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Refrigerator doesn't work after adding outdoor light

2K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  InPhase277 
#1 ·
Hi guys, I have a rental property and recently had an outdoor light and an outdoor GFCI installed. The electrician sent his apprentice to the basement to do the wiring. I asked him which junction box he used to tie the light into and he told me that the junction went to the outlet that the refrigerator is plugged into. 2 days later there was a storm and my renter told me that the light in the fridge was extremely bright. I thought that maybe there was a spike due to the storm, a day later he calls to tell me that the refrigerator no longer works. I assumed the appliance was on it's way out but now the new refrigerator has done the same thing. I have asked the electrician to come back out, I want to be knowledgable when he returns to ask the correct questions, can anyone give me some input on what could be causing this?
 
#4 ·
Is branching off of the kitchen outlet for outdoor receptacle and light even code compliant? I thought NEC said kitchen must have dedicated 20 amp small appliance circuit? I think some refrigerator manufacturers even want a dedicated 15 amp for the appliance (though I don't think NEC requires this).
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the responses, electrician came and told me that the junction box he used feeds the furnace and the GFCI in the bathroom, he said that is to code. He checked the outlet in the kitchen and said that it was alright. I will buy a cheap voltmeter and check the outlet myself. I can't imagine that it's a coincidence that 2 refrigerators have gone bad right after having this work done, but I guess it's possible. Is it code compliant to have this outside light and outlet attached to a junction box with the furnace and bathroom GFCI? Thanks again for all the help!
 
#16 ·
Here, furnaces have to have their own dedicated circuit. Other rules apply there also. It's gas code, and electrical code. I'm getting sick of buying new code books. I'm also fairly sure for here, that bathroom circuits can't spiced for other rooms either.

Where do you live?

Cheers!
 
#18 ·
And electricians on web sights critiquing other electricians work and sometimes not knowing the whole story, or who do the same if not worse "non compliant" work but are holler than thou when saying how the other guy should have done it…

Do as I say, not as I do???

:)
 
#21 ·
Yeah the anonymity of the internet makes it easy to be a jerkwad. And critiquing is easy. I wish I got paid to be a critic. I'd be a millionaire. Every electrician on the internet is the greatest electrician in all eternity and has never bent a code or failed an inspection. Just ask one.
 
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