Is it normal for a 20 amp breaker to get warm to the touch?

Question

Here goes i had my window unit cleaned and when i went to pug it

back in i noticed the plug was slightly melted around the 2 flat prongs.

I had bought a box of recepticles because some had gotten to where the plugs would fall out and decided to replace the one for the ac when i seen that.

After pulling the old recepticle out the screws for the white and ground wire were loose to say the least.

The white wires were missing the casing about 2 inches worth had melted off.

After 3 layers of heat shrink and a new recepticle the plug is not warm but now the 20 amp breaker in the breaker box is really warm.

Will the fact that the wire got that hot affect this cause i would have trimed the wire back but i would have to dismantle the wall it is very short.

Is it possible the breaker needs replacing as well?

The unit is a small single room unit in my bedroom i also have a big one in the living room on a different curcuit and the breaker for it does not get warm.

Answer 1

shut off the breaker and re-seat it, make sure the s***w holding the wire is tight, warm is ok, hot is not, .... if its still hot and you got the money,get a new breaker, all electrical connections should be TIGHT

Answer 2

I bet your AC is sharing power with other things. that would get the breaker warmer than usual.

If your AC draws more than 10 amps consider isolating the circuit.

Answer 3

How old is the wiring? when was the structure built? A breaker that is warm to the touch means it is drawing alot of power then it should AC's draw a lot of power "as in amps" what else do you have plugged in that is on that line? trun things off that is on that same circuit.

If the wire gets to hot

IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE?

"not if WILL"

the tell tail sign that to much power is a warm breaker that circuit breaker should be cool to the touch!

Answer 4

First, when wires are loose the voltage will push more current to keep the appliance running, which will create heat, and melting of insulation etc, next, is the wire applicable to the breaker size, and warm is ok, the breaker will trip if overloaded, it is probably right on the verge, 15amp breaker for 14ga wire, 20amp/12ga, figure your amps from your unit, if you have a 20 amp breaker on 14ga wire, the wire will overheat like a toaster element before the breaker trips, (over protection) which will burn your house /apartment down.

Answer 5

Nothing like that should get hot. Please call an electrician and have it fixed quickly.

Answer 6

call to electrician,it is not ok

Answer 7

I assume the wire you have is romex, other the wire is probably in a conduit and if you have to, pull new wire.

make sure the wire is the correct size for the load it carries.

make sure all the connections are tight.  and the breaker may get hot if the load is near the trip point. but more likely the breaker is going bad.. I think you should replace the breaker.

if you have an amp probe, you could measure the amperage and if its well below 20 amps then definitely replace the breaker.