Have the residents who put......
 

a refrigerator on their lanai had any problems with tripping the GFCI or the freezer not cooling in cold weather????

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Had a small refrigerator on our back porch (lanai) for 12 years year round. No problems what so ever.

I've had similar issues, without a fridge involved. We had an electrician recommend installing a GFCI on each outlet for that circuit. It seems to have resolved the issue.

However, there is a known issue with circuit breakers in homes installed south of 466A. You might want to call the electrical contractor who installed your wiring & the electrical box. If it is related to the issue I just mentioned they will replace the faulty breakers at no cost.


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Thanks. I had that issue over a year ago and they replaced all the breakers involved. There is a different issue with refrigerators plugged into GFCI outlets----it appears that the compressor can cause a slight power surge when it kicks on, which can be above the 4.5 ma threshold of most GFCIs. My research showed that it is mostly with older units and could vary by the type of wiring and GFCIs, so I was interested in a little local feedback. The other problem that occurs with outdoor/garage units is that a low temp will not allow the thermostat, which is in the refrigerator part to call for cooling, hence the freezer part can gravitate into the 30s and melt. No one in my neighborhood has had this problem, it appears you need sustained temps below 35 in most cases.

We put a small frig in the garage and it tripped the breaker. Turns out it was on the same as our hot tub. We plugged it into a different outlet and it worked fine. We have had no issue with the freezer cooling in the hot garage. It has been there for about 3-4 years.

I have a Eurocave wine fridge in the garage, and have also at my previous 2 homes. It keeps the wine bottles at whatever temp I set -+ 0.2 degrees. It has never flipped a GFCI or breaker.


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Strange that the hot tub wasn't on a dedicated circuit---must have been a 110 v unit. Actually, the problem that develops isn't from a HOT garage, although it does put more strain on the compressor. The problem is that in the COLD, the thermostat, which is located in the refrigerator compartment, won't call for cold air, and as a result the freezer doesn't get any either and warms up to the mid thirties. Fortunately, no one I've asked has had this problem, but if we get temps outside around 32-34 for more than 24 hours, we may all have this problem. Hope not.

bought a refrig for the garage about 9 years ago. Then when we purchased new appliances moved the replaced refrig to the garage. have not had any sort of electrical or cooling problem so fare fingers crossed)

GE - if you lived in Canada, where certain lobsters come from, you wouldn't need a garage or lanai fridge. You could put a cardboard box on the front porch and all would be well.


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Yes, but the box would be EMPTY, since certain Canadian LOSERS of a bet have not paid up. (BF, I hope you are reading this, and yes, I'll take the 5 yard penalty for cross threading):1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

No, but the washer and dryer on my front porch makes a lot of noise in the summer !

Actually the cross thread penalty belongs to me. But I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a lobster today


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Recommendation
 

One of the recommendations we got when we put a refrigerator in the garage was to put a fan on top of the refrigerator, plug it into the same outlet and turn it on. Then you will notice immediately if the GFCI has been tripped, as the fan won't be on. Of course you have to be home to notice.

We also have thermometers inside to periodically check the temperatures.

If the refrigerator and the recepticle is dedicate for the device only you do not need a GFI--NEVER put a refrig on a GFI circuit--make the plug and recepticle a twist lock and you meet code--GFI are for personal shock protection

I learn something new everyday on TOTV.

THANKS[emoji41]


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Option to use GF or not....what is the code?
 

We were informed by an electrician who came to our home, that all the outlets in the garage must be GF by code. I am not sure if this is the same for outdoor outlets. Best to check with a licensed electrician.

Some points of clarification. ALL OUTSIDE outlets MUST be protected by GFCI, as far as I know, there is no allowance for using twist lock type outlets. This also includes outlets in the garage, and those near water (bathrooms and kitchen, etc.). INSIDE the house, as I understand it, yes a dedicated circuit to the refrigerator, can be allowed as long as it is a certain distance from water (this needs to be verified with the building department).
OP, as you are aware, GFCI operate when the difference in the current between the HOT wire and the Neutral wire are more than 4.5 ma. This maybe due to the use of surge suppressing capacitors (or possibly leakage to ground of the motor starting capacitor) that connect to ground. The GFCI cannot tell the difference of a leakage due to the surge capacitor (or motor starting cap) or a person being electrocuted due to a broken wire. While I have a lot of electrical test equipment, I do not have a specific leakage detector.

Yes it is a 110 volt hot tub.

You're 100% correct. For my own edification I reached out to the Sumter County Building Inspectors. This is the response pertaining to non-GFCI circuits/receptacles in a garage. "The code says ALL receptacles in the garage are required to be gfi NEC 210.8 A 2. We used to allow them if they were a single recept but the code doesn’t allow it anymore."

30 amp/120v outlets do not have to be GFCI protected--if you have this style out let get an adapter from 30 amp --15/20 amp & you'll be good to go--again GFI's are for personal protection--lots of people use hand tools in garages -- I would never put a refrig on a GFI ,unless the only thing in it are beverages--same goes for a freezer--think -you have golf cart outlets that are not GFI protected

Just reporting what the building inspector boss told me. Sounds pretty unambiguous if a receptacle is in a garage, it has to be GFCI. By the way. I had a garage fridge on a GfCI circuit in a previous home for 7 years and never had a problem with tripping the breaker.

Would this work for our golf cart, which constantly trips the GFCI plug we use for it? (Newer home, all plugs in garage are GFCI protected).