electrical question

[Gunslinger]

What would cause an older refrigerator to pop a junction box breaker (not the breaker for that row of outlets in the main box but the red button in the outlet itself)

The fridge isn't THAT old, maybe under 10 years.  I plugged my 31 gallon compressor into the same outlet and it works fine.  THe fridge causes the the box to trip.

[Dago]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
What would cause an older refrigerator to pop a junction box breaker (not the breaker for that row of outlets in the main box but the red button in the outlet itself)

The fridge isn't THAT old, maybe under 10 years.  I plugged my 31 gallon compressor into the same outlet and it works fine.  THe fridge causes the the box to trip.

Using all my extensive mechanical and electrical knowledge, I would venture to guess - it's broken.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Dago
Using all my extensive mechanical and electrical knowledge, I would venture to guess - it's broken.

DAGO you da man.....don't let anyone else tell you differently.  I would have NEVER thought of that.


Seriously.

Anyone


Beuler?

[zmeg]

It's a ground fault problem, it means all the juce coming out through the hot wire is not being returned through the netural wire, making it a shock hazzard. Check for bad insulation on all the internal wiring.

[Dago]

My first guess is your fridge compressor is broken or overloading.  If it runs for a short while than pops, make sure the coil is clean.  A tip off would be a louder than normal thump when shutting off.  Probably not that, but easy to check.

[Seraphim]

The compressor could be dirty, causing it to need more power to turn. Could also be that the coil has a short...A bad ground wouldnt just cause a trip, it means it would be a shock hazard. BTW, the juice comes from the neutral and is pulled by the hot wire. bad ground means there is not enough power to supply it.

[zmeg]

Originally posted by Seraphim
The compressor could be dirty, causing it to need more power to turn. Could also be that the coil has a short...A bad ground wouldnt just cause a trip, it means it would be a shock hazard. BTW, the juice comes from the neutral and is pulled by the hot wire. bad ground means there is not enough power to supply it.

  You don't understand this is not a breaker that trips when overloaded, it's a ground fault interupter that only trips to prevent shock hazzards.

[xrtoronto]

Don't know that much except you should be standing barefoot in shallow water when doing electrical work.

[Ripsnort]

THe only thing worse than a man's beer fridge not working is when the wife has the remote control.

Regarding electricity, the only thing I know about electricity is how to get the shorts outta the crack of my butt.

[Holden McGroin]

Originally posted by zmeg
You don't understand this is not a breaker that trips when overloaded, it's a ground fault interupter that only trips to prevent shock hazzards.

Are you saying that the ground fault circuit interrupter (the little red button on the duplex outlet being the reset button of a ground fault circuit interruptor) has interrupted the circuit because of a ground fault?

How can this be?  I think it must be an overload.  The only way to fix it is to get a new 400 amp service.

[RTR]

If it is a red button on the outlet itself it is a ground fault problem. Can be caused by a few things.  The problem lies somewhere in the fridge. You getting any moisture coming off of the firdge at all?  

At any rate move the beer to a cooler location immediately.

RTR

[Gunslinger]

THE BEER IS SAFE


I REPEAT THE BEER IS SAFE



ok

Yes this is the ground fault thingy....the red button on the outlet.  Just some more backround.  I just got this fridge and hooked it up in my Garage.  The wiring in there is pretty solid because all my tools work.  The fridge ran well and cold for about 30 minutes then tripped the red button.  I've taken my compressor and blew out all the debris from the bottom of the fridge but that didn't fix.  

I've never worked on a fridge before so I'm kind of at a loss as where to start.

RTR as soon as I plug the cord in it trips.  The fridge was blowin nice and cold for 30 min to an hour before this happend.

[storch]

what zmeg has repeatedly said. the ground fault is tripping because you have a short somewhere in the fridges wiring.  if the unit is running for 30 minutes then tripping the GF you have partially diagnosed the problem.  see if it trips when the compressor fires up if it does there's your culprit.

[capt. apathy]

as zmeg and storch said the outlet button is the GFI not a load breaker.  

it trips when current on your neutral wire doesn't equal the current on your hot wire.  some or all of your current is finding another source to ground(through your ground wire, contact with another source or a person touching the fridge).

check for wet wires or components (is the drip tray empty?).

  also a wire could be pinched or rubbing hard on the frame. vibration could then allow it to short.  check all the connections and wire routing that you can access easily.  make sure they have a free path and are not stretched tight.

[Gunslinger]

It's doing it now every time I plug it in.  Considering the fridge was recently moved, I think I'll check all the wiring first.  Thanks guys.