Hey everyone. I had a problem with my ac unit so I reset the main breaker to the house and now all the power is still out. Is there a certain sequence to turn on breakers? I don't turn them on or off ever. Please help. It's 101 outside and 90 inside. Thank you.
Reset breakers, house power still out.
- Thread starter Incubus21
- Start date
Are your neighbors without power ?
Turn the main off. Do you smell anything ? If you do, you may want to call your local fire dept.
Turn the main off. Do you smell anything ? If you do, you may want to call your local fire dept.
Wait a minute. I reread the post. There was no need to reset the main. Turn the main off, turn all the other breakers off. Turn the main back on, then turn the smaller breakers back on one at a time ?
Do you have an up to date service ? 100 or 200 amp service ? Or is it a 60 amp service with 30 amp fuzes screwed in everywhere ?
Do you have an up to date service ? 100 or 200 amp service ? Or is it a 60 amp service with 30 amp fuzes screwed in everywhere ?
The neighbors have power. Everything was working fine before I flipped switches. No burning smells. I don't consider myself very smart on things like this, but its just a breaker switch. The power should be working. Is there anything special to flipping on and off the main power and the individual switches? Any particular sequence?
Strouty
Well-known member
Did you pay your bill? I would think that the main would just turn back on once you flip it. Is there a disconnect outside? Did the main actually trip from the AC or did you turn off the main to fix the problem? Good luck.
Try this.
Turn the main breaker off. Make sure the handle on the breaker travels all the way to the off position, Then move the breaker to the on position. you should feel some resistance when turning it on.
let us know if this works
Jim
Turn the main breaker off. Make sure the handle on the breaker travels all the way to the off position, Then move the breaker to the on position. you should feel some resistance when turning it on.
let us know if this works
Jim
I turned off main. Then turned off all the smaller ones. Turned back on the main. Then the smaller ones. Still no power. What the Hell? Could there be something I'm missing here? Everything was working fine except the ac unit before i switched anything.
There maybe a disconnect box outside beside the AC unit.
How old is the breaker box ? What kind is it ? Hopefully not a federal Pacific. It might be something such as the main has taken a ****.
Do you feel capable enough to remove the cover off the breaker panel ?
I believe GE had some breaker panels made by Siemens, I think I heard they had a problem with the aluminum bussbar melting. I could be wrong here.
You may want to be calling an electrican soon.
I believe GE had some breaker panels made by Siemens, I think I heard they had a problem with the aluminum bussbar melting. I could be wrong here.
You may want to be calling an electrican soon.
What kind of box is mounted next to it ? Can you post a picture ? I'm assuming you're posting from your phone ?
JeremyManning
Well-known member
I would call the electric company and have them check their end, let them know that you have checked your end to no avail, let them check their end before calling an electrician, unless you have a buddy that is an electrician.
nate379
Banned
That little panel is for your whole house? I'd like to talk to the guy that installed that, talk about leaving no room for wiring additional items later on!
Get a multimeter and see if there is power on the meter side of the hots.
Get a multimeter and see if there is power on the meter side of the hots.
rhdave
Member
Looks like the meter is displaying something, that means you should have power from the supply authority.
Look at the handle on the main breaker, it looks crooked. You may have to turn it off, then back on making sure both poles engage.
Calling the supply authority won't cost you anything, they'll come have a look and make sure everything's fine from their end.
Look at the handle on the main breaker, it looks crooked. You may have to turn it off, then back on making sure both poles engage.
Calling the supply authority won't cost you anything, they'll come have a look and make sure everything's fine from their end.
rickairmedic
Well-known member
I would bet guaging the age of that panel and the fact that its an outdoor panel " I hate those " your main breaker just took a **** 
. I would at this point call a qualified electrician and have him come out and change the main breaker tell him over the phone its an older GE 100 amp main and he should be able to bring one with him.
Rick
. I would at this point call a qualified electrician and have him come out and change the main breaker tell him over the phone its an older GE 100 amp main and he should be able to bring one with him.Rick
rickairmedic
Well-known member
Actuallly going back and having a second look Slice is right you need to push the main all the way to the left and then all the way back to the right if you still dont have power then your main took a **** and you need a new main breaker .
