Posted: 5/18/2016 10:29:07 PM EDT
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I have a problem with the GFCI outlet in my garage. Several outlets and garage light are tied to this particular circuit and periodically the GFCI outlet trips, shutting down power to the other outlets and the light.
There's a refrigerator and a chest freezer plugged into the circuit (but different outlets). Is this too much of a load or is the GFCI outlet faulty? Do I even need a GFCI outlet in the garage? Thanks for any help or insight. |
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Yes, you need GFCI protected outlets in a garage.
A GFCI doesn't trip on too much load. The circuit breaker protects against that. A minuscule ground fault will trip the GFCI outlet, but it's more common for them to simply fail. I would replace it if it was mine. |
| Compressor units on fridges/freezers are notorious for tripping GFCI circuits and replacing the GFCI receptacle will most likely not solve the problem. The NEC used to allow you to do dedicated single outlets without GFCI protection in garages and kitchens but it is no longer permitted. That said, I would NEVER use a GFCI for a refrigerator or freezer just due to nuisance trips. |
| If I'm understanding you correctly, the GFCI that is tripping is one of the first on that circuit? If this is the case you could rewire your outlet to "pass through" rather than protect everything else on the circuit. That way you would know which outlet was actually the culprit. We moved into a new house a few months ago and I had a similar problem. After pulling everything to see how it was wired, I rewired all of the outlets and replaced a couple of older GFCIs. I haven't had a problem since. Good luck! |
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