Refrigerator cools as normal. Trips 15 AMP circuit breaker.

Your solution is one of two things.

First is the circuit you have plugged the refrigerator is either over its limit and the breaker is tripping because it is overloaded. In this case you will have to determine what load also share this circuit and eliminate the extra loads or move the cord to another circuit which is not overloaded. Most home circuit are wired with 14 gauge and is rated at 15 amps. When the circuit gets to 15 amp and more, the associated breaker trips to prevent overload.

Second, Your refrigerator may have a short and needs troubleshooting to find the cause. To see if it is a bad circuit try plugging into a circuit via extension cord to circuit in another room receptical. The reason I say another room, when electrical installers wire circuits, you can put several recepticles on the same circuit. If you plug your refrigerator in the same circuit you had it on before then you will get the same problem, your refrigerator tripping again. If your frig trips on a different circuit then troubleshooting the cause will normally require a tech.

Good luck and hope this helps.

The circuit breakers may both be functioning properly. What might be happening is that both circuits have other current drawing appliances on them. The circuit breakers react to the sum of all of the currents drawn by all of the devices on that circuit. So, if you have a 15 amp microwave and an 8 amp refrigerator on the same circuit, you would overload a 20 amp circuit by 3 amps.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/david_29ad5d1dd86564b0

u have a loose connection somewhere, sometimes when an arc fault trips it will cause others to trip or you are having problems with more circuits than u think

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/Jenn-air-Parts/Refrigerator-Parts/Model-JCD2289AEQ/1266/0165000/M0406284/00012?blt=06&prst=&shdMod= here is a simplified wiring diagram for your unit. It might help you track back the problem.

Before it started tripping the circuit breaker what was your refrigerator doing that was not normal? Usually, before something fails massively it will give you hints it is coming. Did your ice maker or lights stop working? Has the compressor been running an excessively long time?

What trips a breaker is the unit drawing more current that what the breaker is listed at. So something in the unit has shorted to cause this to happen. Although the first thing we check in a situation like this is the compressor circuit it isn't always the cause.

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing thencheck out the last two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101

A tripping circuit breaker is an indication of an overload. You say there is no load on the breaker - how are you making this determination? Are you using an amprobe or some other meter?

A circuit breaker with NO load shouldn't ever trip. Likewise a circuit breaker carrying up to 80% of of the current it is rated for shouldn't trip either. Circuit breakers that carry more than 80% of their load will trip - if the load remains connected long enough. This is called "duty factor" or "service factor" The greater the load is in excess of 80%, the less time that the breaker will carry it before tripping.

An example of a 100 amp breaker with different loads on it (this 100 amp value was chosen for ease of doing the math):

80 amps - never trips
85 amps - trips after 48 hours
90 amps - trips after 16 hours
95 amps - trips after 8 hours
100 amps - trips after 4 hours
105 amps - trips after a few minutes
120 amps - trips after a few seconds
150 amps - trips instantly

This is only an example to show how a certain circuit breaker might trip under a load less than the rating stamped on the body or handle.

A circuit breaker that trips with no load or a load equal to or less than 80% of its rating is most likely defective. You need an amprobe or ammeter for amp readings. If the load is found to be 80% or less, there may be an issue of harmonics that is causing the tripping. You'll need to have special equipment and qualified persons to check harmonic problems. Most harmonic problems occur when the loads are not linear device (transformers). Examples of non-linear devices are "switching" (or solid state) power supplies like those in computers.

I hope this helps and good luck. Please rate my reply. Thank you.

It is oil. It's used to extinguish the arc.

When a circuit breaker trips, there is an Arc of electricity made inside the breaker, due to the contacts.
The contacts are instantly brought away from each other.

There are three methods employed to extinguish that arc.

[Extinguish the arc. Non-technical explanation. With out some medium to extinguish the arc produced inside, it would go Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-zap, instead of z-zap]

Oil, Air, and Sulfur Hexafluoride.

So yes, as long as the circuit breaker doesn't have to trip, and produce the arc inside, it is a working circuit breaker.

Is it a safe unit?

NO

The method employed to extinguish the arc if the breaker trips is leaking out.

Replace all breakers that are doing this.

Average cost for a GE single-pole 15, or 20 Amp is around $11 here. A few dollars more for 30 and 40 Amp, but usually double-pole breakers are used for 30, and 40 Amp.

Turn handle to off position and then back on. Same as any other breaker. The red test button can be pressed which will trip breaker. If it trips immediately,unplug all devices on circuit and try to reset. Reconnect each device and see which trips breaker. If this goes to outdoor receptacle, check behind cover for moisture.

Make sure it is on a 20 amp circuit with NOTHING else creating a load.

A 15 amp circuit is USUALLY not enough.

If it trips a 20 amp all by itself it probably has a failure that needs servicing.

Refrigerators are not designed to run on a GFCI. Try a heavy duty extension cord to the fridge from a outlet that is not GFCI protected. If it still trips you probably have a short circuit in the compressor.