Tread Mill In Garage. Can't put on GFCI?

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NYHigh

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I have a friend who wants his treadmill in his garage. Obviously he has a concrete floor. The outlets in the garage are all GFCI protected, however, the treadmill trips the GFCI when plugged in, and the directions say it can not be plugged into a GFCI protected outlet.

I'm thinking maybe I can tap off the line side of the GFCI and supply a dedicated single receptacle for the treadmill so it can be used.

This is all I can think of as far as safety goes instead of putting the treadmill elsewhere(this is not an option for the owner).

1) Would this be safe?
2) Is this acceptable according to the code?
 
What code year are you working under?

Under the 2008 NEC 210.8(A)(2) has NO exceptions. All 120 volt 15 and 20 amp receptacles installed in a garage must be GFCI protected.

I would be questioning why the treadmill is tripping the GFCI.

Chris
 
raider1 said:
I would be questioning why the treadmill is tripping the GFCI.
Chris
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Well I wasn't too concerned with why the treadmill was tripping the GFCI considering that the directions for the treadmill say it cannot be used when plugged into a GFCI receptacle. I'm assuming it's may be like a pool heater, which in a pool heaters directions, states the same thing but because of nuisance tripping.
 
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NYHigh said:
. . . the directions for the treadmill say it cannot be used when plugged into a GFCI receptacle.
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I have to wonder why the treadmill would be taking current in via the "hot" wire, and not sending it back via the "neutral" wire. Nothing else would trip a GFCI. :confused:
 
Garage GFCI's

Garage GFCI's

The AHJ's around here are allowing us to put in a single receptacle in the garage ceiling for garage door openers to get away from them on GFCI's, but I don't think they would budge on this one.
 
Something does not sound correct in regards to the instructions. It the unit listed by one of the NRTL?

Manufacturer's have been required since July of 2006 to design their products to be symbiotic with the new generation of GFCI devices.
 
Microwatt said:
The AHJ's around here are allowing us to put in a single receptacle in the garage ceiling for garage door openers to get away from them on GFCI's, but I don't think they would budge on this one.
Click to expand...

Are you under the 2008 NEC?

Is this exception a local code?

Chris
 
NYHigh said:
I have a friend who wants his treadmill in his garage. Obviously he has a concrete floor. The outlets in the garage are all GFCI protected, however, the treadmill trips the GFCI when plugged in, and the directions say it can not be plugged into a GFCI protected outlet.

I'm thinking maybe I can tap off the line side of the GFCI and supply a dedicated single receptacle for the treadmill so it can be used.

This is all I can think of as far as safety goes instead of putting the treadmill elsewhere(this is not an option for the owner).

1) Would this be safe?
2) Is this acceptable according to the code?
Click to expand...

How old are the GFCI's? The Treadmill?
Have you contacted the Treadmill Co. and asked what causes the GFCI to trip, since it states not to use them in the manual.

Two reasons why it might trip are:
1) leakage current to ground via an EMI filter inside the unit. (Newer units should have lower leakage current compatible with GFCIs but older units might not.)
2) Noise or regeneration currents from the Treadmill electronics motor control.
(At what point does the GFCI trip? Immmediate on power up, acceleration or deceleration?)
Newer GFCIs may be more robust against the noise.
 
Hmm. A direct conflict between manufacturer and NEC. You cannot do what you must do. What a dilemma.

I wish there's a way to have the maker and the inspector fight it out, and let you know when they're done.
 
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Simple answer for me. Install the receptacle to code. Let the treadmill owner deal with the problem or get out and run on the street like us real runners. :grin:
 
I have seen gfci's trip when it was just a 2 prong male cord cap for a L.E.D. work light. Im not sure what was causing it. The gfci would work fine with other tools, such as a drill motor etc..

I couldnt see how any current would leak on the work light since it did not have a ground or metal frame for it to leak through, its plastic. would 'noise' be an issue in this case??
 
How do you know its not a defective tread mill with a short to the frame enough to cause a shock or electrocution?
 
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