- Location
- Massachusetts
Refrigerator on the garage GFI circuit
- Thread starter James S.
- Start date
- Status
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
The mentioning of SABC's kind of led most of us to thinking it was in the kitchen, but yes OP did not outright say it was in the kitchen either.
James S.
Senior Member
- Location
- Mesa, Arizona
Wow, step away for a day and look at you guys. 
Ok, so here is some clarification. Working to relocate the garage gfci device (and some wiring on a bedroom circuit) I inadvertently discovered that the refrigerator in the kitchen was on the load side of the garage gfi circuit. The kitchen is halfway across the house from the garage. I didn't realize that you could use a 15 amp dedicated circuit for the fridge in the kitchen. That is where I was mystified at how such a glaring mistake could go unnoticed. I figured someone should have noticed white wire insted of yellow going into a kitchen outlet.
What I believe happened is that they were going to run that dedicated 15 amp circuit to the fridge and got their wires mixed up. It happens. When I found the mistake I told the homeowner that it was wrong but not a really big deal, (in my opinion there isn't a safety issue) but they should let the builder know. He said his customer service rep was already scheduled to come out to the house this Monday and would mention it to him. I did him one better and called his service rep myself. I used to work for the builder as a superintendent and know the service rep. I gave him a heads up on what I was doing out there and what I found out.
My real concern was that the EC would come out and poke his head up in the attic and see the J-box I put there and try to blame me or void the warranty. I also worked for the EC a while back and know the guy that would most likely come out to the house and he is notorious for trying to weasel out of things. I even offered to come out and meet with everyone if needed. Remember that the homeowner is MY customer and its in my best interest to make sure he knows I am on his side.
Worst case scenario I will fix the problem for him at no cost. One of the kitchen gfi's is right next to the fridge and it wouldn't take much to add one behind the fridge on the line side of that gfi.
Ok, so here is some clarification. Working to relocate the garage gfci device (and some wiring on a bedroom circuit) I inadvertently discovered that the refrigerator in the kitchen was on the load side of the garage gfi circuit. The kitchen is halfway across the house from the garage. I didn't realize that you could use a 15 amp dedicated circuit for the fridge in the kitchen. That is where I was mystified at how such a glaring mistake could go unnoticed. I figured someone should have noticed white wire insted of yellow going into a kitchen outlet.
What I believe happened is that they were going to run that dedicated 15 amp circuit to the fridge and got their wires mixed up. It happens. When I found the mistake I told the homeowner that it was wrong but not a really big deal, (in my opinion there isn't a safety issue) but they should let the builder know. He said his customer service rep was already scheduled to come out to the house this Monday and would mention it to him. I did him one better and called his service rep myself. I used to work for the builder as a superintendent and know the service rep. I gave him a heads up on what I was doing out there and what I found out.
My real concern was that the EC would come out and poke his head up in the attic and see the J-box I put there and try to blame me or void the warranty. I also worked for the EC a while back and know the guy that would most likely come out to the house and he is notorious for trying to weasel out of things. I even offered to come out and meet with everyone if needed. Remember that the homeowner is MY customer and its in my best interest to make sure he knows I am on his side.
Worst case scenario I will fix the problem for him at no cost. One of the kitchen gfi's is right next to the fridge and it wouldn't take much to add one behind the fridge on the line side of that gfi.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Wow, step away for a day and look at you guys.
That is the price you have to pay for starting a conversation here and then don't continue to be a part of it, even if only for a relatively short time. If facts are missing we are very good at filling the blanks with our own facts:happyyes:
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Maybe it's me but this doesn't seem like a great solution. If nothing is plugged into the garage GFCI receptacle the refrig is on a 15 amp circuit by itself. Adding a new refrig receptacle by connecting it to an existing SABC isn't much better than what you have now.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
If the house is only a month old, I see no reason what-so-ever that you should fix the problem on your dime. Even if you are trying to build a relationship with the HO. You are trying to help them rectify the problem and that should be enough to let them know you are on their side.
Side note: I can see an inspector easily missing this if the garage was on the load side of the GFCI, but not if the fridge is on the load side of the garage.
Most likely though, he tripped the counter GFCIs and only checked the receps that might have been on the load side of them, then didn't check the fridge assuming it was also on the load from the counter.
Or maybe the panel is marked fridge and he flipped the breaker and it worked the recep at the fridge and didn't notice it also worked the garage.
He probably just tripped the GFCI in the garage to check it.
Just MPO, but either way, he totally missed the boat on it.
Side note: I can see an inspector easily missing this if the garage was on the load side of the GFCI, but not if the fridge is on the load side of the garage.
Most likely though, he tripped the counter GFCIs and only checked the receps that might have been on the load side of them, then didn't check the fridge assuming it was also on the load from the counter.
Or maybe the panel is marked fridge and he flipped the breaker and it worked the recep at the fridge and didn't notice it also worked the garage.
He probably just tripped the GFCI in the garage to check it.
Just MPO, but either way, he totally missed the boat on it.
growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
This is my opinion.
An inspector doesn't have to check everything in a house it's not even possible with the time allowed for an inspection.
It's the ECs responsibility to make sure the job is code compliant. The inspector then checks a few things at random because the EC never knows what the inspector may notice.
How can anyone install a receptacle for a refrigerator and not know where it's being fed from? If they are working to fast or are to dumb to know that's still the contractors responsibility.
An electrical inspection is cursory at best.
growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
It's legal as a minimum code requirement and probably all that will get done by the GCs punch-out guy or the EC if the can find him.
I would ask the GC if he wouldn't kick in a few bucks and then let the homeowner kick in the rest for a dedicated refrigerator circuit.
James S.
Senior Member
- Location
- Mesa, Arizona
My issue with this is that the fridge is on the load side. Adding an outlet for the fridge off the sabc would solve that and still be to code.
In Arizona, until recently, you couldn't get power turned on until after the final inspection. And in the few cases when temp power was on for the final inspection I have never seen an inspector with even a plug tester.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
And yet not one person suggested that you could just come off of the line side of the GFCI. Either on the SABC or the garage.
James S.
Senior Member
- Location
- Mesa, Arizona
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
How can the kitchen refrigerator be on a 15 amp circuit with the garage receptacle?
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
As described by the OP.
GFCIs have proven themselves enough that a refrigerator being on the load side of a GFCI is for the most part a non issue.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Actually, I did.
Well there ya go the two best answers of the day.:lol:
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
A kitchen refrigerator is required to be on either a SABC or if it's a 15 amp circuit then it must be a individual branch circuit. I don't see how switching it to the line side of the garage GFCI will make it code compliant.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
It doesn't, but if a circuit for the refrigerator ended up in the garage, maybe it was just supposed to be spliced through or something.
The OP says that he has a receptacle in the kitchen right next to where the fridge is.
So there ya go, fridge is no longer on a GFCI.
- Status