Calling all electricians.

Just bought a used fridge for garage, trips all gfci outlets in garage but will run on inside house outlets no problem. Can I just replace gfci outlet with normal duplex or will it still trip? House was built in 2019

 

A GF will not trip without a reason. Can you plug anything in the garage without tripping the GF? Is the inside plug where you plugged the fridge in, a GF? Is your fire insurance upto date?

 

Is there anything else on the same circuit in the garage?
BTW, I think all garage are required to have GFCI outlets.
It’s your house, so it’s your call.

 

Yes I run a deep freezer and and a tv without issue. I read an article that fridges cant be ran off gfis?

 

Sounds like you have a loose neutral. (White wire). Be careful! Check for loose wire at receptacle and the breaker. Not an electrician but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

 

I didn’t know this, but mine are not on GFCI receptacles.

 

Gf is tripping because it is detecting a difference in the current going in and the current going out on the hot and neutral wires. Meaning, there's something in the fridge letting current go out the ground pin on the plug, and so something metal on that fridge might have voltage on it. Fix the fridge, this is why gfci outlets exist.


I'm not sure I buy the bit about freezers being too large of a load. But maybe it's and inductive load thing. Hnmm

 

I’m not telling you what to do, as it may not be “legal or to code”
Could you move the GFCI outlet to AFTER the outlet the refrigerator is plug into.
Ideally, if I doing this, you’d make the first outlet on the circuit the regular Non-GFCI,
Then the next (second) outlet the GFCI.

Again, I’m not an electrician.
This probably isn’t as safe as a fully protected circuit.
And finally it’s an idea.

I’d wait for a more qualified individual to answer the question.

 

Here’s what I found on “Why”


When a refrigerator is plugged into a GFCI there are a few reasons it may keep tripping the outlet.

Nuisance Tripping
Most refrigerators with vapor compression have what are called inductive loads.

When an inductive load is switched off, it can produce electromagnetic interference (EMI).

The interference can, and often will, trip a GFCI outlet.

There are deceives known as snubbers that can be installed to eliminate, or at least reduce the effects of the interference.

If you choose to go this way, the snubber will need to be installed between the GFCI deceive and the refrigerator.

If you want to keep the fridge on a GFCI outlet, you can try replacing the breaker in the box with a GFCI breaker.

 

I figured its probably just the startup of the fridge is more than the circuit is designed for. I had it plugged into a 100ft drop cord on a 20amp outlet and it did great. I get the purpose of a gfci, I just feel like it's being too cautious

 

Just plugged my main fridge in with the same 100ft drop cord into garage outlet and did fine. Must be fridge problem

 

Then I wouldn’t use the other fridge until it is fixed.

 

I agree. About 10 people in my neighborhood said they are running fridges no problem

 

I got a journeyman electrician's license while in high school but let it lapse after getting my MSEE. I've never worked "extensively" as a professional electrician, so don't take what I say as guaranteed, but here goes...

There could be a real problem with your frig, so chose carefully.

Some GFCIs are pickier than others, and some don't handle machines well. It may be that a new higher quality GFCI would run it. As a test, you could try running off the GFCI in your kitchen or bathroom on an extension cord. But if they're all cheap GFCIs, it may trip them all.

In my city, GFCIs are required in unfinished basements and garages for general purpose outlets. However, non-GFCI outlets are legal (in my city) if they are a dedicated use receptical for specific appliance that does not need a GFCI (sump pump, freezer, etc). Such recepticals are what you'd call a "single outlet". When adding circuits to my garage, the inspector insisted they all be on GFCI (it was worth a try, right?). For my 120v mig welder, he let me install a dedicated use receptical. Here is what they look like.

I've added outlets for 2 freezers in my basement. They both are not on GFCI circuits, but have dedicated use recepticals, so they're legal. I never want a freezer on a GFCI because a nusiance trip can cost hundreds in lost food.

The reasons not to swap it out for a regular outlet are 1) safety, 2) the law. Swaping to a dedicated use receptical is probably legal (call your inspector and ask).

If you run that on anything other than a GFCI, make absolustely certain that the ground is good, and you have a good 3 prong plug, and understand you are taking a risk since the GFCI tripping may indicate a safety problem with the appliance.

 

I appreciate all the responses and I feel I should update...

When we got the fridge home we throughly cleaned it and I believe some cleaner went down the freezer vent. The gfis were indeed doing they're job. I plugged the fridge into a gfci outlet in garage for shits and gigs and it did not trip and fridge runs great. So like most things it's not the product it's the user that has fucked up. Thanks for all the help everyone

 

gfci's do go bad, i ran a fridge in garage for 5yrs one place and 2 yrs at another. Just have to watch power if you have a freezer with meat. And didnt notice the gfci popped.

Also make sure you arent overloaded on the circuit

 

Basically the moisture dried up and it works now