A/C Compressor - 2 electric feeds

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tonype

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Has anyone seen 2 feeds to a 5 ton residential cooling compressor?

50-amp circuit has no disconnect local and accessible (only in the main panel).
15-amp breaker is local to the unit.

I've never seen this before. It is possible that the 15-amp is actually thermostat wiring (thermostat wiring was not viisible).
DSCF4887.jpg DSCF4876.jpg
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
I've never seen this before. It is possible that the 15-amp is actually thermostat wiring (thermostat wiring was not viisible).

As in line voltage thermostat using class 1 wiring??

I think I see two different red wires going down the two conduits but only one black wire, which goes down one and also comes up that one and goes down the other?
Picture is not clear to my eyes.
 

tonype

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Is the 15 amp feeding the condensing unit or is the condensing unit feeding the 15 amp?

Just looked at it again - looks like condensing unit is feeding the 15 amp breaker and then goes back inside the home after splicing into another circuit in the small box below. Unfortunately, air handler in the attic was inaccessible to look at this further.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
Just looked at it again - looks like condensing unit is feeding the 15 amp breaker and then goes back inside the home after splicing into another circuit in the small box below. Unfortunately, air handler in the attic was inaccessible to look at this further.
Just open the 15 amp breaker and see what does not work. :)
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I thought I could see an old cloth covered thermostat cable in the junction box entering the raceway to the condensing unit, looks like the white in the larger supply cable is capped, and there is likely no EGC, could have at least used the white for this as a worst case scenario. I too wondered if the condensing unit wasn't possibly supplying the 15 amp breaker. (remember down is closed on a FPE mounted in this way). Why not take the cover off the condensing unit and see where things go in there?
 
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