My outside RUUD a/c unit will not come on.

Sounds like a short to ground problem with either the motor windings shorting to ground or a high voltage wire shorting.

Hello Jack,

Let me see if I have this right. Your heat pump keeps triping the breaker that is going to your airhandler. The Heatpump is on its on breaker and can not trip the breaker on your air-handler. However, the 40 amp breaker is to you heat pump its self (the outside unit). The thermstat is not the porblem as all it does is call for heat or cool. The problem can be one or a cobination of three things the contactor, the run capcitor or the breaker is weak.

The first thing I would do is replace the breaker as if it has tripped more than twice it needs to be replaced. Then I would look at the contactor, it is located underneath the service panel it will have some low voltage wires on the sides and a black and white wire running to it from the disconect box. If you notice the contacts are chared (little copper points in the middle of the contactor) I would replace it. If the contactor looks good I would remove the capcitor (carefully not to touch to contacts at once as they hold a charge) and take if to the local parts house and have it tested.

I hope that I have asnwered you question and you are able to take care of the problem. Thank you for using FIxya and do not hesitate to ask more questions.

Justin

Dear Friend!

Due to very low ambient temp, the fan will not run. Once the pressure build up, it's automatically run for some time and again cut off. But if you keep Heat mode and still tem not raised in your room means the reversable valve not working and hence the compressor and out side fan also will not work. Keep "Heat" mode and temp setting +29 to get better heat. Hope is it helpful?

The compressor is probably drawing to many amps. Breaker could be weak also.. Need to check the amp draw on the compressor.

If the breaker is hot when it blows, the compressor is probably going bad.

Most heat pump systems utilize electric strip heaters as back-up and emergency heat. This will allow the system to continue to produce heat in the event of heat pump failure. If you are having problems getting your heat pump to turn on, you might have a blown line voltage fuse, a tripped circuit breaker, or a high pressure switch tripped. The high pressure switch on a Rheem or Ruud unit is a red button located near the service valves at the outdoor unit. Try pushing the button to reset. Check your indoor air filter and replace as necessary.
I hope you find this helpful. If you continue to experience problems, please let us know and we will dig deeper to help you. :-)

Sounds like the breaker is doing it's job. Stopping an over amping condition. You need to find out what the breaker is feeding power to. If it is the outdoor unit or the indoor unit. Also, the wire used has to be sized to the breaker otherwise, it will burn inside the walls and start a fire! Both the indoor and outdoor units should have tags or lables stating what the required amount of power is required. Better not let them do anything else untill you get more info. Sounds very dangerous to me but, I'm not there seeing what's going on.
Hope this helps!

compressor is probably bad. disconnect it tape the wires off and start unit. if breaker doesnt trip it is the compressor. 

Check your wiring between the contactor and compressor for a short to ground, or check the compressor windings for short to ground.
With the Tstat off, the contactor should be open so the only way for the compressor to be trying to do anything is if the 110 volts from the unbroken side are traveling through the compressor to ground. Since 110v is not enough to run it, the overload is kicking it out, cooling off, and repeating the cycle. When you kick on the Tstat, the contactor is supplying voltage directly to ground without going through the resistence of the compressor windings and kicking the breaker.
Post back and let me know what you find.

If your unit is blowing heat inside and it's not a heat pump. It will be most likely electric heat in your case.
Sounds like you have a split unit meaning the condenser is outside and the cooling and the heat features are inside or under your home.If your Rudd is a heat-pump the outside unit will cycle/blow cold air outside in winter and hot air will cycle/blow outside during the summer season. Now, if for some reason the heat  is not coming on inside the house, would be the only reason that you would need to be concerned. Being a heat relay or breaker of could cause that problem. Hope this helps you, Sea Breeze 

If the breaker itself is more than 15 years old, replace it. If it continues to switch off, check the amp draw of both the inside and outside unit.