breaker tripping once in a while

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ryan808

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new residential installation 20A 120V dedicated circuit for a new basic refrigerator trips once in a while... already changed 20A breaker once.
any suggestions?
 
If the refrigerator is all that is on the circuit then you may have a problem with the refrig. The GFCI is suppose to trip when there is a problem. Is this refrig. in a kitchen or somewhere else?
 
1. Is this a standard CB or a GFCI CB?
2. Use a peak capture amp clamp and capture the inrush current.
3. A 20 amp CB should be able to hold 160-2900 amps Instantaneous current.
 
brian john said:
2. Use a peak capture amp clamp and capture the inrush current.
3. A 20 amp CB should be able to hold 160-2900 amps Instantaneous current.
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brian,
So if he captures a reading of 2800 amps then the breaker should not be tripping?

2900 amps sounds just a tad high to me:-?

Ryan808,
Look up the trip curve for the breaker in question and take both instantaneous and steady state current values to compare to the curve.

If it is a GFCI then also measure the leakage current to ground.
 
Hey Ryan, check out NEC table 430.52. This should help you with your problem.
If not then then it's the overload that comes with the motor.
 
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