# fridge tripping GFI



## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Hey guys, heres the story. I am acctually building a garage for these people:laughing: but while I was there working this happened so I said ya I can take a look at it while I'm here it dosent sound to bad:laughing: Well anyway, the customers fridge keeps tripping the GFI recepticle. The HO unplugged the fridge from that circuit and plugged it into another circuit and it works fine. So I figured ok its probly a bad GFI. I swapped it out and it worked fine for a week. Now today the fridge is tripping the recepticle again. The GFI is located above the counter and the frige recept. is fed through it. I told her to call the fridge repair guy. I'm figuring it's something with that. Any ideas guys? What do you guys think?


Dave


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Is the other circuit they plugged the fridge into also GFI protected? If not, there may be a genuine problem with the fridge.

If you swapped out the GFI and it still trips, then I'd say the GFis are telling you there's truly a problem with the fridge.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

480sparky said:


> Is the other circuit they plugged the fridge into also GFI protected? If not, there may be a genuine problem with the fridge.
> 
> If you swapped out the GFI and it still trips, then I'd say the GFis are telling you there's truly a problem with the fridge.


Thanks 480, Yup thats what I was thinking too. They tried the same circuit, but not a recept. fed through the GFI and also a completly different circuit and they were fine. 


Dave


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## olyteddy (Oct 27, 2006)

Does code require a GFI on a fridge? I always wire the fridge outlet to the 'Line' side of the GFI. Lots of reasons for a fridge leaking enough to ground to trip a GFI, including the wiring to the defrost heater getting damp. It doesn't take much to trip a GFI, and compared to the potential loss of food I wouldn't plug one into a GFI.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

olyteddy said:


> Does code require a GFI on a fridge? I always wire the fridge outlet to the 'Line' side of the GFI. Lots of reasons for a fridge leaking enough to ground to trip a GFI, including the wiring to the defrost heater getting damp. It doesn't take much to trip a GFI, and compared to the potential loss of food I wouldn't plug one into a GFI.


Not if it's behind the fridge and not serving the countertop.


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## olyteddy (Oct 27, 2006)

Figured as much. Like I said, there's often enough electrical leakage in a fridge to trip one so I wouldn't plug one into a GFI.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

What you did was reasonable (changing the GFCI). Since it's still tripping, it's also reasonable to conclude that the refrigerator has more than 5 or 6 milliamps of leakage current (another term for a low-level short), and the GFCI is doing its job. This is fairly typical of an older refrigerator. A megohm meter measurement will prove this, but I don't suspect that a remodeling contractor will own that test instrument.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks olyteddy and md

I remember heard about what you guys are saying before. I know this is a different situation, but I can remember an addition I did a little while ago the HO kept tripping the arc fault breaker with her vaccuum, she ended up getting a new vacuum and all was well. No your right Md I don't own one:laughing: 


Dave


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## olyteddy (Oct 27, 2006)

Just don't 'solve it' by cutting the ground lug off the fridge's plug....


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

olyteddy said:


> Just don't 'solve it' by cutting the ground lug off the fridge's plug....


Does the "ground" actually do anything in a GFCI? :whistling


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Celtic said:


> Does the "ground" actually do anything in a GFCI? :whistling


In this case, if the fridge is leaking to ground, then yes it does. The leaking current is going to ground, bypassing the GFI sensors and causing it to trip.

Will cutting off the ground pin 'solve' the problem? Perhaps. If the fridge has an icemaker, I can see the plumbing as a path to ground. If not, then cutting off the ground pin will keep the GFI from tripping, but then create a greater shock potential.


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## wmallock (Jan 16, 2009)

in my area fridges are wired on there own circuit and don't have to be gfi as well as microwaves and washers


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

480sparky said:


> In this case, if the fridge is leaking to ground, then yes it does. *The leaking current is going to ground, bypassing the GFI sensors and causing it to trip.*
> 
> Will cutting off the ground pin 'solve' the problem? Perhaps. If the fridge has an icemaker, I can see the plumbing as a path to ground. If not, then cutting off the ground pin will keep the GFI from tripping, but then create a greater shock potential.


Is it possible the cap on the compressor is getting weak and causing more current pull hence more current to the ground causing the trip? Might be time to call in someone to check the compressor on the fridge and find out how much amperage is being used when the comprssor kicks in.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

boman47k said:


> Is it possible the cap on the compressor is getting weak and causing more current pull hence more current to the ground causing the trip? Might be time to call in someone to check the compressor on the fridge and find out how much amperage is being used when the comprssor kicks in.


