Freezer in Garage with a GFCI

Plug it in somewhere else AND get a freezer alarm.

Everything on that circuit will be on the same GFCI. It’s actually not that big of a deal, you can plug an alarm/light, motion sensor, practically ANYTHING that you’ll recognize when off, into the other outlets on the circuit. That way when it trips, you can immediately tell and you reset the GFCI.

What the inspector is likely alluding to is that DEDICATED circuits be on a GFCI. This is a problem because ONLY the freezer will trip, and you’ll never know unless you open the freezer. Further compounding this issue is that if you use a GFCI outlet, it’s behind the freezer and difficult to reset.

I’d actually argue that running a dedicated circuit for the freezer is more of an issue, particularly if you follow code and do it as a GFCI outlet (vs breaker).

Thanks all.

Inspector told me it was due to being less used than interior outlets, but he seemed a little crazy so who knows.

I've been in the same situation - installed a GFCI with an audible alarm. Something like this.

Put it in the outlet closest to my garage door and can easily hear it inside when testing.

Just make sure you get the right amperage for the circuit - 20 or 15.

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I have them in my garage. Why is this even necessary? I never looked into it.

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Any outlet that has the potential to see water will need to be protected by a GFCI according to code. That's why you see them in garages, outdoors, and in kitchens/bathrooms. You run the risk of electricity flowing into water on the floor if there is a wet path to get there. That's what the GFCI protects against.

As to the OP, just replace the breaker in your panel with a GFCI breaker. Then every load downstream of that breaker will be protected by it.

EDIT: Also note that the more a GFCI outlet trips the more sensitive it will get over time. Generally if you just replace the outlet you won't have an issue for a few more years.

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pass the inspection. then. replace the GFCI with regular receptacle. then. plug your freezer in here.

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Just wondering..... if you did this and then there was a fire that damaged your home, if the Insurance company found this "violation" of code, what they not pay for fire damage?

Put the freezer on a wall where there is an outlet on the opposite side of the wall. Run a new outlet off the back of that outlet and use that one for the freezer, Ideally this would be on a circuit that's not heavily used.

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Remove the GFCI... I hate them. They also don't play nice with modern aquarium and pool pumps.

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this, and submerged pool lights.