Recently inherited a Whirlpool refrigerator / freezer model # ED27PQ. Previously owner had no problems with it and it was running when I picked it up and transported it to my garage.
Cleaned it up and let it sit for a week before turning it back on.
It ran several hours cooling as expected. Then it tripped the GFCI breaker (20 amp dedicated circuit). Resetting the GFCI breaker resulted in immediate trip again.
In troubleshooting, it appears that if I unplug the defrost heater, the trip stops.
I would suggest a problem with the breaker or wall outlet if it is plugged in to the wall and not an extension cord. Not real common for a fridge to trip a breaker in defrost mode.
Move it to another outlet and try it again. Fridges have a tough time working in garages, freezers on the other hand will do fine in a garage.
As part of troubleshooting, I have it plugged directly into a GFCI-protected outlet, and used an extension cord to plug into a different GFCI-protected outlet on a different circuit. In both cases, the GFCI eventually trips.
Sometimes, the refrigerator runs without issue for an hour or so, then trips. Sometimes, it trips immediately.
By unplugging the defrost heater, the unit runs without tripping. Plugging the defrost heater back in, the unit runs for a bit and then trips.
This morning, I have used the extension cord to plug into a non-GFCI protected outlet and the unit is running fine without tripping the breaker in the electric panel.
So I am suspecting this is "nuisance" tripping.
Not sure how to measure or verify that this is the issue.
I’ve measured with my ohm meter between ground and neutral / hot on the plug and there’s no appreciable continuity (infinite).
Update: I have replaced the GFCI outlet with a non-GFCI outlet and the unit has now run 2 days without an issue. I’m considering this closed now.
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Based on your posts, two different GFCI outlets tripped when this unit was plugged into them. That means 2 different outlets detected current in the hot (black) wire and the neutral (white wire) that were not equal. Most likely that difference in current was bleeding out via the ground (green wire).
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By unplugging the defrost heater, the unit runs without tripping. Plugging the defrost heater back in, the unit runs for a bit and then trips.
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When you unplug the defrost coil it does not trip the GFCIs. I would venture a guess that your defrost coil has some type of a short to the frame of the refrigerator and some, not all, current is following that short.
Is it a glass tube defrost coil? Did you transport it upright? The tube may be slightly cracked and water may have worked its way into it during transport. I would check the defrost coil and connectors carefully.
GFCIs that trip indicate a problem. If the short gets worse while it is not on a GFCI it will eventually trip the circuit breaker or, if the unit is not properly grounded, leave the frame electrically hot. Somebody may touch the unit and get a little jolt.