Rick
Gary S
Well-known member
Right! You can flip breakers the rest of your life, or you can troubleshoot the problem. Pull the cover off your main panel if you are capable of doing it without killing yourself. IF NOT, CALL AN ELECTRICIAN!!
Then take your meter and measure the voltage coming in. If it is OK, measure the voltage after your main breaker, and keep going until you find the problem.
Or, keep flipping breakers. It doesn't matter what order you flip breakers. The end result is the same.
Carl B
Well-known member
Could be as simple as the Time Delay on the A/C unit. When you lose power - there is usually a 10 minute Time Delay at the compressor. As long as you keep flipping switches/brakers - it keeps resetting the A/C Time Delay.
Leave the power on - and wait to see if the compressor comes back on..
FWIW,
Carl B.
Leave the power on - and wait to see if the compressor comes back on..
FWIW,
Carl B.
Carl B
Well-known member
Second place to look is at the compressor - there should be a quick disconnect there - many of the disconnects are of the Fused Type. Usually with two time delay 20 0r 30 amp fuses.
If it is a fused type disconnect - then simply change the fuses.
FWIW,
Carl B.
If it is a fused type disconnect - then simply change the fuses.
FWIW,
Carl B.
When you try resetting the main, make sure the other breakers are off.
I'd also hope that you have a gas stove and gas dryer ?
I'd also hope that you have a gas stove and gas dryer ?
Reset the main and left the other ones off. I'll see if they work when I come back. If not then I'm.guessing I will have to call an electrician. Any idea how much that could run if its as simple as a main breaker? And I'm guessing i wouldn't want to try to mess with it myself?
Cost, don't know, but the electrican may want the power company back out there to pull the meter, unless he likes to live dangerously.
Alright. Everything is back on. Electrician came out and replaced main breaker. Now I'm back to where I started. My ac is still not running. The unit in the back yard is making a humming noise. The fan isn't spinning. Any ideas? Thank you to everyone that helped with my elec problem. I was in a panic. It's nice to know there are sites like this one with friendly and helpful people.
jrsulo
Well-known member
Ya should have asked the electrician for a good ac guy !!!
Sokoloff
Well-known member
Your best bet is to call an HVAC service and if they can come out tomorrow, do that. The likelihood that a homeowner can do much of anything is pretty low. And I don't mean to sound like a ****, but the likelihood that you can fix the HVAC but couldn't troubleshoot your breaker is basically zero.
Try to get the power to the HVAC killed (so the humming stops and any further damage, however unlikely, is minimized). Kill it via a service disconnect, by the AC's breaker, or by turning off the T-stat. Open some windows and hope you can get service tomorrow.
If you want to troubeshoot further, start with determining if the air handler fan is working. Does air move in the house (even if it's HOT air)? If not, you may have a fighting chance, because that fan may be within your ability to fix or replace. If that fan is running and the outside unit (condenser) is not working, you're pretty much screwed.
I'd wager you're screwed because the air handler fan (the first one I talked about) would be unlikely to take out the house electrical if it failed, while the AC condenser might be more likely to do so.
Try to get the power to the HVAC killed (so the humming stops and any further damage, however unlikely, is minimized). Kill it via a service disconnect, by the AC's breaker, or by turning off the T-stat. Open some windows and hope you can get service tomorrow.
If you want to troubeshoot further, start with determining if the air handler fan is working. Does air move in the house (even if it's HOT air)? If not, you may have a fighting chance, because that fan may be within your ability to fix or replace. If that fan is running and the outside unit (condenser) is not working, you're pretty much screwed.
I'd wager you're screwed because the air handler fan (the first one I talked about) would be unlikely to take out the house electrical if it failed, while the AC condenser might be more likely to do so.
So, do you have a gas dryer and gas stove ?
This happened to me. My compressor outside would hum and the fan would run inside the house but the air was not being cooled. With the disconnect OFF - I took the panel off the a/c outside and found a melted wire and bulging cap. I shorted its leads with a screwdriver (no spark - it was discharged already) and took it out. Ended up buying a new cap at the local a/c place for $20ish and making a replacement wire.
If you're handy enough to use some common sense and be safe, it wouldn't hurt to pull the panel off and take a look inside. Maybe you also have a blown cap?