A safety device that breaks all the power if it detects a current difference between Live & Neutral. Often called RDC or Residual Current Device. Threshold typically 30mA or 0.03 Amps.
The therory being that any current difference must be leaking to Earth possibly through a person.
If your fridge is tripping the Earth Leakage Breaker it indicates an unsafe condition which should be investigated and corrected.
Peccavi, December 2008
