GFCI on Commercial Freezer

[john2016]

Is a heater cable for a commercial freezer required to have GFCI protection on the 120V circuit? I was always under the impression that only 15a and 20a receptacles were only required to be GFCI protected. Nothing else such as refrigeration equipment, etc such as 208V or 120V refrigeration equipment that is hard wired. The reason why I ask is that I currently have a 20Amp, 208V, 1 phase circuit feeding the walk-in freezer coil, door defrost heater cable, drain line heater, lights, and temperature alarm. The commercial freezer is having issues with the heater cable so the refrigeration contractor is recommending to provide a dedicate 120V circuit for the heater cable. Does that heater cable have to be GFCI protected? Thank you.

 

[LarryFine]

I was always under the impression that only 15a and 20a receptacles were only required to be GFCI protected. Nothing else such as refrigeration equipment, etc such as 208V or 120V refrigeration equipment that is hard wired.

You are correct.

 

[john2016]

This part of the code is what I don’t quite understand. In article 440.54(A), the Overload protection mentions “shall be identified for installation with the short circuit and ground-fault protective device”. I’m not sure what that article exactly means. I just want to make sure before I tell the client that GFCI protection is not required for the commercial freezer heater cable 120v circuit.

440.54 Motor-Compressors and Equipment

(A) overload protection. The motor compressor shall be provided with overload protection selected as specified in 440.52(A).
Both the controller and motor overload protective device shall be identified for installation with the short-circuit and ground-fault protective device for the branch circuited to which the equipment is connected.

 

[LarryFine]

"the short-circuit and ground-fault protective device" refers to that which protects the circuit against line-to-line and line-to-ground faults, respectively, not GFCI devices.

 

[kwired]

Art 440 wouldn't apply to the defrost heater, door heaters, etc. Mostly only applies to the circuit with a hermetic refrigerant compressor. If you have a packaged unit with single supply then 440 applies - but with such a unit about all it applies to is the supply circuit, everything else is listed as is.


Where you are likely to run into ground fault protection requirement in such a freezer is a heat tape on a condensation drain line - but it will be GFPE level protection that is required instead of GFCI level protection.

 

[cknight]

Running into a similar issue. Drink coolers at a convenience store have door heaters. They won’t run on a gfi. I cannot find a code specifying if it is required to be gfi protected or not. The door lights are not but currently the door heaters were. Lasted a week before constantly tripping the gfi. Runs fine on a standard breaker. I can’t find a ground fault.

 

[kwired]

Running into a similar issue. Drink coolers at a convenience store have door heaters. They won’t run on a gfi. I cannot find a code specifying if it is required to be gfi protected or not. The door lights are not but currently the door heaters were. Lasted a week before constantly tripping the gfi. Runs fine on a standard breaker. I can’t find a ground fault.

Single appliance on individual circuit?

Multiple outlets on same circuit, resulting in accumulated capacative leakage causing GFCI trip?

Inductive kickback when compressor shuts off causing GFCI trip?

A few possibilities depending on what you have.