BeGreen said:
A breaker tripping is a symptom of a problem. Tripping often will make the problem worse and the breaker will trip more frequently. Replace it. If the problem persists, get another circuit in the kitchen.
+1
Try a new GFCI breaker. Maybe all it is. Breakers go bad, GFCI ones go bad more often. Wire connections in the panel may get loose over time. loose connections may cause the problem.
Some fluorescent lights may case GFCI breaker problems.
If it still happens:
Check for loose ground (bare copper/green insulated wire) & commons (white wire) connections on your outlets & fixtures. (check all the connections)
Make sure the ground & common wires is not near the other wires in the boxes when the wires are pushed back in.
Make sure the commons in the breaker panel feeding this circuit is tight on the common bar. GFCI breakers have the common wire to the circuit going into the GFCI circuit breaker, the white wire on the GFCI breaker goes to the common buss.
(read those instructions on the new breaker)
note the Wire size; #14 wire is for 15 amps, #12 wire is 20 amps. Don't put a 20 amp breaker on #15 wire (that may = house fire)
Kitchen has strict NEC (National Electric Codes), within so many feet (6') of a sink & all countertop outlets, all outlets must be GFCI protected. Some states allow a GFCI breaker to feed the outlets. Some local codes require the outlets to be GFCI.
Fridge can be on a different circuit if the outlet is not a counter top outlet. Micro wave the same thing, if it plugged into a countertop outlet, it has to be GFCI protected.
You can call the local fire department, they should help or tell you who to call to get your local codes. Local codes can be more restrictive but not less than the NEC codes.
NEC blurp:
"kitchen or wet bar areas. Per 210.8(A)(6), GFCI protection is required for all 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles that serve kitchen countertop surfaces in a dwelling unit (Fig. 1 on page 54). GFCI protection is not required for receptacles serving appliances like dishwashers, or convenience receptacles that do not supply countertop surfaces. Receptacles installed within 6 ft of the outside edge of a wet bar sink must also be GFCI-protected [210.8(A)(7)]. However, GFCI protection is not required for receptacles not intended to serve wet bar countertop surfaces, such as refrigerators, ice makers, water heaters, or convenience receptacles that do not supply counter-top surfaces.
(broken link removed to http://ecmweb.com/nec/code-basics/electric_code_basics_3/)
