What size breaker 230V window AC unit.

[AZgunslinger]

I'm about to purchase a 230V window a/c unit and I'm confused what size breaker I need.
This is the specs from the unit:

• Amps (Cool): 10.8/11.8
• Plug Type: LCDI 6-20P
• Horsepower (Cool): 3.25
• Voltage Rating: 230V / 208V 60Hz
• Power Cord Length: 5' (6')
• Watts (Cool): 2425/ 239

The "10.8/11.8 amps" surely means per leg and 23.6 in total?
So my main question is do I need a 2 pole 15amp breaker or do I need a 2 pole 30amp breaker?

The outlet for the AC unit will be from a sub panel that's fed from my main panel 80 feet away and wired with 10 AWG copper. Do I use same size breaker in the main.

 

[Reach4]

So my main question is do I need a 2 pole 15amp breaker

I think you need a a 2-pole 20 amp breaker, run with 12 gauge wire feeding the NEMA 6-20 amp socket that that plug plugs into.

Probably a 15 amp breaker would carry the load.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Stuff]

6-20P is a 20 amp plug that would go into a 20 amp receptacle. That needs to be on a 20 amp breaker. Then as Reach4 stated, 12 gauge wire is all that is needed. 12-2 w/ground

 

[AZgunslinger]

Thanks for the answers!

 

[WorthFlorida]

The breaker requirement is only dictated by the wire size. If you have to run a new line always use 12 gauge 20 amp as a minimum for a 220v circuit.

 

[Stuff]

"10.8/11.8 amps" means that the unit will draw different amperage depending on the voltage supplied. As the other line states it will operate on 230 or 208 ("normal" residential is 240 which is correct for 230 device).

WorthFlorida - Since this is a 240v load without a neutral the amperage will be the same for both legs.

Yes, you can technically put a double pole 15amp breaker on this as it would be a single receptacle on an individual branch circuit (nothing else on the same breaker). However standard practice is to upside the wire size to 12 gauge and breaker to 20 amps to allow for the a/c to be swapped with a bigger unit in the future.

 

[Jadnashua]

The thing has a 20A plug on it...run a 20A circuit to be proper. Using the 80% rule, it would be very close to a 15A circuit, which is probably why they chose a 20A one in case you had a brownout, and the current rose above the nominal values when ideal. To get the same power, when the voltage drops, the current rises.