Fridge pops GFI
#21
(03-18-2019, 01:52 PM)carwashguy Wrote: I bought the fridge new when I bought the house and has been working without issue for all of this time.  Fridge is dated 5-2002.  House was built 1962.  
I have intended to put the fridge on it's own circuit for a long time, just haven't got around to it yet.  I think that may be my project for tonight!
I'm going to pug the fridge into an extension cord into a non GFI outlet for now just to see if it pops the breaker.

My wife is still searching the internet for the perfect fridge to replace this one..."It's 17 years old, I don't know why you want to fix it."

Also plug it in to another gfci to see if it trips if it does not trip a circuit breaker when you plug it into a Grounded non gfci.   Roly
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#22
My in-laws had the same issue.  They moved to a different house, and got a new fridge.  They wanted to put the existing fridge in the garage for soda/beer...etc.  Kept tripping the gfi out there.  I used an ext cord and put on a non gfi (garage door opener) and light came on, but no condenser.  I'm trying to remember what they did (i know ultimately they got rid of the fridge), but i seem to recall maybe it was loaded with dust bunnies and such in the back-- try getting a compressor and clean it out.

Colin
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#23
I've been running it on an extension cord to another GFI on a different circuit,  been running fine for a couple of days.  I am going to replace the faulty GFI and it is on my short list to run a dedicated line for the fridge.
Thanks for all of the help on this!  I probably wouldn't have suspected the GFI being the issue.
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#24
GFI's are so danm sensitive they are always the first thing I swap out when there is a problem, especially if it's an old one.

IMO, anything that keeps food cold/frozen should not be on a GFI, sooner or later you WILL get an appliance full of rotten stinking food.

Ed
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#25
(03-20-2019, 08:02 PM)carwashguy Wrote: I've been running it on an extension cord to another GFI on a different circuit,  been running fine for a couple of days.  I am going to replace the faulty GFI and it is on my short list to run a dedicated line for the fridge.
Thanks for all of the help on this!  I probably wouldn't have suspected the GFI being the issue.

Glad that is all it was, but with the age of the refrigerator I would be thinking about a new box in the near future.    But on the other hand my grandmothers old Ge box from the 60's keeps going as a downstairs refrigerator.   Roly
As a side note I don't put the refrigerator on a gfci but I do add a surge arrester to the outlet. The new boxes are all electronic control and more sensitive to surges)
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#26
(03-20-2019, 08:11 PM)EdL Wrote: IMO, anything that keeps food cold/frozen should not be on a GFI, sooner or later you WILL get an appliance full of rotten stinking food.

I agree.  The NEC as of the 1999 cycle requires GFCI protection for counter top receptacles, but presumably not the other receptacles in the kitchen, pantry, dining room, etc. (which are supposed to be on one of the SABCs, but not 'installed to serve the counter surfaces'), and specifically states that the fridge can be on a 15A or 20A individual branch circuit.  If that circuit isn't serving a counter surface, which it wouldn't by definition, then there's no requirement for it to be on a GFCI.*  But again, that's per the 1999 cycle.  I could be wrong on this.

Garages and basements, however, have changed.  Receptacles on the garage ceiling and behind refrigerators and such are no longer exempted and need to be GFCI.  Or AFCI.*  Personally I think it's overreach for a garage door opener to be on a GFCI, especially when the jist of the GFCI rules were aimed at the likelihood of touching a hot prong while on a dirt or concrete or otherwise wet floor or near wet grounded objects like sinks, but that's how it's written, so that's what it is.*

*May be a requirement now for AFCI, but I haven't been keeping up.  
No
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
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#27
(03-21-2019, 09:16 AM)TDKPE Wrote: I agree.  The NEC as of the 1999 cycle requires GFCI protection for counter top receptacles, but presumably not the other receptacles in the kitchen, pantry, dining room, etc. (which are supposed to be on one of the SABCs, but not 'installed to serve the counter surfaces'), and specifically states that the fridge can be on a 15A or 20A individual branch circuit.  If that circuit isn't serving a counter surface, which it wouldn't by definition, then there's no requirement for it to be on a GFCI.*  But again, that's per the 1999 cycle.  I could be wrong on this.

Garages and basements, however, have changed.  Receptacles on the garage ceiling and behind refrigerators and such are no longer exempted and need to be GFCI.  Or AFCI.*  Personally I think it's overreach for a garage door opener to be on a GFCI, especially when the jist of the GFCI rules were aimed at the likelihood of touching a hot prong while on a dirt or concrete or otherwise wet floor or near wet grounded objects like sinks, but that's how it's written, so that's what it is.*

*May be a requirement now for AFCI, but I haven't been keeping up.  
No

The garage door opener receptacles was changed because people are plugging in those retractable cord reels which have outlets on them.    Another point is the gfci must be accessible. If I had one located behind the refrigerator and it tripped the wife could not be able to move the fridge by herself.   I am not up on AFCI  requirements.   Roly
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#28
If the receptacle for the garage openers is located on the ceiling, it doesn't have to be GFCI circuit. I usually see the opener receptacle on the same breaker as the garage lights.

Finished basements and finished areas in the basement don't require GFCI, only unfinished areas and one at the main service panel.

The only requirement for GFCI circuits in the kitchen and are over countertops. Generally, a county electric inspector will interpret that as the countertop with a sink in it, no matter how far the sink is from the GFCI circuit. Some inspectors want to see them over all countertops... so I guess it's a gray area, even with them.

I inspect brand new homes for clients, often there are no appliances installed yet. Don't think I've ever seen a GFCI circuit behind the refrigerator location.

You can use a 15 amp rated receptacle on a 20 amp breaker and 12 gauge wire in a Kitchen.
Neil Summers Home Inspections




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#29
(03-21-2019, 05:04 PM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: If the receptacle for the garage openers is located on the ceiling, it doesn't have to be GFCI circuit. I usually see the opener receptacle on the same breaker as the garage lights.

Finished basements and finished areas in the basement don't require GFCI, only unfinished areas and one at the main service panel.

The only requirement for GFCI circuits in the kitchen and are over countertops. Generally, a county electric inspector will interpret that as the countertop with a sink in it, no matter how far the sink is from the GFCI circuit. Some inspectors want to see them over all countertops... so I guess it's a gray area, even with them.

I inspect brand new homes for clients, often there are no appliances installed yet. Don't think I've ever seen a GFCI circuit behind the refrigerator location.

You can use a 15 amp rated receptacle on a 20 amp breaker and 12 gauge wire in a Kitchen.

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
Personnel. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for
personnel shall be provided as required in 210.8(A) through
©. The ground-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in
a readily accessible location. [ROP-2–27a]
Informational Note: See 215.9 for ground-fault circuitinterrupter
protection for personnel on feeders.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and
20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
210.8(A)(1) through (10) shall have ground-fault circuitinterrupter
protection for personnel. [ROP 2–47]
(1) Bathrooms
(2) Garages, and also accessory buildings that have a
floor located at or below grade level not intended as
habitable rooms and limited to storage areas, work
areas, and areas of similar use
(3) Outdoors  ... etc
                             
The kick is it is not considered accessible but is required to be gfci so if it is not on a gfci breaker they feed it off of a gfci receptacle at a convenient location if the 2014 code is in effect in your area.  Another gray area as far as inspectors.    Roly
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#30
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
If I had a signature, this wouldn't be it.
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