Airxcel Model 6535-871 Heat Pump

[klparker]

Have 2001 Itasca Horizon with heat pump/AC model 6535.

When the AC is turned on it runs for @20-30 seconds then amps soar above 50, AC turns off and flips hot water heater circuit breaker.  Flip breaker back on and AC runs for a few seconds and flips again. 

Any suggests on what is happening. 

Thanks 

[tbutler]

Twenty to thirty seconds sounds like the time the unit runs (fan) before the compressor kicks in.  It sounds as if the compressor is drawing huge power which indicates a serious failure. 

[Lenp]

Tripping the hot water heater breaker?????  There should not be any connection.

Are you connected to 30 amp or 50 amp service?  If you on 30 amp, perhaps something is weird in the load share circuit.  If on 30 amp and both compressors (or maybe even one compressor if there are other loads) are trying to run, the hot water heater should be shed (disconnected).  Perhaps the momentary surge to 50 amps is also dropping the voltage which, in turn, would cause the water heater (and everything else) to draw more current and trip the breaker.

If your on 30 amp try running your generator and see if the same thing happens.

Lenp

[klparker]

Connected to 50 amp when this occurs.  The hot water heater is off and it still flips breaker.

[Lenp]

When I am connected to 50 amp service my amp meter on the load center DOES NOT show any amps at all - just a blank screen.  I did, however, discover that if the water heater breaker was OFF the load center thought I was on 30 amp service.  

On my coach the load center "looks" at the water heater circuit and one other circuit (notsure which one) and if it sees 240VAC (two 120 volt circuits of opposite phases = 240VAC) it confirms your on 50 amp service and ceases to control/shed any loads.  If your on 30 amp service and using a dog bone it will see ZERO volts (two 120 volt circuits with the same phase) and assume your on 30 amp service and the amps meter is enabled.

IF your connected to a pedestal that is wired incorrectly with both hot leads connected to the same phase your load center will think your on 30 amp service and the amp meter will be showing amps being drawn.  To verify if this is the case measure (with a voltmeter) across the two hot leads (L1 & L2) at the pedestal.  if it is wired correctly you should have 240VAC.  If it is not your measured voltage will be zero when measured across the two hot leads (L1 & L2).   

Regardless of whether it is wire correctly or not you will still see 120VAC between L1 and Neutral AND 120VAC between L2 and Neutral.  If wired correctly with L1 and L2 180 degrees out of phase you will see 240VAC between the two but if both L1 and L2 are tied to the same phase they will be in phase and there will be no voltage between the two.

Hope this helps,

Lenp

 

[dickandlois]

Klparker, What happens when you run the generator, same problem or no problem?

Rich.

[tbutler]

OK, I missed that the breaker was the water heater breaker.  It sounds like a mis-wiring problem.  I'd bet that the air conditioner is wired to the water heater breaker instead of the air conditioner breaker.  The air conditioner breaker likely has a momentary delay to allow the compressor to start without tripping the breaker.  Wire it to the regular breaker for the water heater and it will trip the breaker.

Turn off the air conditioner breaker(s) and see if the water heater works!