Can 12,000 btu portable AC be used w/ old 30A main fuse electrical system?

[pwanghk]

Greetings:

I have a 4 rooms (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) in a apartment complex, 2nd floor. My living room is about 23'x13', bedroom is about 15'x11'. The ceiling height is about 7.6'. The 30A main fuse directly under the meter. There are two other 20A circuit braker fuses in the apartment. Currently I have 2 x 5000 btu window unit AC running 24x7 and my living room temperature is about 82° while the outside temperature is about 92°. My plasma TV consumes about 500W, microwave 1.15kW. With both AC, PC, TV, fridge and lights (all lights 11x23w or partial 5x23w CFL) on, I am able to use the microwave for a short period of time (minute or 2) without blowing the main fuse off. I have intention to replace the 5000 btu in the living room with a 12,000 btu (~1500W) portable with casters type. Do you think the 30A fuse will be able to handle the load when the TV, bedroom AC, and lights (5x23w) are on?

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

[Gus-Herb94]

Wow, that sounds like an electrical nightmare in that place.

[Mr Chesapeake]

Sounds like someone is going to burn down their apartment complex...

[beenthere]

No. It will probably blow the fuse when the 12,000 tries to start.

[VTP99]

Greetings:

I have a 4 rooms (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) in a apartment complex, 2nd floor. My living room is about 23'x13', bedroom is about 15'x11'. The ceiling height is about 7.6'. The 30A main fuse directly under the meter. There are two other 20A circuit braker fuses in the apartment. Currently I have 2 x 5000 btu window unit AC running 24x7 and my living room temperature is about 82° while the outside temperature is about 92°. My plasma TV consumes about 500W, microwave 1.15kW. With both AC, PC, TV, fridge and lights (all lights 11x23w or partial 5x23w CFL) on, I am able to use the microwave for a short period of time (minute or 2) without blowing the main fuse off. I have intention to replace the 5000 btu in the living room with a 12,000 btu (~1500W) portable with casters type. Do you think the 30A fuse will be able to handle the load when the TV, bedroom AC, and lights (5x23w) are on?

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Is that 30amp 120 or 240 volt ? How could a 30amp main serve two 20amps ?

[pecmsg]

Greetings:

I have a 4 rooms (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) in a apartment complex, 2nd floor. My living room is about 23'x13', bedroom is about 15'x11'. The ceiling height is about 7.6'. The 30A main fuse directly under the meter. There are two other 20A circuit braker fuses in the apartment. Currently I have 2 x 5000 btu window unit AC running 24x7 and my living room temperature is about 82° while the outside temperature is about 92°. My plasma TV consumes about 500W, microwave 1.15kW. With both AC, PC, TV, fridge and lights (all lights 11x23w or partial 5x23w CFL) on, I am able to use the microwave for a short period of time (minute or 2) without blowing the main fuse off. I have intention to replace the 5000 btu in the living room with a 12,000 btu (~1500W) portable with casters type. Do you think the 30A fuse will be able to handle the load when the TV, bedroom AC, and lights (5x23w) are on?



Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Buy better Fire Insurance.

[pdrake65]

Time for an electrical upgrade.
Fuses blow for a reason.

[Home&Marine]

No. It will probably blow the fuse when the 12,000 tries to start.

I bet you are already over 20 amps without the microwave spike and adding another 12.5 amps and "Snap Crackle POP" goes the Circuit Protection. You're going to be pushing it if you just wanted to add a Third 5,000 btu. The kicker is when the compressors start the amps can tipple for a few seconds.


OUCH! Sorry.

[Gus-Herb94]

I can't possibly imagine an apartment wired like that one is described unless it were last wired in 1920...

[beenthere]

I can't possibly imagine an apartment wired like that one is described unless it were last wired in 1920...

Still run into them a fair amount of the time here.

Love it when they call to have their new window unit checked because it keeps blowing the fuses.

[Mr Chesapeake]

No. It will probably blow the fuse when the 12,000 tries to start.

Then they start doing stupid stuff like this...

[secorp]

Greetings:

I have a 4 rooms (living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom) in a apartment complex, 2nd floor. My living room is about 23'x13', bedroom is about 15'x11'. The ceiling height is about 7.6'. The 30A main fuse directly under the meter. There are two other 20A circuit braker fuses in the apartment. Currently I have 2 x 5000 btu window unit AC running 24x7 and my living room temperature is about 82° while the outside temperature is about 92°. My plasma TV consumes about 500W, microwave 1.15kW. With both AC, PC, TV, fridge and lights (all lights 11x23w or partial 5x23w CFL) on, I am able to use the microwave for a short period of time (minute or 2) without blowing the main fuse off. I have intention to replace the 5000 btu in the living room with a 12,000 btu (~1500W) portable with casters type. Do you think the 30A fuse will be able to handle the load when the TV, bedroom AC, and lights (5x23w) are on?

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

No

[Mission10]

Use what is recommended for that breaker. Do not size up the fuse to handle more power or you will end up with a bad situation. You are drawing too much current that's why the fuse keeps blowing.