AFCI breaker - ruined by fridge?
I have had trouble with both arc fault and GFCI breakers (and receptacles) with motor loads especially Refrigerators and front load washing machines. The big issue I believe that is causing the failures was high efficiency motors the variable speed controls. arc faults can’t tell the difference between arcs and a short pulse used for speed control. The early arc fault breakers also had trouble with lighting dimmers when the circuit had a fair sized load (10-12 amps).
I would check your state codes and see if the dedicated circuit even requires arc fault protection. In my state devices known to have problems like the above are exempted from gfci or arc fault protection when on a dedicated circuit.
Things that can cause arc faults to trip.
Capacitors especially electrolytes as the age.
SCR &amp; TRIAC’s these are the solid state switches that control the wave form to the motor or device.
Pitted contacts on “start relays” or contactors.
Inductive kick back from the motor itself
And what they are designed to trip , arcing from damage to insulation by a staple, screw or metal box.