GFCI protection for icecream truck recepts.

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Jeffnmoe@comcast.net

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I received a request from a customer to install 4 outdoor receptacles to power icecream truck freezers overnight while trucks are not running. Customer claims whenever he plugs them in overnight into a gfci protected circuit ,gfci will trip and he looses all his product. Can a exception be made to use a dedicated L-5-20 receptacle in a weatherproof enclosure and retrofit truck freezers to a twistlock plug if after testing freezers for correct wiring?:
 
Jeffnmoe@comcast.net said:
Can a exception be made to use a dedicated L-5-20 receptacle in a weatherproof enclosure and retrofit truck freezers to a twistlock plug if after testing freezers for correct wiring?:
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What rule/article are you citing that would allow/dis-allow an exception?
 
210.8(B)(4) if this is other than residential and the public does not have access to them they di not require gfci protection.

I remember a seminar with Joe Ross ,..a guy was having a similar problem with block heaters for trucks , I remember this being the solution.
 
Anyone look at the why or where of the ground currents? If you eliminate the ground currents and someone gets killed, well.

This is a truck right? Where would the current be flowing? The truck is insulated from ground through the tires. I'm not good at this but it would be great to understand where the current is going if not back through neutral.

I guess it could be finding it's path through the ground conductor of the cable.

Anyone explain what the problem may be and is there a fix at the truck and not at the recept?
 
I'm still wondering about that "exception".:-?

Of course 210.8(B) is the relevant article, no exceptions for something like this there.


M.D. ~ "block heaters" ...that's the word. In a similar post I referred to them as "hot starts". Your teminology seems more accurate. TY.
 
The compressor motors are probably tripping the GFCI. I think Tallgirl gave a good explanation of how the motor inductance can do this in a recent thread.
 
oldcrow said:
This is a truck right? Where would the current be flowing? The truck is insulated from ground through the tires. I'm not good at this but it would be great to understand where the current is going if not back through neutral.
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Back to the source through the equipment grounding conductor.

sparky_magoo said:
The compressor motors are probably tripping the GFCI.
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Only if they are faulty.

Motors and GFCIs get along great.

The NEC Handbook claims that the reasons refrigerators and freezers have trouble on GFCI circuits are the electric heating elements in them that are used for defrosting.

That makes more sense as a faulty wet element could leak current to ground without tripping breaker but easily tripping a GFCI.

I see a couple of options.

1)Place a small panel in the truck, supply the panel with a feeder larger than 20 amps 125 volts.

2) I agree with MD, if it is 'other than a dwelling unit' and not accessible to the public a GFCI is not required.
 
iwire said:
Back to the source through the equipment grounding conductor.
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More dangerously, through someones wet shoes. The truck might be insulated, but someone standing in a puddle of water, on wet pavement, in contact with a faulty piece of equipment, isn't insulated by the truck's tires.
 
tallgirl said:
More dangerously, through someones wet shoes. The truck might be insulated, but someone standing in a puddle of water, on wet pavement, in contact with a faulty piece of equipment, isn't insulated by the truck's tires.
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Very true, I agree. :cool:

But as I understood it the GFCI has already been tripping with no mention of any shocks. That would lead me to believe that so far the current has been 'lost' to the EGC.:)
 
Ice cream truck receptacles

Ice cream truck receptacles

They will be installed outside at a commercial building that will be used as a new office location. Since they will be outside I want to make sure that they are only used for the trucks and not as a general use outlet ,that is why I suggested the twistlock option. I know someone could always come along with their own twistlock cord but what are the chances?
 
For reasons unknown, some truck-mounted cooler units have a connection between N and G. Do these? (Or do they actually have high enough leakage to trip the GFCI?) Does the cooler have a built-in battery charger that runs off the 120vac? A bum charger could cause leakage.

I like the twistlock option, though.
 
Jeffnmoe@comcast.net said:
No it is a commercial business.
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Then as long as you place the outlets not accessible to the public the NEC does not require GFCI protection.

The NEC does not treat twist locks any different then straight blades when it comes to section 210.8.

Personally I think a twist lock is a bad idea as people will drive away with the truck plugged in. With a straight blade there is at least a chance that the plug will pull out before the receptacle gets pulled out of the box.
 
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