Talk of The Villages Florida - Information/Advice about home freezer

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We just put a refrigerator in the garage. Electrician advised to have a new, separate, dedicated outlet for the refrigerator put in. Also, code requires ALL wall outlets in a garage to be GFI and the must be at least 42” above grade.

I’m sure YOU can change out the outlet after it’s installed but an electrician must put in a GFI.

My suggestion is to buy a small chest freezer and put it in your laundry room, that way you'll see the light on the front if it goes out and you can buy a $20 alarm that plugs into the circuit as well.

Install separate dedicated 20 amp outlet

Quote:

Originally Posted by thevillages2013 (Post 1971755)

If you want to ensure the freezer stays on while you are away then you need to get an electrician to install a dedicated outlet for the freezer.

I agree. Our garage gfci outlet will trip periodically. Have had it replaced a couple times. We do not even have a freezer or a high amp draw appliance. Unreliable for your use. Install another circuit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by n8xwb (Post 1971695)

The problem (I believe) with plugging the freezer into a GFCI plug in the garage is that that circuit is protecting your outdoor outlets. It tripping may have nothing to do with lightning but everything to do with rain getting an outside outlet wet, or something plugged in outside wet! If you don't have an electric golf cart, that plug will work great for your freezer. If you have an electric cart, try using one of the GFCI circuits for the golf cart. If you don't have much else on the circuit, it should work fine and if it trips in a storm it's no big deal.

I had that happen to me for YEARS could not figure what was tripping it. Then Boom I realized only when it rained.... I went out side my house and found some area's open to the elements... plugged it up, and never had a problem again.

GFIC's can cause nuisance tripping. And that will need a replacement GFIC receptical of the same amperage. Just saying cause I'm just an old electrician.

I had a dedicated line put in. It’s not that expensive to do so. It’s worth it so you never have to worry any longer

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluecenturian (Post 1972159)

I've been away from the trade for a long time, but I'm pretty sure the code does NOT require ALL receps in the garage to be GFCI, otherwise why is the dedicated, single-gang 20a golf-cart recep in my garage not a GFCI? I've even got a dedicated, single-gang 20a non-GFCI recep for the sprinkler controller. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a single-gang GFCI receptical.

There was an exception for dedicated-use when I was an electrician. If there is now some stupid rule that "dedicated use" means it has to be a single-gang, 20a recep, then have your electrician install one. You freezer will work just as well plugged into a 20amp recep as it will a 15amp, and much better than a 15amp GFCI.

I suggest having an electrician install a dedicated circuit that is ONLY for the freezer and it should be a non-GFCI breaker.

Put in a new GFR, as they weaken with age

Quote:

Originally Posted by butlerism (Post 1971982)

OMG.
I have been waiting for this one to pop up.

I am an electrical engineer.

Your house is not wired to code.

Now your outlets. If wired like mine ( this took me a while to figure out)......

1- Look at your breaker panel, there is one outlet labeled GFCI. note it.
2- that breaker feeds one primary GFCI outlet in your garage (mine is at the interior of the garage behind the master bath, maybe even feeds the master bath outlets too... have not looked that far yet).
3- Here is the code violation. In my home it feeds all the exterior outlets and the garage outlets.
Two out back. Two in Front. Three in the garage. One in the garage ceiling..... and ohhhh yes the lamp pole out front.

CODE VIOLATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Change these two items of concern The breaker and primary GFCI outlet.
Definitely a very hokey way to wire a home.

I am assuming the Villages developer hires idiots and wires the homes this way. It is wrong.
My breaker was fine, but with every heavy rain the primary GFCI outlet would trip. Took me a bit to figure out.

The developer makes a small assumption. Your are not running much on this string.
Most of us do not have a plethora of electronics we are plugging in outside or in the garage.
Wake up call. The battery charger for my golf cart just about takes up all the amperage on full charge mode that the primary GFCI can pass thru. Bring ln the rain..... TRIP!!!!

Do not get me started on the three way outlets wired from the front door switches.
I have a light at my entry inside, but noooo I need a switch at the front door to power up the lower half of an outlet at the rear of my house.

WTF

I was walking around my house for a while saying.... what the heck does this switch control?????

I am sure that the home was wired to code. It would be dumb not to. How old is your house?

copy of home electrical wiring code Florida - Bing