Refrigerator Keeps Tripping the Breaker or GFCI?

If your refrigerator keeps tripping the breaker or a GFCI outlet, either the circuit is overloaded or something in the refrigerator has an electrical fault, such as a heater, motor or wire leaking current to ground. The breaker and the GFCI are doing their jobs, so the goal is to find the fault, not to keep resetting them. A few safe checks tell you whether the problem is in the refrigerator or in the house wiring, and that tells you whether to call an appliance technician or a licensed electrician.

Safety first. Never remove or bypass GFCI protection, and never swap a GFCI for a regular outlet to keep a refrigerator running; that protection is what stands between a leaking appliance and a serious shock. If the outlet or the plug is warm, discolored, scorched or wet, or you see sparks or smell burning, leave it unplugged and call. Wiring, outlet and circuit changes are for a licensed electrician.

Refrigerator keeps tripping the breaker: checks you can do yourself

1. Reset it once. Switch the breaker fully off and back on, or press the reset button on the GFCI. If it trips again right away, stop resetting.
2. Find the GFCI that tripped. A GFCI outlet also protects the outlets wired after it, so the refrigerator's outlet may be protected by a GFCI somewhere else, such as another outlet in the garage. If the fridge's own outlet has no test and reset buttons, look for a tripped GFCI nearby.
3. Take other loads off the circuit. A second freezer, a shop vacuum or a space heater on the same circuit can overload it. LG notes that a refrigerator uses a significant amount of power, and that sharing a power strip with other appliances can trip the breaker.
4. Plug straight into the wall. No extension cords and no power strips; more on that below.
5. Check the cord and plug. Look for cuts, crushing or burn marks. Samsung says not to plug a damaged cord back in.
6. Separate the refrigerator from the house. GE's test: unplug the refrigerator and reset the breaker. If it trips again with the refrigerator unplugged, the fault is typically in the house wiring or the panel, and you need an electrician. If it holds until the refrigerator is plugged back in, the fault is most likely in the refrigerator.
7. Note when it trips: as the compressor kicks on, every several hours, or only when something else runs. That timing is the best clue you can give a technician.

Why a refrigerator trips a GFCI

A GFCI works differently from a breaker. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission explains that a GFCI compares the current flowing out on a circuit with the current coming back, and cuts the power when they differ by as little as 0.006 amperes, faster than the blink of an eye. A breaker trips when the circuit carries too much current. So a refrigerator that trips a GFCI but not a breaker usually has a small leak of current to ground somewhere. GE describes it the same way: a GFCI trips when current leaks to ground.

The usual sources:

• The defrost heater. Frost-free refrigerators run a heater on a schedule to melt frost off the cooling coil. A damaged heater can leak current only while it is on, so the GFCI trips on a schedule and the refrigerator seems fine in between. GE lists a shorted heater among the refrigerator faults that trip circuits.
• Moisture. Water from a clogged defrost drain, an overflowing drain pan or condensation can reach wiring and connectors under the refrigerator. If you also see water, read why is my fridge leaking water.
• The compressor or a fan motor. Worn insulation in a motor can leak current, and a failing compressor can draw enough when it starts to trip a breaker.
• A damaged cord or wiring harness. Wires can chafe or get pinched behind and under the refrigerator.
• The GFCI itself. CPSC notes that blackouts and power disturbances can sometimes damage a GFCI, and recommends testing every GFCI monthly. Samsung notes that GFCI outlets are not all the same, and says to have an electrician review the outlet if the refrigerator keeps tripping it.

A garage refrigerator on a GFCI

According to CPSC, the National Electrical Code has called for GFCI protection on garage outlets since 1978, although the code typically applies to new construction and major renovations. So a second refrigerator in the garage often ends up on a GFCI, in a space with summer heat, humidity that condenses on cold surfaces, dust and sometimes a damp floor. Damp conditions are hard on connectors and wiring, and the fix is never to remove the protection.

Whether a particular outlet needs GFCI protection, or whether the refrigerator should have its own circuit, is a question for a licensed electrician. For reference, Whirlpool's installation requirements call for a grounded 115-volt, 60 Hz, 15- or 20-amp supply, on a separate circuit serving only the refrigerator, through an outlet that cannot be turned off by a switch. Our Florida humidity maintenance checklist covers garage refrigerators, too.

Breaker or GFCI: what the pattern tells you

• The breaker trips as the compressor starts: a compressor, start relay or overload problem, or a circuit that is already heavily loaded.
• The GFCI trips every several hours: points toward the defrost heater or moisture.
• It trips only when the microwave, a space heater or a tool runs: an overloaded circuit.
• It trips with the refrigerator unplugged: the house wiring, the outlet or the breaker itself. Call an electrician.

LG's advice is worth following: if the breaker trips only when the refrigerator is running, stop using the refrigerator and have it serviced.

Why not an extension cord?

The U.S. Fire Administration says to plug major appliances, refrigerators included, directly into a wall outlet and never to use an extension cord with one, because the cord can overheat and start a fire. Whirlpool's instructions say the same. Running a cord to a different outlet does not fix a tripping problem anyway; it only moves it.

Keep your food safe while it's off

According to the USDA, a refrigerator keeps food safe for up to 4 hours if the door stays closed, and a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full). If the refrigerator will be off longer, move perishables to a cooler with ice. USDA says to discard refrigerated perishables such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers after 4 hours without power. Our guide to a fridge that is not cooling covers what to do next.

What usually fails

• Defrost heater. A GFCI that trips on a schedule, often with frost building on the freezer's back wall.
• Compressor or its start relay. A breaker that trips as the compressor tries to start. We test the relay and the compressor before recommending anything, because the relay costs far less.
• Condenser or evaporator fan motor. A motor with damaged windings or wet connections.
• Wiring harness, connector or power cord. Chafed, pinched or wet wiring.

What it costs in Jacksonville

The diagnostic visit is $79 ($119 for built-in or integrated refrigerators), and it is waived when you approve the repair. Repairs start at $179 labor plus parts, with a written flat-rate estimate before any work begins. Most refrigerator repairs on standard brands run $200 to $450 all in, and defrost parts and relays sit at the low end. Compressor work is rarely worth it on an older refrigerator; our repair-or-replace guide explains why. If the fault is in the house wiring, we will tell you, and that part is for a licensed electrician. Every repair carries our 90-day parts-and-labor warranty. See our pricing.

Schedule refrigerator repair or call (904) 561-4790. Refrigerators that are not cooling get priority scheduling, and most calls placed before noon get same-day service across Jacksonville & the First Coast.