Outside Circuit Breaker Will Not Go Back on for Central Air Unit

Power Requirements

• The central air conditioner circuit breaker will fail every time if it’s unable to support the power requirements of the air conditioner. Inadequate power support could result in lack of power to the machine, sudden power loss or weak air conditioner performance. If you suspect the circuit breaker is of the wrong amperage, switch it to the “Off” position and contact a technician to replace it with the proper circuit breaker.

Wire Damage

• If the power lines are compromised in any way, electricity is unable to flow from the power source to the central air conditioner, no matter how many times you adjust the outside breaker. Locate the power lines that lead to your unit and look them over from beginning to end. If you see frays, deep dents, cuts or torn insulation, replace the power lines. Contact a technician to help you.

Miswiring

• Wires connected to the wrong terminals could lead to various electrical problems within the unit, including frequent tripping of the circuit breaker. The central system could either not turn off or not start up at all. The miswiring could be at the place where the power lines connect with the air conditioner or where they connect with the breaker box. The outside breaker should be switched to the “Off” position before you or a technician works on rewiring the power lines correctly.

Short Circuit

• When two bare, hot wires or a hot wire and a neutral wire touch each other, the circuit breaker may trip. Hot wires supply electricity to a device or appliance. While the hot wires that lead from the circuit breaker to the central air conditioner unit are supposed to be covered with insulation, the insulation is stripped at the wires’ connection points in order to make a clean connection to power terminals. Inspect the areas where the power lines connect to the unit and to the circuit breaker to see if there are any stripped wires that are touching. If so, this could be the cause of the failing circuit breaker; shut off the electricity and contact a technician to correct the problem.