0
A GFCI trips whenever it senses a grounding problem. Not grounding the outside surface of radios, fans, fridges, metal lamps and hand tools can put 120 volts on the device where you can touch it and possibly be killed.
The GFCI trips so you will not be killed. Best to have an electrician check out your fridge. If it is OK, then the GFCI may be At Fault.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIn many cases motors will trip GFCIs. This is less of a problem with the increase in motor inefficiency but very often still with refrigerators. You need to replace your outlet, assuming it isn't a counter top outlet, with a normal one or, if it is piggie backed onto a GFCI up the line, remove it from that circuit.
As to your question of why, I only know that somehow, probably through the motor's capacitor, your refrigerator pulls more current on one wire just fractions of a second before the current returns on the other. This current imbalance is what trips a GFCI.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What happens when you plug a GFCI protected extension cord into an outlet that is GFCI protected?
In a word NO, that will not cause either GFCI to trip. The correct term is GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)
What is the trip time for a GFCI?
The trip time for a GFCI is from 15 to 30 milliseconds.
How many amps does gfci trip at?
GFCI receptacle are designed to trip on 5 milliamps.
Can you use a GFCI plug into a GFCI outlet?
Yes you can. Lots of blow dryers have GFCI protection built in.
What happens if you trip a GFCI repeatedly on purpose?
Every time you trip the GFCI, the power to the device plugged into it will lose its supply voltage.
Where are GFCI required by the electrical code?
GFCI (or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) should always be installed anywhere there is a possibility of the "plug-in" getting damp or wet, such as the Kitchen or Bathroom, also it doesn't hurt to use a GFCI in rooms used by children as they trip much faster on a fault than circuit breakers (if the kid sticks something in the plug in)
Will a GFCI outlet trip when the current is reduced or shut off?
The GFCI is measuring leakage current to ground, so if no current is flowing it won't trip.
Why won't the GFCI trip the panel box when shorted?
A GFCI is not an overcurrent protection device. It only protects people from electrical shock. However, if you were to create a perfect hot to neutral short the GFCI would not trip and the panel breaker would.
Can rodent damaged romex cause gfci to trip?
Yes
When would it be a better idea in a residence to install a GFCI breaker instead of an GFCI outlet?
GFCI Breakers are quite a bit more expensive than a GFCI outlet. More often than not a typical residence will need only a handful of GFCI outlets that combined together will be cheaper than a GFCI breaker. If you need to protect a series of outlets with GFCI protection you can simply connect the rest of the outlets on that same circuit downstream from the first outlet on the line and make that the GFCI. All you have to do is connect all the other outlets to the LOAD side of the GFCI outlet. If a GFCI fault occurs in any of the outlets down stream they will trip that very first GFCI plug you placed and keep you safe.
Plugging an electric heater into a GFI outlet caused the lights and other outlets to go out but didn't trip the circuit breaker why?
A GFCI receptacle can pass it's "protection" to other outlets wired from it. If the GFCI trips, all outlets wired from it will "trip" also. A GFCI tripping will not necessarily trip the circuit breaker in the service panel.
Can a difference of 5 milliamperes for 30 milliseconds trip a gfci?
Yes it can.
