirements for almost all freezers of that size. Either put an amp meter on the freezer or just try replacing the breaker. Most are real easy to do.
Voltage Rating: 115V
Minimum Circuit Required: 15 Amp
Is the requirements for almost all freezers of that size. Either put an amp meter on the freezer or just try replacing the breaker. Most are real easy to do.
OP
OP
Maybe I'll try a new breaker. I'm not sure how old it is, but the house was totally remodeled recently. The breakers don't look brand new though.
OP
OP
Putting the freezer on the back porch would put it on a 20 A circuit, but I'm worried that running a fridge outside in florida is going up my electric bill.
planenut
Well-Known Member
you could test it on the back porch and then go from there...
OP
OP
Moving it there just to move it back doesn't sound that fun.
Edit: I was wrong about the back porch. The bathroom GFCI is 20 A though, which is right across the hall. An extension cord could be temporary and could test it out.
Edit: I was wrong about the back porch. The bathroom GFCI is 20 A though, which is right across the hall. An extension cord could be temporary and could test it out.
A freezer does not draw very much power. Especially one that is only 5 years old. Make sure that the extension cord that you use is not a 75 or 100 ft long 16 Gauge , Use one that is more Heavy duty. Not that a lighter duty one would not handle it normally but if you are trying to isolate the problem, make sure the extension cord is not a factor.
My Chest Freezer is only a 9 Cu. Ft. but it is over 15 years old and it only draws 75watts when running. You usually factor double the wattage on start up. If I quadrupled the estimate for start up at 300 watts, that is still only 2.5 Amps.
Your breaker would have to be very very weak in order not to be able to handle that.
Does the breaker trip every time the compressor comes on or just every now and then? If so, there might be something else on that breaker that you are not aware of. And when that "Other thing" is on such as Sump pump, water pump, furnace fan, A/C unit, Garage Door opener, things that don't run all the time, the breaker will only trip when both are on at the same time. That makes it harder to identify the problem.
Does the breaker trip as soon as the compressor kicks on or only after a few minutes of it running. If after a few minutes, it may be over heating. Make sure all the area around the compressor is clear of any debris. If right at start up, it may be seized, or the compressor is trying to start up against too much pressure in the High pressure side.
Just a few of my thoughts
dp
My Chest Freezer is only a 9 Cu. Ft. but it is over 15 years old and it only draws 75watts when running. You usually factor double the wattage on start up. If I quadrupled the estimate for start up at 300 watts, that is still only 2.5 Amps.
Your breaker would have to be very very weak in order not to be able to handle that.
Does the breaker trip every time the compressor comes on or just every now and then? If so, there might be something else on that breaker that you are not aware of. And when that "Other thing" is on such as Sump pump, water pump, furnace fan, A/C unit, Garage Door opener, things that don't run all the time, the breaker will only trip when both are on at the same time. That makes it harder to identify the problem.
Does the breaker trip as soon as the compressor kicks on or only after a few minutes of it running. If after a few minutes, it may be over heating. Make sure all the area around the compressor is clear of any debris. If right at start up, it may be seized, or the compressor is trying to start up against too much pressure in the High pressure side.
Just a few of my thoughts
dp
OP
OP
It trips after a few minutes of running. Any reccomendations?
I'm pretty sure that room is the only thing on the breaker.
I really appreciate the help.
Compressor motors (and any large electrical motor) can draw a large current on startup especially if there is a heavy load on the motor. With a freezer I would check for rust or damage around the motor and compressor. Also look for evidence of lubricant leaks. Everything should be sealed up but it is possible something was damaged or the lubricant is no longer functional and the motor just has too much resistance at startup.
Craig
Craig
OP
OP
It's running now. Compressor looks to be in good shape. Corrosion in areas nearby but nothing on the housing. No evidence of leaks. I was just observing it run and it seems totally healthy. Outside panels get warm, inside gets very cold. I'm trying it on a different outlet in the same room just to see if anything changes.
edit: wow, I'm pretty sure this is the longest it has ever run. Still tripped it though.
edit: wow, I'm pretty sure this is the longest it has ever run. Still tripped it though.
OP
OP
So it would seem that once it is warm it trips much faster. It does seem like it is overheating, but the compressor feels warm to the touch, but not hot like I'd think it would have to be.
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try placing a fan blowing across the compressor and see if it buy you extra time before tripping to confirm the over heating aspect, then, if you feel comfortable take the motor apart, clean and re-lube, or sell freezer as is.
