GFCI Nuisance Tripping...

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xformer

Senior Member
Location
Dallas, Tx
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Master Electrician
Hello,
Please help. An old fridge is occasionally tripping a GFCI in a garage. Have the manufactures of the appliances or the GFCI created a fix for this issue?
 
xformer said:
Hello,
Please help. An old fridge is occasionally tripping a GFCI in a garage. Have the manufactures of the appliances or the GFCI created a fix for this issue?
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The correction is called a new fridge. Be carefull when buying a new fridge because some of the cheap imports will be labeled as not working with GFCI protection. The one's I have seen have a label right on the cord that says they are not to be used with GFCI protection.

Before purchasing a new fridge you could try a different GFCI receptacle because all of the old refrigerators don't trip the GFCI. I had an old one the was 25 years old and didn't.
 
K8MHZ said:
The GFCI is probably doing it's job and I will bet the problem is the old fridge.
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K8MHZ your correct. I was skimming old posts on the subject and didn't have time at the moment to read all 24 pages.
I am sure the GFCI is doing its job. Just wondered if there was an economical fix to the issue other than telling client to buy a new fridge, while at the same time convincing them not to bypass the GFCI duplex receptacle with a standard non-GFCI receptacle.
 
growler said:
The correction is called a new fridge. Be carefull when buying a new fridge because some of the cheap imports will be labeled as not working with GFCI protection. The one's I have seen have a label right on the cord that says they are not to be used with GFCI protection.

Before purchasing a new fridge you could try a different GFCI receptacle because all of the old refrigerators don't trip the GFCI. I had an old one the was 25 years old and didn't.
Click to expand...

Thanks Growler.. That is info to which I was unaware. I will try that.
 
flatlander said:
GFCI do go bad, but I would bet the fridge is at fault.
You could install a GFCI that has an audible alarm.
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Sure it's probably the Fridge but I wouldn't wont to be the one to tell the customer to buy a new fridge and then find out that it to trips a bad GFCI.

They probably need a GFCI with an audible alarm anyway, even with a new fridge. This kind of hedges your bet either way.

Edit: there is always a chance that a GFCI in a garage feeds other receptacles and it's not the fridge that's causing it to trip.
 
xformer said:
Hello,
Please help. An old fridge is occasionally tripping a GFCI in a garage. Have the manufactures of the appliances or the GFCI created a fix for this issue?
Click to expand...
Appliance Tech here. Most likely cause of tripping, assuming not the GFCI itself, is the compressor. These motor windings have a very thin layer of lacquer on them for insulation. Most manufactures also, state clearly in the installation instructions to not install these units on GFCI circuits. Once upon a time there were exceptions for these type of situations. Now, the choice is: 1. Install said fridge in a room where GFCI isn't required. b. Buy a new fridge. Option c. Don't follow the NEC and install a non gfci.

In my service area, we are seeing this a lot with AFCI's and GFCIs. Appliances are less than 2-3 years old and nuisance tripping, but not all the time. Weeks go by between trips. GFCIs/AFCIs have been replaced. All loads on machines are ran individually.
 
Most manufactures also, state clearly in the installation instructions to not install these units on GFCI circuits.
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So, what do you follow: the NEC requirement to provide a GFCI protection or the NEC requirement to follow the manufacturers instructions. Which takes precedence. :?

-Hal
 
I have HEARD (but not had to do it yet) that installing a grounded 1:1 isolation transformer between the the offending device and the GFCI will keep the GFCI from nuisance tripping. I have a fountain pump that started giving me troubles last year but we didn't have anyone over after July 4th, so I didn't bother looking into it. I'm going to try that this summer since I happen to have some little control transformers laying around that I could connect up to it to try it.
 
Jraef said:
I have HEARD (but not had to do it yet) that installing a grounded 1:1 isolation transformer between the the offending device and the GFCI will keep the GFCI from nuisance tripping. I have a fountain pump that started giving me troubles last year but we didn't have anyone over after July 4th, so I didn't bother looking into it. I'm going to try that this summer since I happen to have some little control transformers laying around that I could connect up to it to try it.
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Well gee, if you isolate the load electrically with an isolation transformer from the GFCI source now it just sees the isolation transformer not the actual load. Now the load is not GFCI protected as required. Or am I misunderstanding you?
 
texie said:
Now the load is not GFCI protected as required.
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Is the requirement that the appliance be protected, or just the receptacle itself?

I've never seen an isolation transformer prohibition in the GFCI requirements.

An electrically isolated load should not present a shock hazard with the first fault.
 
LarryFine said:
Is the requirement that the appliance be protected, or just the receptacle itself?

I've never seen an isolation transformer prohibition in the GFCI requirements.

An electrically isolated load should not present a shock hazard with the first fault.
Click to expand...

I’ll have to agree on all three counts, but keep trying, I’m still not convinced it is a safe solution.
 
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