Frig Garage GFI outlet issue...

disneyjoe7

Ok my Polk friends of electricains.... My frig in the garage is plugged into a GFI outlet which controls the bathroom outlets. The Frig now trips the GFI, I first thought GFI outlet is bad so last night I moved to another outlet. This morning its off again tripping the other GFI outlet. So my question is could I remove this GFI, replacing it with a normal one, moving the GFI down line to next outlet which should be a bathroom outlet?

steveinaz

Is your furnance/hot water heater out in the garage? If so, there should be a 30amp outlet close by them....

BeefJerky

Simply put, if the refrigerator trips the GFI socket (and didn't before), there is a problem. Specifically, there is an abnormal amount of electricity making its way to the ground wire that shouldn't. I would get the fridge checked out by someone rather than taking the chance of moving it to another outlet. One distinct possibility that could occur with a situation like this, is a person getting shocked when touching the fridge; and I'm not talking something harmless like static electricity.

Joe08867

BeefJerky wrote: »

Simply put, if the refrigerator trips the GFI socket (and didn't before), there is a problem. Specifically, there is an abnormal amount of electricity making its way to the ground wire that shouldn't. I would get the fridge checked out by someone rather than taking the chance of moving it to another outlet. One distinct possibility that could occur with a situation like this, is a person getting shocked when touching the fridge; and I'm not talking something harmless like static electricity.

What he said ^^^^^^^ !!!!!!!!

RuSsMaN

How old is the fridge? They usually use a big oil capacitor to kick start that motor, I'm willing to bet yours is swollen like it's pregnant and needs to be changed out, especially if it's a garage fridge - Orlando is hot, which means your garage is REALLY hot. Not a fridge friendly place for a few months of the year.

nadams

I agree... if it used to work fine, and now doesn't, replacing the outlet to a non-gfi is not fixing the problem, it's masking it.

tonyb

nadams wrote: »

I agree... if it used to work fine, and now doesn't, replacing the outlet to a non-gfi is not fixing the problem, it's masking it.

..or making it worse. Garage fridge ?? Heck, craigslist another one for 25 bucks. Not worth the coin to fix if you can get another on the cheap. You may even be able to pick up a new one at a scratch and dent joint for under 2 bones. Which 2 bones is about what a repair guy will cost you.

nadams

tonyb wrote: »

..or making it worse. Garage fridge ?? Heck, craigslist another one for 25 bucks. Not worth the coin to fix if you can get another on the cheap. You may even be able to pick up a new one at a scratch and dent joint for under 2 bones. Which 2 bones is about what a repair guy will cost you.

If it is just the start cap getting weak, he could replace it for less than $25....

halo71

Perhaps a whole house surge protector would fix things?

tonyb

nadams wrote: »

If it is just the start cap getting weak, he could replace it for less than $25....

If he did it himself, but he doesn't come off as the type,to me anyway. Calling a repair guy, they'll soak him. Which may elude to his option of craigslist another one.

disneyjoe7

RuSsMaN wrote: »

How old is the fridge? They usually use a big oil capacitor to kick start that motor, I'm willing to bet yours is swollen like it's pregnant and needs to be changed out, especially if it's a garage fridge - Orlando is hot, which means your garage is REALLY hot. Not a fridge friendly place for a few months of the year.

The Frig is old, hmm... 25 years or so, I owned for 5yrs or so and its always been in the garage. Yes it's hot, but it cost about $10 a month I tested with a WattKiller. I reading that a Frig shouldn't be on a GFI. I have a Hot Water tank but that is wired directly. And the other outlet in the garage is a GFI outlet also.

Steve, The furnance is in the house, behind a door like a closet.

nadams

A fridge is usually not recommended to be on a GFI, as those outlets are more sensitive than normal, and if they trip and you don't notice... well... lots of spoiled food.

However, I also run my fridge on a GFI (it's been temporarily plugged in there for the last 4 years), and have never had it kick.

The big issue here is that it worked fine for the last 5 years on a GFI, and now it doesn't. So, what changed?

disneyjoe7

nadams wrote: »

A fridge is usually not recommended to be on a GFI, as those outlets are more sensitive than normal, and if they trip and you don't notice... well... lots of spoiled food.

However, I also run my fridge on a GFI (it's been temporarily plugged in there for the last 4 years), and have never had it kick.

The big issue here is that it worked fine for the last 5 years on a GFI, and now it doesn't. So, what changed?

