GFCI for Recep in Walk-in freezer?

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sw_ross

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I made a "better safe than sorry" decision to gfi the receptacle inside a walk-in freezer.
It feeds the heat tape for the condensate line. The circuit also feeds the door heating elements and the inside light.

I got a call back that the gfci was tripping and wouldn't reset. When I got there I worked my way through the circuit item by item because the hot wire off the load side of the gfci was ohm'ing out to ground.

I finally figured out that one of the door heating elements was the culprit (it had 2 different elements)

When I reported back to the maintenance guy about the issue I initially just said "element is bad". He started to get critical that I had it on a gfci and had some reason why GFCI's aren't good with those heating elements. He said they had several that weren't gfci'd and worked fine. I told him I couldn't imagine installing a receptacle in that environment and not gfci'ing it!
When I explained that it ohm'd out to ground he totally changed his tune!

My question is, looking at the code trying to find a reference that applies to my install the main item I see is 210.8(B)(6) Indoor wet locations.

Is there anything more specific that I'm not seeing that applies to the inside of a walk-in freezer?
 
Check also manufacturer's requirements. For example: many heat tracing cable manufacturer require provision of 30mA ground fault device.

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it would be gfci if i did it, the heater is there because of ice formation ain't it? ice is frozen water until it's not frozen. i haven't found a code section that clearly says it has to be unless you consider ice water (which it is frozen water).
 
Wire-Smith said:
it would be gfci if i did it, the heater is there because of ice formation ain't it? ice is frozen water until it's not frozen. i haven't found a code section that clearly says it has to be unless you consider ice water (which it is frozen water).
Click to expand...
Another current thread has an ongoing debate about GFCI's - water being the reason for using them has been brought up. Water alone isn't the reason for GFCI, it is increased shock risks, though water does contribute to that increased risk sometimes. I don't want to go down that road in another thread though.

If the location falls under any condition mentioned in 210.8, GFCI would be required. General storage cooler shouldn't fit anything in 210.8, unless maybe it is regularly subject to washdown.

Heat tape likely does require 30 mA GFP though. I just recently wired such a freezer and put GFCI on the heat tape receptacle. Cost much less than a GFPE breaker, though it will trip at lower fault current level.

Door heater frame heater (if direct wired, never seen one that wasn't) should not require GFCI.
 
Ice, water...

Ice, water...

When I was there yesterday troubleshooting it seemed like a wet, albeit frozen, environment to me.

I'm sure there's some de-humidification going on, but the warm outside air condenses inside the freezer when the door is open creating a fine layer of slick ice on the surfaces.

I'm going to let the gfci ride in this application and see if it'll hold. I can always change the setup in the future. I'd rather be safe than sorry...
 
Was troubleshooting some drink coolers at a gas station today that the gfi was tripping for the door/frame heaters. They were just installed a week ago. They are hard wired in on there own circuit. It’s a random trip. Can not pin point it. Also can not find anything in the code that requires them to be gfi protected. Does any one have any thoughts or code references?
 
Well I take it these are not cord and plug connected heat tapes? And you have ruled out the obvious 210.8(B)(2) so its not considered part of a kitchen by the AHJ?
Then I believe 110.7 states completed electrical installations should be free of 'ground faults' among other things.
The 'heat tape' it likely required to be listed especially if its a workplace and OSHA has jurisdiction.
Then the UL listing (515?) will say if the tape uses the ECG for anything under normal operation which my guess is no.
So its not
working fine
Click to expand...
if its putting current on the ECG.
Also 110.3(B) if the manufacturer instructions call for a GFCI.
Hope this helps
 
tortuga said:
Well I take it these are not cord and plug connected heat tapes? And you have ruled out the obvious 210.8(B)(2) so its not considered part of a kitchen by the AHJ?
Then I believe 110.7 states completed electrical installations should be free of 'ground faults' among other things.
The 'heat tape' it likely required to be listed especially if its a workplace and OSHA has jurisdiction.
Then the UL listing (515?) will say if the tape uses the ECG for anything under normal operation which my guess is no.
So its not if its putting current on the ECG.
Also 110.3(B) if the manufacturer instructions call for a GFCI.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...

hmmm, so do we have a UL listing conflicting with a 110.3(B) request for 5ma protection here?

