GFCI Outlet

First, excuse my ignorance with this question.......but then again that is why I am here. I have had a refrigerator in my garage for a few years now. It is plugged into a GFCI outlet. Lately, it has been tripping the safety switch (almost every other day). What dangers are there if I plug the frig into a regular outlet and not the GFCI? Does the GFCI outlet need to be replaced or is the frig about to die? I have a feeling that the outlet is working just as it is supposed to. I plugged it into a regular socket last Saturday and it has not shut off in the past week. Thanks for the replies, B

 

Is this receptacle dedicated to the refrigerator? If so, I would replace it with a regular receptacle. GFCI's don't get along well over time with motors and compressors. If it protects other receptacles, you will need to figure which receptacle is next in line and start your GFCI protection there.

 

Thanks for the reply.... the frig is the only thing plugged into this receptacle. How do you determine if it protects other receptacles....next in line?

 

When you trip the GFCI, do you lose power to any other receptacles?

 

Thanks Chandler..... when the CFGI outlet trips, that is the only outlet that looses power.

 

Change it to a regular receptacle and monitor the refrigerator for a while. If it gets to a point of tripping the breaker,it would point to the fridge as the problem. Remember GFCI's don't trip on overload. Only on an imbalance between the hot and neutral, which can be caused by motor or compressor operation.

 

There is a possibility that the GFCI receptacle is bad and tripping prematurely. Although removing the GFCI protection may work, it is still a code violation. I believe before I removed the GFCI protection I'd first try replacing the GFCI receptacle and see what happens. If a new GFCI device continues to trip you have a fault within the refrigerator.