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(03-25-2019, 11:30 PM)MKepke Wrote: If the fridge was working fine on a GFCI but isn't now, time to suspect either a bad GFCI or the fridge has developed some leakage current to ground.
Especially with an older fridge. Does it have an automatic defroster?
-Mark
I plugged the fridge into another GFI thru an extension cord and it ran fine. I replaced the suspect GFI on Saturday and the new GFI tripped overnight. I plugged the fridge back into the other GFI with the extension cord again and now it trips that GFI too.
I had intended to run a dedicated line for the fridge anyway but I didn't have time this past weekend. Looks like I have to make that a priority.
The fridge does have Automatic defrost and I suspect that is causing the issue but I couldn't find any wiring in the back that looks like it goes to anything other than the compressor and fan. I was hopeful that replacing the GFI would buy me some more time...
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I don't want to sound like a broken record but how does the fridge do when it isn't plugged into a GFCI receptacle?
Is the receptacle a GFCI or is the circuit GFCI? If the receptacle itself is a GFCI, just swap it out with a non GFCI receptacle and be done with it. If the receptacle is on a GFCI circuit, remove it from that circuit or move the receptacle upstream from the GFCI receptacle on that circuit.
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(03-26-2019, 06:29 AM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: I don't want to sound like a broken record but how does the fridge do when it isn't plugged into a GFCI receptacle?
Is the receptacle a GFCI or is the circuit GFCI? If the receptacle itself is a GFCI, just swap it out with a non GFCI receptacle and be done with it. If the receptacle is on a GFCI circuit, remove it from that circuit or move the receptacle upstream from the GFCI receptacle on that circuit.
See if it trips the breaker on a non gfci circuit. Make sure it is a grounded outlet that you are doing this on. Sounds like something is getting worse in the fridge. Roly
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A little bit of dust or any dampness in the dust or maybe pet hair? can create a transient ground fault which will trip a GFCI. GFCIs are pretty sensitive, it doesn't take much. Might clean out the business end of the fridge with a vacuum..
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GFCI receptacles degrade over time and the old ones weren't great to start with. As they age they will nuisance trip more and more especially with inductive loads(motors).
The best solution is a GFI breaker as they are much more reliable and depending on the panel you have sometimes you can find breakers for almost as cheap as a GFI outlet. For me anything that is important like a fridge is always on a conventional breaker and nothing more. The first time your fridge shuts off while on vacation because it was on a GFCI you will never ever have it plugged into one again. That's an expensive and smelly problem that should never happen and a GFI on a fridge provides no safety improvement.
