Tripping GFI Receptacle in Kitchen
#1
Tripping GFI Receptacle in Kitchen
We've got a house about 30 years old. No previous electrical problems.
I added a GFI Receptacle to the kitchen about a year ago. The refrigerator is plugged into a separate receptacle that is on the same circuit as the GFI receptacle.
Everything has been fine for about a year.
Just last night, the GFI receptacle began shutting off when the refrigerator door was opened and stayed open for more than five or six seconds. Pushing the red button on the GFI would get everything going again, but when you opened the refrigerator door, it would trip again.
The GFI Receptacle is only about a year old.
The refrigerator is about twenty five years old.
I've noticed in looking over other messages that it is not a good idea to put a refrigerator on a GFI circuit. However, the problem just happened last night after about a year. I guess I'm concerned that if I replace the GFI with a plain receptacle, I may be asking for trouble.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks very much.
Saul Schultz
Marietta, Georgia
I added a GFI Receptacle to the kitchen about a year ago. The refrigerator is plugged into a separate receptacle that is on the same circuit as the GFI receptacle.
Everything has been fine for about a year.
Just last night, the GFI receptacle began shutting off when the refrigerator door was opened and stayed open for more than five or six seconds. Pushing the red button on the GFI would get everything going again, but when you opened the refrigerator door, it would trip again.
The GFI Receptacle is only about a year old.
The refrigerator is about twenty five years old.
I've noticed in looking over other messages that it is not a good idea to put a refrigerator on a GFI circuit. However, the problem just happened last night after about a year. I guess I'm concerned that if I replace the GFI with a plain receptacle, I may be asking for trouble.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks very much.
Saul Schultz
Marietta, Georgia
#2
If the refrigerator is the only receptacle past the GFCI, you could just pigtail the wires and not feed through the GFCI. If there are other outlets that need GFCI protection between the two, you might run a new circuit directly to the fridge, or pigtail all receptacles and install GFCI receptacles in all locations except the fridge. (kinda expensive though if you have a lot of receptacles $10-$15/GFCI). This might also be a sign that your fridge is about to give up the ghost. (happened to a freezer on a GFCI in my basement, GFCI would not hold, freezer ended up bad). Good luck!