Garage fridge keeps tripping GFCI outlet

[Sooresha]

I have a perfectly functioning counter depth fridge. 20 year old fridge in my garage that recently started tripping the GFCI outlet it’s plugged into. Same outlet for previous 14 years with no issues. There’s no ice maker in the fridge.

Decided to take an extension cord and run it to another GFCI outlet on the other wall of the garage and it trips it there as well. (About 5-6 times per day).

Is the issue the fridge or something else? Maybe I need to buy new? I found good counter depth fridges on the Refrigeratorfaq.

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[madscientist]

I had the same problem with a refrigerator tripping a GFCI breaker in hot humid weather. After consulting the manufacturers of both the fridge (Samsung) and the breaker (Murray) I was told that the compressor motors sometimes arc and can trip GFCIs.

They suggested that I replace the breaker with non GFCI breaker. That's the only way I got it to work.

You can try installing a new GFCI receptacle but since you already tried a different receptacle, I'm afraid that your refrigerator will continue to trip any GFCI. It sounds like you might need to swap the GFCI for a normal receptacle.

 

[Maverick909]

sounds like the compressor is failing on the fridge or its over heating. Have you tipped the fridge over to clean the compressor coil section out of all dust and dirt? id start with that and see what happens. but with the age of the fridge that is a great lasting fridge and it could be starting to case short in the compressor heating element. if that is the case i would replace the fridge instead of the outlet. GFIC is to protect you from ground faults and they trip for a reason... a ground short.

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