Refrigerator
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,344
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Refrigerator
I've got a Frigidaire fridge in my garage. Last week it popped the GFCI breaker in the outlet it's plugged into. Been there for 5 years. I'll unplug the fridge, reset the breaker with no problems. Plug the fridge back in and the breaker pops immediately. I tried it in another outlet with the GFCI and same thing happens. I don't see any thing wrong with the wire harness to cause a big short. Where should I look next to find the problem. I'd hat to just through parts at it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,550
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From: Lancaster County PA
I am not an electrician, don't play one on TV, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I think I can safely say the following:
Rule out a faulty GFCI if the fridge does it to other GFCI's; fault the fridge.
That being said, GFCI's more or less measure the amount of incoming and outgoing electricity (for lack of a better way of saying it). If the outgoing amount is less than that coming in, it means there is a "ground fault" (hence the name) and some of the incoming electricity is slipping out the back door back to ground through a faulty connection somewhere.
If this thing is in your garage, rodent damage could be a problem. I'd remove the back panel to the unit and follow the wire into the recesses of the unit. Take a peek around in there and see if any of the wires have been gnawed on or if perhaps the screws connecting the wires to whatever plate/connection they are connected to have worked loose.
That is the best I can do for ya. I am sure someone else here can offer more info.
Good luck!
Rule out a faulty GFCI if the fridge does it to other GFCI's; fault the fridge.
That being said, GFCI's more or less measure the amount of incoming and outgoing electricity (for lack of a better way of saying it). If the outgoing amount is less than that coming in, it means there is a "ground fault" (hence the name) and some of the incoming electricity is slipping out the back door back to ground through a faulty connection somewhere.
If this thing is in your garage, rodent damage could be a problem. I'd remove the back panel to the unit and follow the wire into the recesses of the unit. Take a peek around in there and see if any of the wires have been gnawed on or if perhaps the screws connecting the wires to whatever plate/connection they are connected to have worked loose.
That is the best I can do for ya. I am sure someone else here can offer more info.
Good luck!
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 214
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From: Kalgoorlie Australia
Fridge
I am an electrician and although I don't play one on TV I can tell you that the compressor is most likely the source of the fault, over time the compressor clutch wiring insulation rubs through and causes a short which trips the circuit breaker when the compressor tries to cut in.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
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From: Frequently frozen MN
I am also not an electrician, but my neighbor is 
GFIs trip on very small leakage currents to the ground. They are supposed to trip if YOU get between a hot and ground. It could be damage to the wiring, or even crud/liquid between the 'hot' (black conductor) and some piece of the frame.
IIRC, GFI's also trip if there's an unbalance between the current in the black and white wires. This is much less sensitive, but it was spec years ago when I first ran across them. If your motor has a bad capacitor in the starting circuit, I think that might be enough to trip it.
GFIs trip on very small leakage currents to the ground. They are supposed to trip if YOU get between a hot and ground. It could be damage to the wiring, or even crud/liquid between the 'hot' (black conductor) and some piece of the frame.
IIRC, GFI's also trip if there's an unbalance between the current in the black and white wires. This is much less sensitive, but it was spec years ago when I first ran across them. If your motor has a bad capacitor in the starting circuit, I think that might be enough to trip it.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2008
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I am not an electrician nor do I play on ect. BUT I am a appliance installer. We never recomend plugging in a fridge to a gfci plug.As fridges get older they take more current to get the compressor started,they may work ok when new but when they have some age on them it just takes more juice to start them.Try plugging it in to a regular out let.If it still dosent work correct it is more them likely a bad compressor.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
I am not an electrician nor do I play on ect. BUT I am a appliance installer. We never recomend plugging in a fridge to a gfci plug.As fridges get older they take more current to get the compressor started,they may work ok when new but when they have some age on them it just takes more juice to start them.Try plugging it in to a regular out let.If it still dosent work correct it is more them likely a bad compressor.
In my troubleshooting on fridges and ACs, I find it is normally a breakdown in compressor windings and associated bleeds between any of the three leads that will throw a GFCI. Plugging an appliance that is throwing a GFCI into a normal receptacle works because it overlooks the problem. If a winding is breaking down with age and the "skin" of the appliance increasingly goes hot, shock is a possibility and I have been shocked many times by systems that throw a GFCI, but do not throw a circuit breaker. I also see this type of situation in anything that gets hot when it powers up. The circuit is intact, until heated, then you get a small bleed.
In the above case, I would be of the opinion the compressor is dying, but may still run on a normal receptacle.
My two cents worth,
Steve
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Fleet Mechanic
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Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards replacing the compressor, and may try to do it. The instructions say not to plug it into a GFCI outlet, but where I have the fridge, that's the only plug. In fact there is only two outlets in my garage that aren't GFCI. Both of those are on walls where it's impracticable to place a large appliance.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Hi Mike,
It is interesting to me that the instructions say not to install it on a GFCI as I see them installed somewhat commonly on GFCIs with no problem. I need to research this issue further.
Thanks,
Steve
It is interesting to me that the instructions say not to install it on a GFCI as I see them installed somewhat commonly on GFCIs with no problem. I need to research this issue further.
Thanks,
Steve
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
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From: Bristol, TN.
Mike,
I looked this up. The manufacturer's manuals say not to plug into a GFCI because they are sensitive and often connected to other receptacles so if you are on vacation and they throw "your food will spoil". I found several sources, but none saying the reason has anything to do with the circuitry or the compressor. It is a food spoilage issue. Kind of crazy logic. I have everything in my garage on a GFCI.
Steve
I looked this up. The manufacturer's manuals say not to plug into a GFCI because they are sensitive and often connected to other receptacles so if you are on vacation and they throw "your food will spoil". I found several sources, but none saying the reason has anything to do with the circuitry or the compressor. It is a food spoilage issue. Kind of crazy logic. I have everything in my garage on a GFCI.
Steve
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 328
Likes: 1
From: Top Of The World, TN
It is recomended that a refrigerator be plugged into a dedicated 20 amp (non GFCI) receptacle. This is to eliminate the posibility of power loss due to the failure of any other appliance, etc. in the circuit.
I had the same problem with my shop fridge when I first installed it. The only outlet was a GFCI. Troubleshooting found a slight ground fault in on of the door light switches. bypassed the switch (freezer side) and it worked fine. Now that I have finished wiring the shop, the fridge is plugged into a dedicated non GFCI circuit. I reinstalled the switch and everything works fine.
I had the same problem with my shop fridge when I first installed it. The only outlet was a GFCI. Troubleshooting found a slight ground fault in on of the door light switches. bypassed the switch (freezer side) and it worked fine. Now that I have finished wiring the shop, the fridge is plugged into a dedicated non GFCI circuit. I reinstalled the switch and everything works fine.
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