I have an old home with ungrounded sockets. I hooked up my fridge to a portable GFCI plug, and in the last 3 months, the fridge has tripped the circuit. Both times, the fridge works fine when I reset it...so I'm assuming the fridge is OK. What else would cause the fridge to trip the plug?
I am pretty sure the GFCI plugs instructions say not to use them on refrigerators.
A refrigerator/freezer should NOT be plugged into a GFCI outlet!!!!!!!!
Most don't.
A fridge should NOT trip a GFCI.
If it does it's for the same reason anything else would: there is a leakage path between the current carrying wires (including neutral) and "ground."
I had an old "frostless" fridge that tripped a GFCI. Turns out that during defrost and water from the melting ice got onto the wires leading to the quartz bulb that served as the defrost heater.
If you have an ungrounded outlet, it's not a bad idea to protect yourself with the GFCI. But you also should uncover what's causing the trip because whatever is causing the trip can, with an ungrounded appliance, give you an electric shock.
Note that appliance like toasters and toaster overs would likely trip a GFCI often. I surprised folks don't get shocked with them more often. Perhaps they get "warning" shocks. It takes at least 10 times the current that trips a GFCI to be a true safely hazard.
Each one has to decide on his own whether to put certain appliances on a GFCI. Something in a kitchen that you check several times a day? Yep!
If I had a freezer in the garage I would say, NO.
>
..............................................................................................................
Agree: Don't. Assuming it is standard fridge with a motor/compressor; that is general advice here and elsewhere.
Since the so called GFCIs work on the unblance of current between live and neutral it may trip especially as the fridge motor starts. Same thing for freezers.
But question: Why, if the house not equipped with even grounded outlets would one plug a fridge into a 'portable GFCI'. Was the OP attempting to overcome some other perceived or actual problem?
If, for example there was some slight leakage to the metal frame of the fridge, would it not be best to arrange some sort of ground for that one item and hide the extra wiring (to say a grounded water pipe etc. etc.) behind the fridge. Such leakage unlikely (although we had a dryer that went that way one time; it turned out to be a broken ground connection). But if really noticeable could be an incipient fault and/ or inherent capacitance between wiring, internal parts of the motor/ compressor and the frame/casing?
Curious!
I suggest you run a new line to the frig. It should not be GFI protected. I suggest that it is a good idea to have a device on the same circuit that would give you notice if the power when out, like a light that you regularly used. That can avoid a total loss of food if the power to that circuit goes out.
Old refrigerators develop internal ground faults in the compressor. The GFCI is doing it's job. If you do decide to skip the GFCI be very sure you connect it to a grounded receptacle so the internal short is only wasting you money and not giving you a touch hazard.
- I suggest that it is a good idea to have a device on the same circuit that would give you notice if the power when out
I have 4 such devices on the same circuit as my fridge - Mark, Steven, Erin & Katie. Trust me, if the fridge wasn't working, they'd let me know. Sometimes these devices even leave the door open so I can make sure the light inside the fridge is working. They're such considerate devices.
It is highly advised NOT to use a GFCI for refrigerators. This is no secret.
funny
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.