Customer Questions and Answers for Refrigerator Defrost Heater by Whirlpool

Hello Richard, The manufacturer advises against plugging into a GFCI receptacle. This is directly from an installation guide for a 22 cubic foot refrigerator: Electrical: A 115 Volt, 60 Hz., AC only, 15- or 20-amp electrical supply, properly grounded in accordance with the National Electrical Code and local codes and ordinances, is required. It is recommended that a separate circuit, serving only your refrigerator, be provided. Use a receptacle which cannot be turned off by a switch or pull chain. IMPORTANT: If this product is connected to a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) equipped outlet, nuisance tripping of the power supply may occur, resulting in loss of cooling. Food quality and flavor may be affected. If nuisance tripping has occurred, and if the condition of the food appears poor, dispose of it. Water: A cold water supply with water pressure between 30 and 120 psi (207 and 827 kPa) is required to operate ice maker and water dispenser. If you have questions about your water pressure, call a licensed, qualified plumber. Reverse Osmosis Water Supply: The pressure of the water coming out of a reverse osmosis system going to the water inlet valve of the refrigerator needs to be between 30 and 120 psi (207 and 827 kPa). I doubt that there is anything wrong with the unit since it has a strong current draw during defrost and during the initial start-up of the compressor. If you wanted to check for sure, you could use a heavy duty three prong appliance extension cord to try plugging the unit into a standard receptacle. It has to be a dedicated line so if anything else is running off the same breaker, the additional load would have to be removed to prove a problem with the unit.