gfci needed for outside refrigerators ?

S

Stevenfyeager

Senior Member
Location
United States, Indiana
Occupation
electrical contractor
in a gazebo (under roof) there are two undercabinet refrigerators and one ice maker. We use NEC 2008 here. Do they need gfci outlets ? II realize the most recent code requires kitchen refrigerators to be gfci. But due to chances of tripping, and food spoiling, we are allowed to not use gfci here.
Thank you.
 
If possible, use a GFCI breaker, and then replace the duplex outlet with a single plug in outlet. This will greatly reduce nuisance tripping. Do anything you can to avoid rain water from getting on the plug. Encase it.
 
roger said:
In this case it doesn't have anything to with what's being served, it's about the location. There are WiFi capable loss of power alarms available
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I agree with the location of the receptacle is what triggers the GFCI protection rule. There is no rule specifically requiring refrigerators to be GFCI protected, they just happen to end up in locations that the receptacle requires it and do so very often.

Just don't have the WiFi/modem on same GFCI unless the associated APP also gives an alert that communications are lost.
 
GFCIs don't nuisance trip as much as they used to. Almost always there is a good reason. Sometimes RF from a strong transmitter can do it. Use a metal box and cover to help mitigate that problem. Since the refrigerator will be under a bar, use a dead face GFCI above the counter so it is accessible.
 
Stevenfyeager said:
in a gazebo (under roof) there are two undercabinet refrigerators and one ice maker. We use NEC 2008 here. Do they need gfci outlets ? II realize the most recent code requires kitchen refrigerators to be gfci. But due to chances of tripping, and food spoiling, we are allowed to not use gfci here.
Thank you.
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All outdoor locations need to be GFCI protected, under a gazebo roof or not. It's been that way since 1971...
 
ptonsparky said:
Some of us were slower, but close enough.

Quit looking for ways out and use the dang things. They were good to begin with and even better now.
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Older hot tubs worked on GFCI, but pool pumps never worked the same way, without proprietary solutions.

Appliances are a crap shoot, in need of proprietary solutions for 1-pole GFCI.
 
ramsy said:
Older hot tubs worked on GFCI, but pool pumps never worked the same way, without proprietary solutions.

Appliances are a crap shoot, in need of proprietary solutions for 1-pole GFCI.
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Again, you seem to be the only one having so many issues.

Garages receptacles have required GFCI protection since I believe 1978. Probably more people than not have a refrigerator/freezer in their garage that works fine.

Commercial kitchens require GFCI protection and don't have all the issues you claim.

Sure, occasionally there will be a problem but in most cases the GFCI is just doing its job because there is unacceptable leakage current in the appliance.
 
On many of my large projects where we would literally have upwards of a hundred GFCI devices nuisance tripping was very low and most times were cord ends in puddles.
 
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