What Changed, no idea. But it trips both GFI outlets. When I thought the first went bad its 16yrs old also. I plugged it in the other outlet in the garage which tripped it last night again.

tonyb

Do you have something new in the house plugged in to the same line causing a surge ? Move anything around in the house ? Sometimes you'd be surprised how stuff gets wired.

disneyjoe7

The only thing new is a new tooth brush charger station gismo thing, but I unplugged it and it still tripped. Reset the GFI 5 times or so, then unplugged frig and plugged it in to the other GFI, the first GFI didn't switch off after that. But then again frig was off again this morning and the other GFI tripped off.

I have two GFI outlets, one for the bathrooms, and one for the outside outlets.

steveinaz

Sounds like a fridge problem.

disneyjoe7

I think Russman hit the nail.

tonyb

I would also check the power cord, any bare parts rubbing up against metal, or if the prongs on the plug are loose.

Polkie2009

Have you notice any strange smell like a leaking capacitor(oily smell)possibly? Might have to get down low to look inside the bottom of the fridge and see how the compressor,caps,relays wiring etc...are looking. Probably might need to vacuum the dust off down there too ,lol.

tonyb

Could also be a dead squirrel in there, in the past,you and squirrels had a rocky relationship.

In my mind, I visualize all the animals around your house having a Jihad against you.

disneyjoe7

Update on my end.

Frig is working for now, will dig into it if it still acts up. I ended rewiring the GFI making that outlet the first in the string and being a normal, moved the GFI to the next outlet in the string protecting the bathrooms.


I do think a cap is going bad and perhaps leaking to ground tripping the GFI, enough to say frig doesn't work no IMHO.

madmax

Is there some building code which says a garage outlet must be on a GFI, much like required in a kitchen and bathroom? It certainly makes sense to me for safety. $120 a year means it is probably running constantly. Get one made for a garage, they make them now.

disneyjoe7

I'm not worried love living on the edge.

disneyjoe7

$120 a year not bad IMHO. But got to laugh due to the fact the Local electric company states FRIG in GARAGE oh that will add to bill. Ok so I hookup a Killawatt meter states this to me 170 watts per hour runs some 18 to 22 hours a day. Hmmm..... Now get this because I like others believed that this had to be 2 to 3 times what it would cost to run indoors. So I placed the Killawatt meter on the Frig inside, found this out 170 watts to run and runs some 18 to 22 hours a day. Shocked as the Frig in garage is old build 96 so 15 yrs old not what I thought earlier, and the Frig in the house newer at the time 2 yrs old, and marked Green. Well after that I sleep well known what it really cost me to run.

jimsvm

The current relay on the compesser is most lilely falling,and or the capactoris arcing.A 3in1 hard start kit could do the trick for about 20 bucks.

treitz3

What else do you have on the circuit besides the bathrooms and when [important question] does the circuit fault?

disneyjoe7

Tom,

It all started last night, I'm quick to notice this due to fact an outlet that is in the attic powers an antenna amp. I can't get a picture local TV if that outlet is dead. Also a porch outlet for a TV, and my whole house audio system closet is part of this circuit. With the frig off that circuit problems went away, but changed to the other GFI which is Irrigation, X10 transmitter in garage, all outlets outside, and a outlet in the laundry room which power some portable vacuums.

gdb

GFCI receps get old, tired, weak and cantankerous (like some old CP members) try a fresh GFCI recep before coming to any final conclusions. Oh yeah...buy a fidge/freezer alarm too, it'll let you know if things really "go South", and your food/beverages are getting too warm.

treitz3

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

Tom,

It all started last night, I'm quick to notice this due to fact an outlet that is in the attic powers an antenna amp. I can't get a picture local TV if that outlet is dead. Also a porch outlet for a TV, and my whole house audio system closet is part of this circuit. With the frig off that circuit problems went away, but changed to the other GFI which is Irrigation, X10 transmitter in garage, all outlets outside, and a outlet in the laundry room which power some portable vacuums.

JHC dude, you are overloading your outlets. Holy crap. Basically, when they all come on they trigger the GFI.

Hire a damned qualified and properly insured electrician before you burn your house down. You have been lucky enough so far.....do not push it.

disneyjoe7

Tom,

Relax what is the whole house audio pulling 125w or so, what is an antenna amp pulling 6w or so. What is a TV small tv pulling 100w. All wiring is 14/2 the GFI is 15amp the breaker is 15amp, and I never trip that breaker. It's a little crazy but YOU can't look at my CIRCUIT BREAKER BOX's if you're are coming to PF 2011 there's 3 total and they are all over done.

VR3

hehe - I once ran 5 Adcom amps, a receiver, cd player, tv, powered subwoofer, vcr, dvd player off of one 15 amp circuit.... which also had a computer, monitor and other misc things in the room on that circuit.

Never tripped it once. hehe