OT Electrical Help OT

kl8ton

It could be on a GFCI circuit but the outlet with the reset button better not be behind the fridge.  

g8golfer

@kl8ton neither breaker or plug is GFCI 

SmokeyPitt

Yeah...forget what I said. GFCI protection is at the breaker. At least I prefaced the bad info with "I'm not expert..."

DoubleEgger

g8golfer said:

No it’s a regular breaker and a regular outlet no reset button on either 

Your fridge may be on it's on own circuit that's not a GFCI protected. That will keep a GFCI trip from causing your fridge to thaw  I checked and mine is. Check your panel box and see if yours has a kitchen fridge circuit.  Let me know....

DMW

g8golfer said:

@kl8ton neither breaker or plug is GFCI 

There could be another GFCI outlet on the circuit that is tripping, but I doubt it, because you don't need to reset it to get the circuit back. The breaker is tripping and you reset the breaker to get it back. I'd replace the outlet. 

g8golfer

@DoubleEgger nope it just says kitchen on the circuit panel. When it kicked it took my kitchen lights and refrigerator out. 

DoubleEgger

SmokeyPitt said:

Yeah...forget what I said. GFCI protection is at the breaker. At least I prefaced the bad info with "I'm not expert..."

GFCI is at the outlet in most situations not the breaker. 

Jeremiah

There will be a gfci outlet that will control up to 8 regular outlets, so that all are gfci protected. 

g8golfer

Pic of my outlet behind my refrigerator. Hope this helps. I bet it hasn’t been replaced or unplugged in 10-15 years until I unplugged it a couple days ago. 

DMW

g8golfer said:

Pic of my outlet behind my refrigerator. Hope this helps. I bet it hasn’t been replaced or unplugged in 10-15 years until I unplugged it a couple days ago. 

Yeah, I'd replace that.

theyolksonyou

Or the breaker. 



Not a single GFCI outlet in my house. 

Jeremiah

DMW said:

g8golfer said:

Pic of my outlet behind my refrigerator. Hope this helps. I bet it hasn’t been replaced or unplugged in 10-15 years until I unplugged it a couple days ago. 

Yeah, I'd replace that.

Ho lee chit. I might call an electrician to inspect all the wiring. That outlet looks older that @northGAcock

kl8ton

Looks like it got damaged.  See the right hand socket has a chunk missing?   Maybe fridge was pushed back into it and jarred the outlet a bit.

theyolksonyou

Jeremiah said:

DMW said:

g8golfer said:

Pic of my outlet behind my refrigerator. Hope this helps. I bet it hasn’t been replaced or unplugged in 10-15 years until I unplugged it a couple days ago. 

Yeah, I'd replace that.

Ho lee chit. I might call an electrician to inspect all the wiring. That outlet looks older that @northGAcock

That thing looks all melty like robins face when he lost his title. 

DoubleEgger

That bottom outlet Ground plug is broken. That's likely the problem. 

tarheelmatt

DoubleEgger said:

theyolksonyou said:

g8golfer said:

Ok. Can I buy those outlets at Lowe’s @SmokeyPitt? 

Is it on a GFCI breaker?  If so, no need. 

I'm positive it's on a GFCI circuit.  

Think code indicates that only if it's in the garage or unfinished basement it must have GF, otherwise, not required.  

If it's on a dedicated circuit, you're okay with a 15A or 20A outlet, if on a branch circuit, it must be 20A.  Like DoubleEgger said, replace with the exact rated outlet.  

One thing to make sure, terminate your wires on the screws and not the push in terminals.  The springs will become loose, creating a loose connection.  Loose connection will cause and arc and heat, and could be tripping your breaker.  

Some electricians wire into the push terminals for ease of work, but it's not the best way.  

DMW

DoubleEgger said:

That bottom outlet Ground plug is broken. That's likely the problem. 

Yep, it's shorting out.

DoubleEgger

theyolksonyou said:

Or the breaker. 



Not a single GFCI outlet in my house. 

Like I said, most situations...

kl8ton

A couple months ago one of the lights on a garage door opener (I thought was fried) came on. Turns out the opener was fine but the outlet was junk.  I could wiggle the plug around a little and get the opener to work or not work.  To my knowledge that outlet was less than 5 years old. 

theyolksonyou

DoubleEgger said:

theyolksonyou said:

Or the breaker. 



Not a single GFCI outlet in my house. 

Like I said, most situations...

Just showing alternatives. I'm surprised by my wiring. The builder was a cheap aśs

DMW

tarheelmatt said:

DoubleEgger said:

theyolksonyou said:

g8golfer said:

Ok. Can I buy those outlets at Lowe’s @SmokeyPitt? 

Is it on a GFCI breaker?  If so, no need. 

I'm positive it's on a GFCI circuit.  

Think code indicates that only if it's in the garage or unfinished basement it must have GF, otherwise, not required.  

If it's on a dedicated circuit, you're okay with a 15A or 20A outlet, if on a branch circuit, it must be 20A.  Like DoubleEgger said, replace with the exact rated outlet.  

One thing to make sure, terminate your wires on the screws and not the push in terminals.  The springs will become loose, creating a loose connection.  Loose connection will cause and arc and heat, and could be tripping your breaker.  

Some electricians wire into the push terminals for ease of work, but it's not the best way.  

Pisses me off when I find an outlet where they used the push terminals. Save an extra minute at most vs the screw terminals.

JohnInCarolina

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

g8golfer

I feel like with all the comments tonight I’m ready to become a certified electrician. I do see that the outlet is broken now. 

bgebrent

JohnInCarolina said:

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

That's a fatal assumption for sure!

tarheelmatt

theyolksonyou said:

Or the breaker. 



Not a single GFCI outlet in my house. 

I'd personally rather have GF in the breaker instead of the outlet.  Costs more that way, but better protection (precise) and more reliable.  

theyolksonyou

JohnInCarolina said:

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

And oh so humble. 

DMW

g8golfer said:

I feel like with all the comments tonight I’m ready to become a certified electrician. I do see that the outlet is broken now. 

And it's discolored and a bit melted, good chance it's been arcing and a bit of fire hazard. Glad something failed and you found it before it caused a fire.

JohnInCarolina

theyolksonyou said:

JohnInCarolina said:

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

And oh so humble. 

My high school superlatives were: superior; good-looking; humble.  

Jeremiah

JohnInCarolina said:

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

Dude. Aren't you a traveling salesman?

tarheelmatt

JohnInCarolina said:

g8golfer said:

Thanks appreciate the help. If I burn my house down I will blame it on JIC. 

Some of y'all think you're clever blaming me like this without citing my handle directly.  You're not clever.  You're weak.  

Pro tip: I am smarter than you.  

You take one little trip last week and now you come in with your chest poked out.