GFCI question

[photomikey2]

1961 Overlander. One 30A connection feeds two 20A breakers. One 20A breaker feeds the A/C and several lights and outlets. The other 20A breaker feeds the fridge and a few more outlets.

When I plug into my 20A outlet in my garage, the GFCI pops immediately.

If I turn off the Fridge breaker, the GFCI won't trip - I can use the outlets and the A/C.

I could tear apart all the remaining outlets and the fridge and see if something is mis-wired, but could this just be the GFCI being too sensitive? Anyone want to come over and plug it into a non-GFCI outlet and see what happens?

[GCinSC2]

Photomickey2

Is the fridge hardwired into the AC power or just plug into an outlet?

If plug in, care to disconnect and test power again? And then run a good extension cord direct to the fridge and see if that pops the GFCI. If hardwired disconnect from power and then disconnect hardwire connection and test.

This might narrow down the search area a bit. Any recent electrical repairs or attaching anything with screws that might have nicked a cable somewhere?

Gary

[a duncan]

you could use an outlet detector that tells you if the outlet is wired correctly or not. its a place to start without dismantling all the outlets. Its not a short or the breaker would pop.
Aaron

[richard5933]

My guess is that something on the fridge or the fridge outlet is wired incorrectly.

Some simple things to check...

-Ground connection good?
-Is there a neutral? Or did they cheat and use the ground for both?
-Is the fridge heating element failing and shorting to ground?
-Any indicator lamps on the circuit/fridge powered with a hot & ground instead of hot & neutral?

If the GFCI is popping, then there is a leak to ground somewhere. In my bus conversion I found a few places with seemingly insignificant shorts to ground, but they added up and caused the GFCI I was plugged into to trip. In my case there were a few indicator bulbs wired to hot & ground instead hot & neutral, and I had one 120v exhaust fan wire the same with a hot & ground only. Fixed those and no more problems.