Whatever you do, consider pulling another circuit for the refrigerator NOT
on a GFI, or at least put it on the same circuit but before the GFI. The
load of the compressor can easily trip a GFI -- or else something else c`an
trip the GFI and in either event you may well discover way too late that the
refrigerator has been without power for a long time. NEC recommends keeping
refrigerators off GFI circuits for those reasons. Your tripping problem may
indeed be the refrigerator on that circuit. And the GFI may now be
weakened, or maybe it's fine. For $7.00 or so, why not replace it anyway?
Also - someone mentioned putting two GFI circuits in one box. That is
indeed legal and in fact is a good idea in order to more effectively split
the load. The NEC requires (at least) two 20-amp "small appliance" circuits
in kitchens, both on GFI's. You can put a two duplex receptacles, one on
each of those circuits, into 1900 (4" x 4") boxes in the kitchen to make
4-outlet receptacles. Put one of those within a maximum of 24" from every
spot on your countertops and you'll have a legal system and better power
distribution than many brand new high-end houses.
Karl
> Other details: the appliances on the circuit are the fridge, two
> microwaves, a toaster oven, a coffee maker, a heavy duty stand mixer and
> the phone. It's not at all uncommon for us to have both microwaves, the
> coffee maker and toaster oven all going at the same time, and the fridge
> cycles in and out. IIRC it's a 20 amp circuit, and the house is about
five
> years old. The fridge is about 20 years old. In addition, the kitchen
> outlets (and several others) feed through a sub panel connected to the
> generator. I've never had problems with breakers tripping before.
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