~RJ~
 
cknight said:
Was troubleshooting some drink coolers at a gas station today that the gfi was tripping for the door/frame heaters. They were just installed a week ago. They are hard wired in on there own circuit. It’s a random trip. Can not pin point it. Also can not find anything in the code that requires them to be gfi protected. Does any one have any thoughts or code references?
Click to expand...

manufacturer probably requires it, if so the code requires it 110.3(B)
 
kwired said:
Another current thread has an ongoing debate about GFCI's - water being the reason for using them has been brought up. Water alone isn't the reason for GFCI, it is increased shock risks, though water does contribute to that increased risk sometimes. I don't want to go down that road in another thread though.

If the location falls under any condition mentioned in 210.8, GFCI would be required. General storage cooler shouldn't fit anything in 210.8, unless maybe it is regularly subject to washdown.

Heat tape likely does require 30 mA GFP though. I just recently wired such a freezer and put GFCI on the heat tape receptacle. Cost much less than a GFPE breaker, though it will trip at lower fault current level.

Door heater frame heater (if direct wired, never seen one that wasn't) should not require GFCI.
Click to expand...

i agree direct wired it shouldn't require GFCI, everything that could become energized should all be bonded together and to the electrical system and if that is the case no likely shock hazard is present.

but when you have a receptacle, people will use that for possibly many things and not necessarily properly bonded things, you mix that in with a little frozen water (or liquid and many freezers i have been in i would consider wet locations, it doesn't take long for leaving the door open moving things in and out)
 
Wire-Smith said:
i agree direct wired it shouldn't require GFCI, everything that could become energized should all be bonded together and to the electrical system and if that is the case no likely shock hazard is present.

but when you have a receptacle, people will use that for possibly many things and not necessarily properly bonded things, you mix that in with a little frozen water (or liquid and many freezers i have been in i would consider wet locations, it doesn't take long for leaving the door open moving things in and out)
Click to expand...
I have to question it being a wet location period, unless it is frequently washed down. Damp maybe more likely because of such condensation.

But I also have to question what people are going to plug in to such a receptacle? Doubt they are going in there to use a hair dryer or curling iron, or even because it is the only place they can find to use a blender or hand held mixer. Seems whatever it may be used for is likley to be more of a fixed in place type of item, or temporary use during servicing, which can be any receptacle in any location for that matter, yet we still usually only GFCI protect the specific locations mentioned in NEC.
 
kwired said:
I have to question it being a wet location period, unless it is frequently washed down. Damp maybe more likely because of such condensation.

But I also have to question what people are going to plug in to such a receptacle? Doubt they are going in there to use a hair dryer or curling iron, or even because it is the only place they can find to use a blender or hand held mixer. Seems whatever it may be used for is likley to be more of a fixed in place type of item, or temporary use during servicing, which can be any receptacle in any location for that matter, yet we still usually only GFCI protect the specific locations mentioned in NEC.
Click to expand...

i agree it's not likely to be used for anything else, but people are very creative and I've seen some very unexpected things.

it's a grey area for me as to whether it should be considered wet location or part of a commercial kitchen so i would error on the side of caution like OP. if someone gets hurt and there's water involved too many people will be calling it a wet location or part of the commercial kitchen.
 
Wire-Smith said:
i agree it's not likely to be used for anything else, but people are very creative and I've seen some very unexpected things.

it's a grey area for me as to whether it should be considered wet location or part of a commercial kitchen so i would error on the side of caution like OP. if someone gets hurt and there's water involved too many people will be calling it a wet location or part of the commercial kitchen.
Click to expand...
Is food prepared in a freezer? usually not. Now a cooler that doesn't get below freezing may have food preparation in some instances - meat preparation operations is example where that may be more likely.
 
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