GFCI for refrigerator

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JDB3

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I was listening to one of those home improvement shows and a question was about the residential refrigerator tripping the circuit breaker. The host said that in the 2008 code, GFCI protection was required. Am I missing something?
 
No. Only GFCI'd receptacles that are required in the kitchen are the ones serving the coutertop. A fridge recpt. does not serve a countertop.
 
JDB3 said:
I was listening to one of those home improvement shows and a question was about the residential refrigerator tripping the circuit breaker. The host said that in the 2008 code, GFCI protection was required. Am I missing something?
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The host is wrong there is an exception for refrigerators. 210.52 (B)(1)
 
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Npstewart said:
If the fridge is within 6' of a sink, I think it needs it.
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Nope, it does not unless the receptacle is on top of the counter and the refridge is plugged into it. If it is in back of the fridge and has a single receptacle it's good to go. In a comercial app. it would need it.
 
Since the OP did not specifically state the refrigerator was in the kitchen there is no way to answer the question. It might be in the basement, garage or within 6' of a laundry, wet bar or utility sink.
 
Hendrix said:
The host is wrong there is an exception for refrigerators. 210.52 (B)(1)
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What does this have to do with GFCI protection? :confused:

Hendrix said:
The fridge circuit may also serve the counter top.
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That's true. Still has nothing to do with requiring GFCI protection of a fridge outlet.

Hendrix said:
Nope, it does not unless the receptacle is on top of the counter and the refridge is plugged into it. If it is in back of the fridge and has a single receptacle it's good to go.
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There is no need or requirement for a fridge to have a single receptacle.
 
I think we have 2 issues here. If it is a kitchen and the recep. is not serving the countertop then it does not need gfci protection. If this is not a kitchen then any recep. within 6' of the sink needs gfci protection.
 
mcclary's electrical said:
the only book i have within my reach is 02' and 210.8 (a) (7) says "receptacles to serve countertop".

What code cycle are you speaking of?
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'08 .

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in (1) through (8) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
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(7) Laundry, utility, and wet bar sinks — where the receptacles are installed within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the outside edge of the sink
 
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