refrigerator trips gfci breaker

[LarryFine]

As far a GFI tripping from a Frig being plugged in whether at idle or during cycle its probably from more of a fault current rather than current overload. chances are the electrical parts below are very dirty creating all kinds of flow paths.

Door-seal heaters leaking. Some units also have condensation evaporator heaters.

 

[Stevenfyeager]

The only approved way to test a GFCI is the onboard test button, a plug in analyser is a convenience but will not work on a two wire GFCI. If an inspector turned down a job because his plug in tester didn't trip a GFCI he needs some educating.

Roger

Unfortunately, I was not that lucky. An elec inspector's plug- in test tool would not trip but the outlet button did trip on a job. (an old two wire house) He made us run a new wire to that kitchen outlet at the finish inspection ! Luckily, there was an unf. basement below. Whew ! Close call!

 

[roger]

Unfortunately, I was not that lucky. An elec inspector's plug- in test tool would not trip but the outlet button did trip on a job. (an old two wire house) He made us run a new wire to that kitchen outlet at the finish inspection ! Luckily, there was an unf. basement below. Whew ! Close call!

You should have pointed him to UL, they had a report on this awhile back.

Roger

 

[kwired]

Can we agree on this, that the GFI has no issue unless the refrigerator is plugged in. , Plug in a drill motor see if it still trips, if so change the NEW Gfi, then go from there. This is becoming a frustrating topic. I just now noticed were talking about a breaker not an outlet ..

From past experience, if a GFCI is tripping only when a specific item is plugged in to it, the problem is almost always a fault within that item and not a problem with the GFCI. If it is a GFCI breaker you do have short circuit and overload as a possible problem to look for as well, receptacle type GFCI's won't respond to those situations.

If GFCI trips immediately when the fridge is plugged in but doesn't trip anything on non GFCI protected circuit things like door seal heaters (if it has these, those are usually more likely on commercial refrigeration units) or defrost heaters may be failing. If it seems to randomly trip at unknown times it may be inductive kickback when the compressor shuts off or even interference from something besides the fridge.

 

[Frank DuVal]

Interesting topic. When I placed my parent's 1947 GE refrigerator in my new detached garage in 2010, it would trip the GFCI receptacle about once a week. I tried reversing the two prong plug, but no difference. Then, once a month trips, then fewer, now, several years later....still running, I guess it learned not to have an internal fault.

In high voltage we would say "burned out the cobwebs".

Although I turn it off in the winter as the detached garage is unheated, so drinks stay cold anyway....

 

[LarryFine]

I tried reversing the two prong plug, but no difference.

Two-pronged plug? Nobody complained of receiving a shock?

Then what was the pathway for the offending leakage current?

The floor is the only alternative.

 

[hillbilly1]

Two-pronged plug? Nobody complained of receiving a shock?

Then what was the pathway for the offending leakage current?

The floor is the only alternative.

Most likely the floor, probably concrete since it was in the garage. May have built up enough corrosion under the feet it finally quit conducting! LOL! Also, since it was a new garage, the concrete may have cured enough that it no longer conducted as much while it was still wet.

 

[ramsy]

..inspector of the same city told me, buy a six way and plug that into the outlet, and somehow that 'filters' and doesn't trip when plugging the refrig in. It has been a week and it has worked.

Try tightening 6-way adaptor mounting screw, which bonds to device yoke, and see if it still holds?

 

[ptonsparky]

Did you try plugging in one of those fancy testers and try to trip the GFCI with it?

 

[Another C10]

Unless already brought up I'd go with keep frig unplugged, reset the GFI Breaker, if it holds go to the frig device get a good reading 120v +-, if present, plug in the frig and confirm the problem by the GFI tripping, then get an extension cord plug it into a non GFI outlet plug it in, if it holds .. there ya go. internal issue with Frig. That would be my fool proof method. please no fool jokes ..")

 

[kwired]

Interesting topic. When I placed my parent's 1947 GE refrigerator in my new detached garage in 2010, it would trip the GFCI receptacle about once a week. I tried reversing the two prong plug, but no difference. Then, once a month trips, then fewer, now, several years later....still running, I guess it learned not to have an internal fault.

In high voltage we would say "burned out the cobwebs".

Although I turn it off in the winter as the detached garage is unheated, so drinks stay cold anyway....

Actually sometimes that can fix an issue. Say you have a little moisture inside something that is causing leakage that trips a GFCI you can plug into non GFCI for a while and "burn out the fault" and then it will hold when returning to the GFCI. Find this helpful with outdoor use equipment occasionally.

 

[Frank DuVal]

Refrigerator sitting on new concrete floor had enough conductivity to ground that it would trip the GFCI all by itself. Not when anybody touched the refrigerator. Of course, wearing shoes in the garage, I never was the conductive path.

No one ever mentioned getting shocked when it was in my parent's kitchen or basement (no GFCI, 1949 NEC), Larry may have even seen it in his youth.....

 

[LarryFine]

No one ever mentioned getting shocked when it was in my parent's kitchen or basement (no GFCI, 1949 NEC), Larry may have even seen it in his youth.....

Most likely; I do remember being in your house. I remember your experiment with sending audio through the earth in an aquarium.

 

[Santa49]

The only approved way to test a GFCI is the onboard test button, a plug in analyser is a convenience but will not work on a two wire GFCI. If an inspector turned down a job because his plug in tester didn't trip a GFCI he needs some educating.

Roger

Take a Megger and unplugged the refrigerator and put one lead on the equipment grounding conductor on the cord, put the other lead on the hot wire on the cord and take a reading, then do the same on the neutral wire on the cord and take a reading. That should tell you which direction the problem is.

 

[texie]

Take a Megger and unplugged the refrigerator and put one lead on the equipment grounding conductor on the cord, put the other lead on the hot wire on the cord and take a reading, then do the same on the neutral wire on the cord and take a reading. That should tell you which direction the problem is.

You're not touching my frig with that megger. The proper test for this is a current leakage tester and there is a UL standard for these values.They are all well below the 4-6 ma of of a GFCI.

 

[roger]

Take a Megger and unplugged the refrigerator and put one lead on the equipment grounding conductor on the cord, put the other lead on the hot wire on the cord and take a reading, then do the same on the neutral wire on the cord and take a reading. That should tell you which direction the problem is.

I don't know what that has to do with my reply that you quoted. Trouble shooting the refrigerator is not an inspectors concern.

Roger

 

[kwired]

You're not touching my frig with that megger. The proper test for this is a current leakage tester and there is a UL standard for these values.They are all well below the 4-6 ma of of a GFCI.

Why? New fridge with electronics I can see some concerns, but depending on your meter's abilities can test with maybe ~125 volt test voltage, components are subjected to at least that in normal use and that is RMS volts, peak is about 170.

 

[Frank DuVal]

My old megger is 500 volts! Only adjustable by the speed of the crank.....

 

[ptonsparky]

My old megger is 500 volts! Only adjustable by the speed of the crank.....

Turn it slower.
You probably can't turn it as fast as you used to anyway.

 

[kwired]

My old megger is 500 volts! Only adjustable by the speed of the crank.....

I still would have no issue with that on an old refrigerator with no electronic control components.

New one with LCD display and such - need to isolate what you are intending to test. Display gone bad probably not even connected directly to line volts. You will mostly only need to test blower motors, compressors, lights (if they are direct 120 volt connected, LED's may not be), and defrost heaters or door frame heaters with the megger. Those items should be able to handle 500 volt to ground testing if in good condition to begin with. If not good to begin with they needed replaced anyway.