tripping breaker

[oil man]

what will cause an air compressor to trip the breaker only when it gets cold outside....the compressor is outside

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Sounds like it is running under a heavy load, in your case, cold, thicker oil?

 

[sparky36000]

I think you answered your own question. It's cold and outside. If it's oil filled like mine, it has a hard time starting when it's very cold. Your breaker can handle the starting current when it's warm. But when it's cold and the motor tries to turn the stiff compressor, the starting current stays high long enough to trip the breaker.

 

[oil man]

that makes sense....thanks guys

 

[larry_g]

You could try focusing a lamp on the compressor to keep it warm or warm it up the night before you need to use it.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Gary S]

I solved that problem with my air compressor by upsizing the wire from #12 to #10. With the larger wire, the 20A breaker no longer trips because the motor starts faster.

 

[darcyh]

Same thing happened to my son. He changed the oil to 0W30 synthetic and problem solved.

 

[oil man]

thanks guys....I have #8 wire going to it so I feel like that is big enough. Probably the oil, Im going to change is to some thinner stuff and put a light on it