Garage door plugs

[dwellselectric]

So in my code class tonight the teacher/inspector was telling us the new changes in the code and one of the changes is kind of foolish to me and I was wondering what everyones thoughts on it was. Well I guess now you have to GFCI the garage door opener plug? Now whenever I install a garage door outlet I always use a single outlet but I cant anymore! Now to me that is just stupid having to install a GFCI outlet.

 

[quogueelectric]

dead front

dead front

So in my code class tonight the teacher/inspector was telling us the new changes in the code and one of the changes is kind of foolish to me and I was wondering what everyones thoughts on it was. Well I guess now you have to GFCI the garage door opener plug? Now whenever I install a garage door outlet I always use a single outlet but I cant anymore! Now to me that is just stupid having to install a GFCI outlet.

you could install a dead front gfci feeding a simplex outlet in a 2 gang boxand just charge a little more to cover the cost of the gfci.

 

[dwellselectric]

Yes I could do that but my point is think about the height of a typical garage. Now isn't it a bit over kill to put a gfci up there? I mean come on now. Whenever that gfci trips due to humidity or what not and the ho doesn't know it they have to call a electrician to press a button. Not that I wouldn't mind getting that service call but that sucks for the ho. I dunno perhaps I am over reacting

 

[celtic]

Look at it this way...it's not costing you any more, yet it increases your profit.


The circuit board on GDO's are sensitive to lightning strikes(or so I have heard)...do you think the GFI will afford the board any protection?

 

[peter d]

Now isn't it a bit over kill to put a gfci up there? I mean come on now. Whenever that gfci trips due to humidity or what not and the ho doesn't know it they have to call a electrician to press a button. Not that I wouldn't mind getting that service call but that sucks for the ho. I dunno perhaps I am over reacting

Yeah, you're definitely over reacting. Just feed the GDO receptacle from the load side of the required garage GFCI receptacle. I've done it in the past, and there are no issues with it. I did this at my parent's house. I think it might have tripped once in the past 6 or 7 years.

Who says the GFCI has to be located at the GDO anyway?

 

[dwellselectric]

Most ho here like there garage door outlets on a seperate circuit so they can shut it off when they leave for the winter or vacation and there is no possible way that anyone could open the doors

 

[Rampage_Rick]

Up here it's code to have the opener receptacle on a switch, supposedly for that reason. You can imagine the hilarity that ensues when people flip off the lights in their garage then can't figure out why the door won't open. Only had to deal with that once or twice... *rolls eyes*

The best part is every single location I've seen with a switch for the opener has a lock button right beside it on the opener's control panel. It makes sense if you're used to the doorbell-style openers from 10 years ago, but most everything nowadays has a multi-function control panel with a lock feature.

 

[haskindm]

Read 90.4 again. The NEC is concerned ONLY with reducing the hazards resulting from the use of electricity. It is not concerned with efficiency, costs, or convenience. GFCI's result in added safety. End of story. As a professional, it is up to you to find ways to meet code and still provide the convenience and adequacy that customers demand. They want the GDO on a separate circuit and don't want to climb a ladder to rest the GFCI? No problem, install a GFCI Circuit breaker. It costs a little more, but provides the service that the customer wants and protection that the NEC requires. Stop crying about the code and figure out ways to use it to make you more money and provide your customers a better product and service. If you don't like change, the electrical business is probably not your best choice. I have a feeling we "ain't seen nothing yet" compared to the changes the next few years will bring to this industry.

 

[SmithBuilt]

This should not have happened if it was GFCI protected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-5Erq7Co0E

Yes I know it was wired improperly to start with. But a GFCI would have still saved this boys life.

Tim

 

[KJay]

Just wondering, wouldn?t those GDO receptacles also have to be Tamper Resistant to prevent 9-foot tall toddlers from sticking metallic items in them as well? Seems so according to 406.11. :grin:

 

[sticko]

is this a 2008 requirement? NEC 210-8(A)(2) ex.1

 

[480sparky]

is this a 2008 requirement? NEC 210-8(A)(2) ex.1

Huh?

THere is no exception to 210.8(A)(2) in the 2008.

 

[sticko]

Alrighty. I'm still under NEC 2005. Havent seen NEC 2008 yet. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Just wondering, wouldn?t those GDO receptacles also have to be Tamper Resistant to prevent 9-foot tall toddlers from sticking metallic items in them as well? Seems so according to 406.11. :grin:

Yes all receptacles in a dwelling need to be Tamper resistant.

This also means that all outdoor receptacles included GFCI recep. must be TR.

What's worse 2008

406.8(A) & (B) All 15 and 20 amp 125 and 250 volt nonlocking receptacles shall be listed as weather resistant.

The only problem here is that nobody makes one.....

 

[brother]

Yes all receptacles in a dwelling need to be Tamper resistant.

This also means that all outdoor receptacles included GFCI recep. must be TR.

What's worse 2008

The only problem here is that nobody makes one.....

Well, you got a weather proof cover (when the plug is plug in) GFCI protected, Tamper Resistant, and Weather resistant type receptacle installed in the Front and Back of the house. Now dont we feel safe???

I wonder if some of the 'hardcore' type inspectors would require you to replace the receptacles with TR type when you do a service call for a simple repair/replace for a receptacles in existing houses.

 

[mdshunk]

I think that some of the GDO manufacturers are going to have to get their acts together now. Some of the higher-end GDO's with DC drives (Genie Excelerator and Overhead Door Phantom, for instance) have enough leakage current to trip a GFCI right out of the box. The UL spec for garage door openers limits leakage current to .75ma, but they come out of the box with more than that. Approaching 15ma, in my observation.

 

[tonyou812]

Yeah, you're definitely over reacting. Just feed the GDO receptacle from the load side of the required garage GFCI receptacle. I've done it in the past, and there are no issues with it. I did this at my parent's house. I think it might have tripped once in the past 6 or 7 years.

Who says the GFCI has to be located at the GDO anyway?

thats the way to go, just do it on a 20 amp circut and put the garage outlets and exteror outlets on it and your good to go, all covered on one giffy.

 

[brother]

This should not have happened if it was GFCI protected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-5Erq7Co0E

Yes I know it was wired improperly to start with. But a GFCI would have still saved this boys life.

Tim

What makes you soo sure they wouldve wired the gfci correctly, I mean my God they used a bare ground wire as a hot (traveler). So the skin of that garage door had 120 v on it and no way to clear that fault!!.

 

[electricmanscott]

Now to me that is just stupid having to install a GFCI outlet.

That is probably not good enough reason to not have to do something.

Anybody that wants TR-WR receptacles. PM me. I have some for sale. Since you guys don't seem to think they exist, which they obvioulsy do, it is going to cost you. Big time.

 

[SmithBuilt]

What makes you soo sure they wouldve wired the gfci correctly, I mean my God they used a bare ground wire as a hot (traveler). So the skin of that garage door had 120 v on it and no way to clear that fault!!.

I see your point. I based my opinion on another news cast about that incident. I thought this was the same one, but I see now it is not. It's amazing how much difference one news anchor to another can report a story.

And I agree a GFCI may not have made any difference.

Tim