Garage Electrical Problem
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Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Benton County, MN
Garage Electrical Problem
I have a seperate 120v 20 amp single outlet that was put there for the sole purpose of running a small air compressor. When I plug in my compressor and turn it on the breaker immediately trips. I figured that it is not the receptacle because I replaced it with a new on and the same thing happens. I know it is not the compressor because it works fine in other 20 amp outlets. I did forget to turn off the breaker once when clipping the wires and arced them. Fried a good pair of rubber handled wirecutters in the process. I'm wondering if it is possible if I fried the wires all the way to the breaker or maybe the is breaker fried? I am about ready to replace the wires running to the breaker but am just wondering if anyone else has any ideas to what might be wrong. Thanks for any help.
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Garage Electrical Problem
Breakers can be damaged when overloaded sometimes making them "weak". Replace the breaker and see if your circuit works. If it does toss the old breaker.
Sorry about the wirecutters...
Sorry about the wirecutters...
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From: Benton County, MN
Garage Electrical Problem
Originally posted by Bob Ayers
Make sure you don't have the neutral (white), and hot (black)
wires switched at the receptical....
Make sure you don't have the neutral (white), and hot (black)
wires switched at the receptical....
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Benton County, MN
Garage Electrical Problem
Well. I wired the receptacle back up and plugged in the compressor and it actually worked. Should I trust this? The outlet is only about 2 feet away from the breaker panel and I could easily replace the length of wire going to it. I plan on hanging drywall pretty soon and want to make sure there are not going to be any problems down the road.
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From: Durham, NC
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Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Garage Electrical Problem
To sleep better at night replace the wiring, just messing with the wires on the outlet should not cure/cause problems. Better safe than sorry.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Waterbury, CT.
Garage Electrical Problem
The reason it was tripping the breaker was the hot and neutral were reversed. The outlet will work fine with 2 prong tools, like a droplight, but as soon as you plug in a 3 prong grounded cord, it'll knock the breaker out. One of those little yellow 3 prong plugin testers from the depot with the 3 lights on the back of it work like a charm when checking out outlets. They only cost like 5 bucks.
One last note. If your going to replace the wire leading from the fusebox to the outlet, be CAREFUL when making the connections inside the panel. If you can shut off the main breaker, that'll be even better. Only experienced electricians should poke a screwdriver into a live panel. If you don't have an electricians type of screwdriver, then be sure to wrap the steel shaft of a screwdriver in electrical tape all the way down leaving just the tip exposed.
One last note. If your going to replace the wire leading from the fusebox to the outlet, be CAREFUL when making the connections inside the panel. If you can shut off the main breaker, that'll be even better. Only experienced electricians should poke a screwdriver into a live panel. If you don't have an electricians type of screwdriver, then be sure to wrap the steel shaft of a screwdriver in electrical tape all the way down leaving just the tip exposed.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Jackson , NJ
Garage Electrical Problem
You might have had a reversal or maybe not, there's also the possibility that you had a bad connection at the outlet? I'd think you'd know if you had the hot and neutrals reversed!
FWIW I was having this problem with the dedicated outlet for my compressor too, but it didn't always happen, sometimes it would trip the breaker and sometimes not. This was a 12 AWG wire w/ ground on a 20A breaker, (120V) the comp was 5.5 HP and no reason it should have tripped this breaker. It was an oilless unit and I chalked it up to hard starting on the compressor sometimes causing the breaker to trip, maybe a slow blow/delay type breaker would have helped, don't know. I do know I ran this wire myself and no reason this should have been happening.
Never did find out what it was, but I have a 7 hp/220v comp now.
Frustrating.....
zman
FWIW I was having this problem with the dedicated outlet for my compressor too, but it didn't always happen, sometimes it would trip the breaker and sometimes not. This was a 12 AWG wire w/ ground on a 20A breaker, (120V) the comp was 5.5 HP and no reason it should have tripped this breaker. It was an oilless unit and I chalked it up to hard starting on the compressor sometimes causing the breaker to trip, maybe a slow blow/delay type breaker would have helped, don't know. I do know I ran this wire myself and no reason this should have been happening.
Never did find out what it was, but I have a 7 hp/220v comp now.
Frustrating.....
zman
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From: Benton County, MN
Garage Electrical Problem
I am absolutely sure the hot and neutral wires were not crossed. The connections were fine because I have clipped the wires so many times I am going to have to replace it because its getting short. The problem seems to be sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Zman, my problem sounds exactly the same as you described. My compressor is about the same size and electrical specs are the same. I plug the compressor into another 20 amp outlet and it works fine. I think Eric was right when he said I might have damaged the breaker. I am going to solve the problem by running new wire and using a new breaker. Total cost of the repair should be less than $10. I look at it as cheap insurance.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 110
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From: Jackson , NJ
Garage Electrical Problem
Don't know if that's gonna help you, brother. I originally had a 15A breaker on the circuit because that's all the owner's manual (Craftsman) called for; when it continued to trip the breaker I upgraded it to a 20A breaker since I had 12 AWG in place anyway. The problem persisted!!
FYI and I repeat, the comp was the only device on the circuit, I ran the wire myself, etc. So nothing else could have/should have been tripping this breaker.
Strange, I know. I'd be curious to know if this fixes your problem.
Good luck.....
zman
FYI and I repeat, the comp was the only device on the circuit, I ran the wire myself, etc. So nothing else could have/should have been tripping this breaker.
Strange, I know. I'd be curious to know if this fixes your problem.
Good luck.....
zman
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 110
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From: Jackson , NJ
Garage Electrical Problem
I would guesstimate 50-60'.
<edit to add> Also I do own one of those testers suggested above that checks for proper wiring or indicates rev polarity/no neutral, etc. etc. and the tester indicated that my outlet was properly wired. FWIW
zman
<edit to add> Also I do own one of those testers suggested above that checks for proper wiring or indicates rev polarity/no neutral, etc. etc. and the tester indicated that my outlet was properly wired. FWIW
zman
Last edited by zimman20; Mar 26, 2003 at 08:06 AM.
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From: Minneapolis, MN
Garage Electrical Problem
That long of a run would create quite a voltage drop across 12ga. wires, especially a 110v compressor. I have a 50' run to a 5 hp/220v compressor and I ran 10ga. on a 20 amp circuit.