So, the UL 1699 standard for AFCIs has roughly (50) different performance tests. Once you strip away the "standard" tests done on ALL electrical devices that ensure the product is safe from shock, fire, damage, etc.; what you are left with are primarily performance tests to prevent unwanted tripping.
For instance you have:
> Overvoltage, Undervoltage, Voltage Variations & Surge Voltage Tests (Ring Wave & Combination Wave)
> Loading Condition Tests (Inrush Current, Normal Operating Arcing, Non-Sinusoidal Waveform, Cross-Talk, Multiple Load, Lamp Burnout)
> Operation Inhibition Tests (Signal Masking, EMI Filter, Line Impedance)
> Resistance to Environmental Noise Tests (Electrostatic Discharge, Electromagnetic Field, Electrical Fast Transient, Induced RF Fields)
And there are a few others.
In order for a household refrigerator or freezer to be listed to the UL 250 standard, they must also go through a series of performance tests to ensure they do not operate outside any of the parameters set within that standard while under a host of varying conditions. None of those parameters are permitted to exceed the thresholds of the unwanted tripping tests in the UL 1699 standard for AFCIs.
A refrigerator is nothing more that a few motor loads, lighting loads, and perhaps a few electronic loads. None of the operational characteristics of these types of loads are subject to unwanted tripping IF they perform to standard.
One of three issues must be occurring in order for an AFCI to trip on a branch circuit supplying an outlet connected to a refrigerator:
1. The AFCI is damaged or defective.
2. The refrigerator is damaged or defective. (Any one part or component)
3. The wiring &/or terminations are defective.
That's it. The rest is simple algebra. If the AFCI and refrigerator are to standard, the wiring is the culprit. If the AFCI and wiring are to standard, the refrigerator is the culprit. If the refrigerator and wiring are to standard, the AFCI is the culprit.
