# gfi protection for fridge?



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I call 'shirt-pocket rules!' Your inspector is full of it, and making things up.

There is no requirement for stainless steel fridges to be GFCI'd. If the recep is in the fridge space, it doesn't need GFCI. The 6-feet from the kitchen sink rule is ancient history.

Demand a Code reference, or a formally & legally adopted amendment.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

210.8(A) specifies GFCI requirements for dwelling units.

Nothing in there requires your fridge to be on a GFCI.

In kitchens, only countertop receptacles are specifically required to have GFCI protection.


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

watts77 said:


> had an inspector today tell me i needed to gfi protect a refrigerator. granted it was withing 6 ft of a sink but that still seems ridiculous. you would have to put in on a gfi breaker so you wouldn't have to move the fridge to reset it in case it trips. but he said that it needs to be done now since alot of people are switching to stainless appliances, in case a compressor or something goes to ground. by this thinking you would have to do all appliances, my dishwasher and microwave vent-a-hood are stainless also. didn't bring this up cause i didn't want to give him any ideas. wondering if anyone else has been told this by their friendly neighborhood inspectors




Demand a Code reference, or a formally & legally adopted amendment.  __________________


(above from Mr 480)


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

watts77 said:


> had an inspector today tell me i needed to gfi protect a refrigerator. granted it was withing 6 ft of a sink but that still seems ridiculous. you would have to put in on a gfi breaker so you wouldn't have to move the fridge to reset it in case it trips. but he said that it needs to be done now since alot of people are switching to stainless appliances, in case a compressor or something goes to ground. by this thinking you would have to do all appliances, my dishwasher and microwave vent-a-hood are stainless also. didn't bring this up cause i didn't want to give him any ideas. wondering if anyone else has been told this by their friendly neighborhood inspectors


Does not say that in the Code...

210.8(A) (6) Kitchens— where the receptacles are installed to *serve
the countertop surfaces*



> 210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
> Personnel. Ground-fault circuit-interruption for personnel
> shall be provided as required in 210.8(A) through (C). The
> ground-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in a
> ...


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I'm sure this will somehow turn into a "Dammit, just do what the inspector tells you to! It's not worth the hassle! And it's only a little time and money!" thread.

if a cop pulls me over and give me a ticket for doing 40 in a 45 zone, saying I'm speeding because he thinks the speed limit should be 30, you think I'm just gonna pay the ticket?


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## watts77 (Dec 3, 2010)

He's a shmuck but what do you do? You have to pass the inspection. Had him try to turn a service down because we zip tied the wires inside the panel to make them look good. Said we would have to de-rate the wires


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

watts77 said:


> He's a shmuck but what do you do? You have to pass the inspection.


You ask him for code references. If his made-up GFCI refrigerator plug isn't on the list in 210.8 then you got him by the nads.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

watts77 said:


> He's a shmuck but what do you do? You have to pass the inspection. Had him try to turn a service down because we zip tied the wires inside the panel to make them look good. Said we would have to de-rate the wires


 
Very simple as Eric37 mention just ask the inspector very nice to show the art #'s and any local connries do show up.

That is not super hard to do that you can show that to the inspector they can learn something from ya and you can learn something from them once you know how to deal with them in nice way.

Now speaking for derating the conductors in the panel IMO that is half way connries if it is a very short run ( less than 24 inches ) 

Merci,
Marc


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

watts77 said:


> He's a shmuck but what do you do?


Grow a pair.


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## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

I had a boss who bitched about a certain code so much they got tired of it and wrote his complaint into a WAC rule just to shut him up.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

watts77 said:


> had an inspector today tell me i needed to gfi protect a refrigerator. granted it was withing 6 ft of a sink


Where exactly was the refrigerator located, that makes a difference


If it is in a kitchen I agree with the others, if not all bets are off.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

210.8 (B) (2) would dictate gfci protection for _commercial_ kitchens , inclusive of any fridge or freezer within

~CS~


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## watts77 (Dec 3, 2010)

The fridge is actually in a mud room, about 5' from a sink. I've just never had to gfi a fridge before, even if it is within 6' of.a sink. This inspector is really just a PITA. One of those "I've done this for 40 years and learned electrical theory while I was in the navy so I know more than anyone" type of guys. The stupid thing is that he probably won't say anything on the next job. Like with the zip ties, he said something at one job so we cut them off, then a week later passed another service where they had zip tied those wires and didn't say anything about it


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> 210.8 (B) (2) would dictate gfci protection for _commercial_ kitchens , inclusive of any fridge or freezer within
> 
> ~CS~


Very true, I should have said dwelling kitchen.


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## Fibes (Feb 18, 2010)

watts77 said:


> The fridge is actually in a mud room, about 5' from a sink.


Regardless of what you think of the inspector it seems this area and installation falls under 210.8(A)(7)


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

watts77 said:


> The fridge is actually in a mud room, about 5' from a sink. I've just never had to gfi a fridge before, even if it is within 6' of.a sink. This inspector is really just a PITA. One of those "I've done this for 40 years and learned electrical theory while I was in the navy so I know more than anyone" type of guys. The stupid thing is that he probably won't say anything on the next job. Like with the zip ties, he said something at one job so we cut them off, then a week later passed another service where they had zip tied those wires and didn't say anything about it


Well, the inspector is right then


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## DCAC (Feb 11, 2011)

What is a mud room? We do not have those in Florida. We do have to put GFCI protection on friges in garages, or any space with an unfineshed floor. As for the what if an ungrounded wire contacts the steel frig, tell the insp. that is why the circuit is run with a ground. Anyway, is the mud room considered a wet or damp are? Is it in the house? Could people have access to the frig with a wet floor, while barefoot?


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## Fibes (Feb 18, 2010)

DCAC said:


> What is a mud room? We do not have those in Florida.


In Florida I think it is called a utility room which happens to be the second word in 210.8(A)(7)


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## watts77 (Dec 3, 2010)

I understand the 6' rule and that he is right. I've just never had to do that before and was wondering if anyone else had. I mostly do remodels and have had plenty where the fridge was within 6' of the sink. Never once have I had to gfi protect it.


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## Fibes (Feb 18, 2010)

watts77 said:


> I understand the 6' rule and that he is right. I've just never had to do that before and was wondering if anyone else had. I mostly do remodels and have had plenty where the fridge was within 6' of the sink. Never once have I had to gfi protect it.


 Well, if the remodels are supposed to be bringing things up to code you should want to do it right regardless of whether or not the inspectors know what they are looking at. The liability falls on you as the EC, the inspection department may or may not be held partially at fault, but your license and charging the customer a fee for your services will be a big determining factor of your liability. In short, you are responsible for a code compliant installation.


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## watts77 (Dec 3, 2010)

I follow the code and do my job right. I'm not some handyman trying to make extra $ doing this on the side. But I've never gfi protected a fridge. And I'm calling bs if everyone else out there says that they do


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## RGH (Sep 12, 2011)

I think he is right you need the gfi..better read nec 2011...a lot of changes...I think under 2008 you would of been correct not any more..the definitions of readily accessable are different ...in 2011..I think a recept behind the fridge is now considered accessable...wtf..210.8(3) exceptions.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

I think its just because you can remove a fridge and the receptacle
Is still there. Or just reach behind it and plug something in.


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## parnellelectric (Dec 23, 2011)

I am made to gfci washer recpt. all the time when there is a laundry sink within 6ft.


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