Garage GFCI on door openers NEC 2008

[Gregory A. Liebig]

This question may sound a little confusing but I will try. I did an inspection of new detached garage wiring built under NEC2008 codes. There were two circuits, one went to the readily accessible receptacles and the other went to the automatic garage door openers that were also GFCI protected fropm receptacles mounted in the 10' ceiling. In this case, there was no service door or windows in the garage.

Looking at 210.8, there is no mention about readily accessible receptacles. However, if the GFCI for the garage door would trip for whatever reason there would be no access to the interior of the garage since the doors would not open.

I know there are some exceptions for receptacles that are not readily accessible. Does this apply to this situation for the garage door openers?

[Robert Meier]

All 15 and 20 amp 120 volt receptacles in a garage require GFCI protection. In the 2008 NEC there are no exceptions. From the 2008 NEC:

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.
FPN: See 215.9 for ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel on feeders.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in (1) through ( shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
(1) Bathrooms
(2) Garages, and also accessory buildings that have a floor located at or below grade level not intended as habitable rooms and limited to storage areas, work areas, and areas of similar use

[Gregory A. Liebig]

No common sense

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by gliebig

No common sense

This rule also applies to receptacles installed in basements for sump pumps. I wouldn't want my sump pumps to be GFCI protected. The NEC requires you to trust a $100K finished basement with a sump pump to be protected by a $15 GFCI device.

[Bruce A. King]

The code did not require the electrician to put the reset inside the garage.
In that case, where no other door is available to enter, the reset should be on the exterior. On regular garages, we have electricians here putting the reset on the garage ceiling and some better ones putting the reset on a wall for the opener outlets.

[Gregory A. Liebig]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

This rule also applies to receptacles installed in basements for sump pumps. I wouldn't want my sump pumps to be GFCI protected. The NEC requires you to trust a $100K finished basement with a sump pump to be protected by a $15 GFCI device.

I agree. Isn't that a change from the 2005 code?

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by gliebig

I agree. Isn't that a change from the 2005 code?

Yes the 2005 has an exception for specific locations that didn't require GFCI protection. That exception was removed in the 2008. Since that change there have been many proposals to put back some of the exceptions, especially for sump pumps, but the CMP has rejected every one of them.

[KEVIN WOOD]

Our local AHJ does not like this ruling either. I agree with the 2008 NEC because of the location of a sump pit. I have even found legos in one pit area that was being used as a play room. Until they can find a better way this will probably not change.
That being said all sump pumps shoulds have a warning system to alert of failure just like a fire alarm and people should now how to check the GFCI regularly.

[Jim Port]

The 2011 Article 210.8 now has the requirement that the GFI be readily accessible.

[Gregory A. Liebig]

Originally Posted by kwood

Our local AHJ does not like this ruling either. I agree with the 2008 NEC because of the location of a sump pit. I have even found legos in one pit area that was being used as a play room. Until they can find a better way this will probably not change.
That being said all sump pumps shoulds have a warning system to alert of failure just like a fire alarm and people should now how to check the GFCI regularly.

I've seen many single (dedicated) non GFCI Receptacles in the location for the sump pump. In theory, this would only allow the sump pump to be plugged in.

Originally Posted by bking

The code did not require the electrician to put the reset inside the garage.
In that case, where no other door is available to enter, the reset should be on the exterior. On regular garages, we have electricians here putting the reset on the garage ceiling and some better ones putting the reset on a wall for the opener outlets.

I really like this "work around", but it's even better to see the change in the NEC 2011 code reported by Jim Port.

[James L. Keilson]

What many of the electrical contractors are doing around here to get around this ridiculous code is making the garage door and sump outlets Dedicated. By being a dedicated outlet they do not need to be GFCI protected.

Jim

[Gregory A. Liebig]

Originally Posted by jkeilson

What many of the electrical contractors are doing around here to get around this ridiculous code is making the garage door and sump outlets Dedicated. By being a dedicated outlet they do not need to be GFCI protected.

Jim

I agree totally!

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

What's wrong with getting out of the car and walking through the main entry to access the garage and reset the GFCI?

[Gregory A. Liebig]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

What's wrong with getting out of the car and walking through the main entry to access the garage and reset the GFCI?

If you read my original post, there is no service door to this detached garage and no windows. Kinda tough to do what you suggest in your post.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by gliebig

If you read my original post, there is no service door to this detached garage and no windows. Kinda tough to do what you suggest in your post.

There's your defect. Who wants to roll up the door every time you need to enter the building?