OP
OP
I don't get it, I saw the thing running at the guys house with a frozen pitcher of water in it that it froze overnight. It wasn't having any problems.
OK, it seems that it actually got itself down to 45 without tripping the breaker. Lets see if maybe it can maintain.
OK, it seems that it actually got itself down to 45 without tripping the breaker. Lets see if maybe it can maintain.
Not to be TOO cynical, but how do you know that the pitcher was actually frozen in THAT freezer?
OP
OP
This is what I meant by he COULD have managed to stage this, but I can tell you that the freezer had been plugged in and running when I got there, we stood around it talking for a while, and there's no way he put the pitcher in there upon seeing me arrive. He was on the second floor and the freezer was in the basement.
I'm wondering if the problem is not the compressor but in the electrical system. Today I had the lid open and the light was on but the compressor wasn't running, then the breaker tripped. Maybe the compressor was about to kick on? Maybe there's a short somewhere.
and then again, the compressor feels pretty hot now.
OP
OP
Well, I've had the ceiling fan on in that room and it has been going for a few hours now. I had the fan off before because it is on the same circuit.
OP
OP
How would I be able to tell?
Do you know what kind of breakers they are?
Federal Pioneer, Siemens, Westinghouse,
The Federal Pioneers (Stab-Lok) AFCI Breakers are Light blue and have a small test button on them. They work similar to GFCIs but are meant to trip if they detect a small arc in the AC wires. Here in Canada they are required by the Electrical Code in all bedrooms. And certain electrical appliances will trip them. Usually, these appliances are not typically found in bedrooms. Appliances with relays, and larger motors will sometimes trip them. But a Lamp will not. To make things worse, the same appliance can trip an AFCI once, and might not again for a few days.
dp
Federal Pioneer, Siemens, Westinghouse,
The Federal Pioneers (Stab-Lok) AFCI Breakers are Light blue and have a small test button on them. They work similar to GFCIs but are meant to trip if they detect a small arc in the AC wires. Here in Canada they are required by the Electrical Code in all bedrooms. And certain electrical appliances will trip them. Usually, these appliances are not typically found in bedrooms. Appliances with relays, and larger motors will sometimes trip them. But a Lamp will not. To make things worse, the same appliance can trip an AFCI once, and might not again for a few days.
dp
JVD_X
Well-Known Member
It could be the outlet itself. I had a house that was a good 60 years old and the outlets were probably redone sometime in the 70's... the plastic was crumbling and a few of the outlets would constantly trip even though the load was minimal. I replaced the receptacles and everything was fine.
BTW - check your grounds... most of my receptacles were not grounded.
BTW - check your grounds... most of my receptacles were not grounded.
OP
OP
Wow, you sir may be a genius. I just went out and looked at the breakers. There are two that are not like the others, and this is one of them. It's GE, light grey, and has a small white rocker switch. One side says "test short" or something like that and one side says "test arc". It has now been hours since it tripped.
OP
OP
I am the first person to live here since the owner redid the whole interior. All of the outlets are new. From what I can tell he does good work.
Well, A freezer compressor IS definitely an appliance that can trip and Arc sensing breaker. If you want to leave the Freezer in that room and don't want to keep an extension cord in the way, you can plug the freezer in an old UPS, and it will filter any arcing that the compressor would create and not trip the breaker. Or Swap out the breaker for a Standard one, but if your electrical codes are like here, if that room could be used as a bedroom, those breakers are required.
dp
dp
OP
OP
What's that?
My used keezer was working fine, then I opened the lid, fiddled around, and my radio went off. I checked, and the GFI tripped. With the keezer plugged in, it would not reset. I unloaded the %*#@ thing and wheeled it to my neighbor's for his diagnosis. I plugged it in an extemely high amp outlet at his place , it came on and cycled. I shrugged my shoulders, wheeled it back home plugged it in and reloaded. 1.5 months later, no problems? His diagnosis-a possible air lock in the compressor that the extra amps were able to overcome. Whatever, it works!!
UPS: Uninterruptible Power supply. The Battery backups that yo plug computers into in case of power interruptions.
OP
OP
I'm going to try putting it in the laundry room which is on a 20 amp circuit, not arc sensing. The laundry room is not air conditioned, which may put a little more load on the fridge, but the fridge was putting more load on the AC if it's inside the house I guess. It's not as hot as it would be outside/in the sun so I don't think it will be a big power increase.
OP
OP
Interestingly, in the laundry room when I plugged it into the GFCI it tripped immediately. It's now sharing the washing machine outlet and doing well.
