GFI Outlet
 

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote:

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

That appears to be one of those things where if you don't have a problem, I
wouldn't sweat it. It won't damage the freezer. Theoretically, high humidity or
the compressor start can trip the GFCI outlet. This can lead to spoiled food if
you aren't in the freezer often.

If you haven't been having a problem with GFCI trips, you may not need to do
anything. If you have and the outlet is a GFCI outlet, replacing it with a
standard outlet is easy to do.

If the outlet is a standard outlet protected by a GFCI breaker or a GFCI outlet
that is further upstream, you can either move the freezer or get someone to run
a new circuit to the freezer. Electrical work in garages is pretty
straightforward, so hiring someone to add an outlet shouldn't cost you a lot.

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote:

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

That appears to be one of those things where if you don't have a problem, I
wouldn't sweat it. It won't damage the freezer. Theoretically, high humidity or
the compressor start can trip the GFCI outlet. This can lead to spoiled food if
you aren't in the freezer often.

If you haven't been having a problem with GFCI trips, you may not need to do
anything. If you have and the outlet is a GFCI outlet, replacing it with a
standard outlet is easy to do.

If the outlet is a standard outlet protected by a GFCI breaker or a GFCI outlet
that is further upstream, you can either move the freezer or get someone to run
a new circuit to the freezer. Electrical work in garages is pretty
straightforward, so hiring someone to add an outlet shouldn't cost you a lot.

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote in -
september.org:




I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate




Your local code may say that outlets in the garage must be GFCI.

Hopefully a NEC wiz will tell you if it's required at that level.

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote in -
september.org:




I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate




Your local code may say that outlets in the garage must be GFCI.

Hopefully a NEC wiz will tell you if it's required at that level.

GFI Outlet
 

GFI Outlet
 

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote:




















I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate


Nothing with a motor should be on a GFCI. And after the original
building inspection, it is YOUR house. Change them out.

s

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote:




















I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate


Nothing with a motor should be on a GFCI. And after the original
building inspection, it is YOUR house. Change them out.

s

GFI Outlet
 

On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:37:33 -0800, Kate wrote:










This space intentionally left blank.










I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.

Do you use the outlet for power tools also? What else do you use the
outlet for besides the freezer.

I was told that this was not a good thing.

The outlet won't trip until the first time it trips.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

You have to either change the outlet or run an extension cord from
yoiur next door neighbor.

I would change the outlet, then change it back again after I sold the
house but before I moved out.



Thanks in advance.

Kate

GFI Outlet
 

On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:37:33 -0800, Kate wrote:










This space intentionally left blank.










I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.

Do you use the outlet for power tools also? What else do you use the
outlet for besides the freezer.

I was told that this was not a good thing.

The outlet won't trip until the first time it trips.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

You have to either change the outlet or run an extension cord from
yoiur next door neighbor.

I would change the outlet, then change it back again after I sold the
house but before I moved out.



Thanks in advance.

Kate

GFI Outlet
 

"Kate" wrote in message
...

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move the
freezer which is a lot of work?


Never put a freezer, refrigerator, or anything that must run all the time on
a GFI type outlet. Those outlets or breakers sometimes trip for no real
reason and can let your food thaw. Sump pumps and such can trip them and
you get a flood.

GFI Outlet
 

"Kate" wrote in message
...

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move the
freezer which is a lot of work?


Never put a freezer, refrigerator, or anything that must run all the time on
a GFI type outlet. Those outlets or breakers sometimes trip for no real
reason and can let your food thaw. Sump pumps and such can trip them and
you get a flood.

GFI Outlet
 

GFI Outlet
 

On Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:37:33 -0800, Kate wrote:





















I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

Thanks in advance.

Kate


Easy. Swap the GFI outlet for a regular one. Get a large rubber mat
to put in front of the freezer.

GFI Outlet
 

Kate wrote:

I have a freezer in my garage that is plugged into a GFI outlet.
I was told that this was not a good thing.

Would this be an easy fix by changing out the outlet, or should I move
the freezer which is a lot of work?

At the very least, don't remove the GFI if it protects other outlets
downstream.

I've had some GFIs that falsely tripped once a month, others that
never did even with motors or straight fluorescents were on the same
circuit. A hash filter (EMI filter) wired ahead of a GFI should
eliminate virtually all false trips in even the noisiest environment
(a hash filter between the GFI and refrigerator can prevent false
trips from noise generated by the latter), and GFI chips have turn-off
time delays to minimize them as well. UL standard 943 allows for a
delay of as much as 5-6 seconds when the leakage is under 6mA but
requires turn-off within a couple 1/100ths of a second at 100mA.