 
Electricity just doesn't disappear when being used. It has to go somewhere. It either takes the normal route back on the neutral, or finds a path to ground somewhere. Either the grounded pin in the receptacle, or the icemaker water line if there is one.

If the compressor is weak, the current flow should still be balanced between the hot & neutral. If it's leaking and causing the GFI to trip, then then GFI is doing it's job.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Guaranteed that the "Trip" is on Compressor start up. 

But then again, I have seen "trips" on shut down!


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Time for a new fridge, otherwise you run the risk of neutral current flowing on the frame of your fridge if you choose to just get rid of the GFCI protection.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Magnettica said:


> Time for a new fridge, otherwise you run the risk of neutral current flowing on the frame of your fridge if you choose to just get rid of the GFCI protection.



But pain is "Such a Rush"!


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## USAF sparky (Mar 24, 2009)

I am in the middle of Iraq right now and don't have the code book handy but if I remember correctly, you do not need GFCI protection if you are 6 feet or more from the sink. I also remember something about GFCI protection being counter recommended for fridges due to the fact that a nuisance trip (it sounds like you have one) can cause you to loose hundreds of dollars in groceries.


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## USAF sparky (Mar 24, 2009)

Just make damn sure you have a good ground.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

In a dwelling kitchen, only the kitchen countertop receptacles need to be GFCI protected. 

210.8


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## te12c02w (Jun 1, 2007)

*PAT testing*

You say that they have periodic testing of both wiring and appliances in the UK. Mandated by the Queen? Local codes? Knowledgeable homeowners? Testing agency does the tests or Electricians?


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

mdshunk said:


> I hope you are aware that there are times where a refrigerator is required to be GFCI protected. A properly functioning refrigerator will not trip a GFCI. A refrigerator that trips a GFCI has an issue.


 i hade a friend move a fridge to his garage when he plug it in gfi trips so he installed regular outlet no trip, i tell him to get his meter out set to volts and go from metal skin of fridge to ground on outlet near by , 120 to ground not good reinstalled gfi and bought new fridge


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## olyteddy (Oct 27, 2006)

A typical fridge has several powered devices in wet locations. These include the defrost heater, the fan in the freezer, the ice maker, the thermostat, etc. Most of these use Molex or spade connectors and are working in a wet environment. There are also a lot of grounded metal parts so it isn't hard to get enough leakage to cause a ground fault. The most important thing to check is that any touchable metal parts are connected to the ground and if they are the leakage shouldn't be a problem (except for the GFI).


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 7, 2007)

DuMass said:


> Not necessarily.
> Actually when diagnosing motors and electrical equipment, the problem often isn’t simply a ground fault, which would indicate a solid connection to ground, so much as it is current leakage resulting in a fault to ground.
> The fault may also occur intermittently while the equipment is operating.
> Since the OP asked what might be causing the problem... this is why I gave two different examples of what could be causing an intermittent fault.


Whether high or low impedance, it is still a ground fault.
Intermittent or constant, it is still a ground fault.

I agree with the rest though. You pointed out 2 real causes of a GFCI trip.
Those intermittent ones are a pain to find sometimes.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

te12c02w said:


> You say that they have periodic testing of both wiring and appliances in the UK. Mandated by the Queen? Local codes? Knowledgeable homeowners? Testing agency does the tests or Electricians?


I asked a good friend over there about this. Though not a tradesman per se, he's very knowledgeable about most subjects:



> These days, it would be *extremely* unusual to RCD an entire building. Foolish, in fact. It was sometimes done back in the... 1950s? but for the very reason you give [major nuisance], the practice was quickly abandoned.
> 
> These days, what happens (and we're talking domestic and light business use here) is that the main feed comes onto the property and goes to a 60A (or 80A or, for a multi-occupancy house, 100A) plain ol' fuse. That can only be replaced by the electic company and is right next to the meter inside or outside the house. Then the 2 (black & red) wires go to the distribution board (also called a 'consumer unit') inside the house.
> 
> ...


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## te12c02w (Jun 1, 2007)

Tinstaafl said:


> I asked a good friend over there about this. Though not a tradesman per se, he's very knowledgeable about most subjects:


 Always interesting to learn a little about another country's practices. Thanks again.


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## hawke (Apr 8, 2009)

And of course, when the '08 NEC hits, even dedicated circuits for refrigerators in the garage will all apparently require AFCI's


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 7, 2007)

hawke said:


> And of course, when the '08 NEC hits, even dedicated circuits for refrigerators in the garage will all apparently require AFCI's


GFCIs, actually.


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