I hope someone with knowledge about drum type copy machines can respond. The unit in question states on the nameplate, Amps: 10 max. Problem is the breaker trips when the machine is on but not in use. A monitor revealed that every so often the machine would spike up to twenty amps while idle. I theorize this is the machine keeping itself warmed up while on standby. Is this a normal feature of a drum copier? (The 20 amps must be inrush. There is also a refigerator, cofee maker and computer on the 15 amp circuit, so I know it's overloaded, but I want to confirm the copier is acting normally. I have already contracted to run a new 20 amp circuit to the copier.
Thanks, Brian

I dont know if the spike you see is normal, but everytime I install a copier, the copier company requires a dedicated 20A circuit.

These things have halogen bulbs in them to heat the fuser and they do have a big inrush.
I think you did answer your own question with the fridge and coffee pot on the same circuit tho. Does it ever trip at night when the coffee pot is off?

Yes as I said I know the circuit is overloaded and I know what needs to be done, but I wanted to confirm the copier is acting as it should. I don't want to sell them a new circuit only to have it blow the new breaker, then they will think I sold them a job they didn't need. I thought about the coffee machine but they said they never use the warmers and the machine is off fairly early in the day and the breaker still trips. It's probably the big side by side fridge along with the copier.

You could temporarily move the copier or fridge to another circuit with a fat commercial extension cord. If there is some kind of short in the copier it should still trip. I would expect the copier to have some internal supplimental O/C protection which would open with a short tho.

Being that those big side by side fridges typically draw between 9 to 10 amps I'd say that the circuit is just overloaded. Additionally, those fridges have induction motors so there is also a signifigant inrush current there too.

Yes, that type of cyclic current draw is a standard feature of most older copiers and laser printers.

The culprit isn't the copy drum, but the fuser assembly. This is a teflon-coated roller that is kept heated by a large quartz-halogen lamp, and used to seal the toner image onto the paper. The lamp is cycled on and off as needed to keep the fuser hot. The lamp can be up to 1000W in size, so it draws a substantial amount of power, which can cause problems for other equipment on the circuit.

Copiers really need a dedicated circuit.

While I agree that another circuit will solve the problem ...

I think the copier may also have a problem. The spike should be near the nameplate amps.

BigB, The first rule of trouble-shooting. Solve the problems that you know about. You know that the circuit is overloaded. You know that a coppier requires a 20 amp. dedicated circuit. You install said 20 Amp. circuit and that is where your responsibilities as an electrician end. If they still have problems it's time to call a repairman. I worked on those machines when I was young and I can tell you without the proper manuals and training that if you attempt to correct problems with the equipment that you will do more harm than good. Those machines require peroidic maintenance anyway.

you could have a bad breaker, in addition to the prior mention of a need for a dedicated circuit.after tripping and resetting numerious times, they will trip with a small inrush

If this a commercial location, there shouldn't be any 15-amp circuits. If residential, this sounds like a kitchen, these are kitchen appliances, and should be on 20-amp circuits anyway.

I'd specify at least two new circuits: one for the copier aznd one for the appliances. The computer should be separated from these appliances anyway, and a 15-amp circuit is plenty for it.

YMMV

Thanks for all the great replies The building is an old house that is being used as an office for ajoining apartment units. What I have decided to do is run two circuits, one for the coffee maker and one for the copier. I had ruled out the coffee maker because they said it happens when it is not being used, then I remembered these coffee makers hold a quantity of hot water which they re-heat periodically. Since I can't spend a lot of investigative time there and the request was to make the circuit stop tripping I think the two circuits is the way to go.

I would probably run 3 circuits, one for the copier, one for the fridge, and one for the coffee maker.. leaving the 15 amp circuit for general utility use.