Unwanted freezer thaw out due to GFCI

[blackdog]

I am an electrician. In new house construction garage freezers are almost always run on dedicated circuits for this very reason. With that being said, GFCI's are there to protect you. If the circuit you are trying to utilize for your freezer is protected by one then it is not a good circuit to use. Call a professional and have someone install a dedicated circuit for your freezer. There is no other proper fix for this. It will quite possible save you money, time and pain in the long run. If you rent I would call your landlord or building manager and see what they can do for you. There is some pretty dangerous advice being given here.

Solid. Thank you!

 

[TJ]

I am an electrician. In new house construction garage freezers are almost always run on dedicated circuits for this very reason. With that being said, GFCI's are there to protect you. If the circuit you are trying to utilize for your freezer is protected by one then it is not a good circuit to use. Call a professional and have someone install a dedicated circuit for your freezer. There is no other proper fix for this. It will quite possible save you money, time and pain in the long run. If you rent I would call your landlord or building manager and see what they can do for you. There is some pretty dangerous advice being given here.

Solid. Thank you!

Also realize the GFCI is not always the problem. It may be the freezer, and if that is the case then the GFCI is doing what it is intended to do!!!

 

[avodude]

Zbowman, I agree with everything that you said. GFCI's are great and I'm not going to replace it because I rent the place. I'm not going to be held liable if I start a fire or someone, myself included, gets electrocuted in the garage (there are two separate outlets on the circuit). I can't run a dedicated circuit either.

My best bet is to rig up some sort of alarm and wapitibob posted something that I could make that sounds interesting. I'm going to have to make it and see how it works. In the meantime I have a radio plugged into the outlet that the freezer is on.

 

[TJ]

edit

 

[TJ]

Try this again.

This topic is dated but relevant.



Re: CQD answer published 10/10 and 10/23 2014
Charlie,
Regarding the concern of the necessary GFCI for refrigerators and freezers (or sump pumps or . )
For less than $30 any concerned person can buy a voltage-loss alarm which will scream at them if the power is lost.
The one I found after a quick Internet search was: Power Failure Alarm 110/120 Volt - FCA12-11 by a Michigan company called CSH.
Having first-hand knowledge investigating the cause of a woman who suffered a miscarriage (she’s lucky she didn’t die) after her brilliant husband cut off the ground prong of the fridg cord because the circuit kept tripping - I have little patience for people willing to shortcut safety equipment.
If a fridg/freezer causes a fault trip - then it’s broken - FIX IT !! Don’t kill your baby or your wife or anyone else.
As usual, thanks for all your excellent work Charlie,
Grouchy Scott Cline

 

[avodude]

That's the one I bought and it is on its way. In the meantime, I check the freezer every day as I have another deer in there and a bunch of food now.