Residential kitchen & GFVI protection

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rosebud

Member
I know this has gone around the table many times. I know common sense tells us not to install a residential refrigerator on a GFCI. I believe that 210.8(a) and 210.50(c) agree with this am I correct?
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
rosebud said:
I know this has gone around the table many times. I know common sense tells us not to install a residential refrigerator on a GFCI. I believe that 210.8(a) and 210.50(c) agree with this am I correct?
correct-- you do not need gfci on a residential refrigerator as long as the receptacle does not land on the counter.
 

iwire

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Location
Massachusetts
When it comes to GFCIs the NEC does not care what is getting plugged in they care where it is getting plugged in.

If the refrigerator is located in an area the NEC requires GFCI protection the refrigerator must be GFCI protected.

However the NEC currently requires only the receptacles 'serving counter tops' to be GFCI protected in dwelling unit kitchens.

The refrigerator outlet behind the refrigerator does not serve the counter top so it is not required to be GFCI protected.
 

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
rosebud said:
I know common sense tells us not to install a residential refrigerator on a GFCI.
I used to think the same thing, until I started megger checking refrigerators and freezers that were nuisance tripping GFCI's. Such equipment always shows a genuine problem when you check it with a megger (insulation breakdown inside the hermetic compressor). Check it out....
 

M. D.

Senior Member
I agree with Bob , if the recep. outlet used for the refer. is serving the counter as well, it must be GFCI protected , if the refer.is located within six feet of a wet bar or utility sink it must be GFCI protected. The NEC does not care what is attached, rather the location of whatever it is that is being connected through the attachment.
 

ryan_618

Senior Member
We need to be a bit careful here though. If this is in fact a kitchen, then the above replies are spot on. If, however, it is not a kitchen but a wet bar with a fridge, GFCI protection would be required for all 125V receptacles within 6' of the sink.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
ryan_618 said:
We need to be a bit careful here though. If this is in fact a kitchen, then the above replies are spot on. If, however, it is not a kitchen but a wet bar with a fridge, GFCI protection would be required for all 125V receptacles within 6' of the sink.
Read the title it says residential kitchen and GFCI
 

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
ryan_618 said:
I realize that. I often find while inspecting, however, that electricians follow the rules for kitchens when installing wet bars.
Sorry--- I guess since I always forget to read the title I thought maybe you missed it. Dang ,, that was probably the first one I read, too.
 
Ryan ,, I hate to step in on this part but i will like to clearify this a little with this real quick,

when did the code change related to the kitchen gfci and refigrators requirements ?? i try to find in the code book but i think i did miss it by mistake [ after all i did took the Europan code test not too long ago that is diffrent ball park to play around and diffrent story there :D]

if i rember old code it used to be 6 feet away from edge of sink but current code say all countertop area must have gfci if that correct ??


thank again ,

Marc
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
frenchelectrican said:
current code say all countertop area must have gfci if that correct ??

Hi Marc, yes that is correct.

Dwelling unit kitchens must have GFCI protection for any 125 volt 15 or 20 amp receptacle that supplies a counter-top.

Commercial kitchens must have GFCI protection for all 125 volt 15 and 20 amp receptacles regardless of what they supply or where they are located. There are no exceptions to this rule.
 
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