Thanks to @P2000 I dare say the problem is fixed.

Asking the right question - in this case "what make/model are your circuit breakers" is what led to the answer - a standard breaker was inappropriate for such a large inductive load. After replacing it with a "high magnetic" breaker it hasn't tripped once. I did not know such breakers existed. If @P2000 hadn't asked I would not have investigated.

Since I have no way to accurately measure current that large the reason the previous breaker did not trip when the compressor was farther away from it can only be assumed: I surmise the motor can draw more current from the shorter run than it could from the longer run; a difference of perhaps twenty feet. The problem was that the breaker wouldn't let it.

Total cost to fix: $10 for the right breaker.

Thanks to @ThreePhaseEel I dare say the problem is fixed.

Asking the right question - in this case "what make/model are your circuit breakers" is what led to the answer - a standard breaker was inappropriate for such a large inductive load. After replacing it with a "high magnetic" breaker it hasn't tripped once. I did not know such breakers existed. If @ThreePhaseEel hadn't asked I would not have investigated.

Since I have no way to accurately measure current that large the reason the previous breaker did not trip when the compressor was farther away from it can only be assumed: I surmise the motor can draw more current from the shorter run than it could from the longer run; a difference of perhaps twenty feet. The problem was that the breaker wouldn't let it.

Total cost to fix: $10 for the right breaker.