Garage Door Opener Receptacle Gfci

The gfci circuit breaker located in the panelboard is considered to be readily accessible as a normal installa tion while the gfci receptacle may involve some design location decisions i e.

Garage door opener receptacle gfci.

1978 nec garage receptacles first required to be gfci protected. But it wasn t always this way. Behind equipment or in the ceiling for a garage door opener would not be. More about garage electrical wiring for outlets and lighting.

26 714 c one receptacle shall be provided in a garage for each cord connected overhead garage door opener and shall be located within 1 m of the overhead door opener. I spoke with the building manager and asked why. I found a garage door operator plugged into a gfci protected outlet yesterday on new construction. Afci provisions are added to match those in the 2017 edition of the nec except that an exception is added for branch circuits supplying receptacles which only serve the kitchen counter space.

But there was an exception for receptacles that are not readily accessible which is defined as above 6 8 above floor such as a ceiling garage door opener receptacle. The reset was inside the garage. He told me the city requires everything to be either gfci or afci and they are required to do it now. Remember it isn t the garage door opener or the sump pump that requires gfci protection it is the fact there is a 15 20 amp 120 volt receptacle in a place mentioned in 210 8.

In the past the nec had exceptions for certain receptacles and outlets. I think it was either 2005 or 2008 nec that they removed all the exceptions for receptacles for dedicated appliances. Receptacle serving a garage door opener is exempted as is a single receptacle for a sump pump when a gfci protected outle t is within 6 feet of the pump. Up until the 2008 edition of the nec national electrical code there were two exceptions allowed for the gfci requirement at garage receptacles.

It used to be that if the outlet wasn t readily accessible then it didn t need to be gfci compliant. In alberta it has been interpreted that each garage door needs a receptacle and it needs to be placed within 1 m of the expected location of the opener. Afaik most states will required every thing on 120 volts in the garage have to be gfci unless overridden by local codes. I know in state of wisconsin do not have any extemps on this one beside the frezzer most inspectors got smart with this.

He said he s only had 1 homeowner in the development call so far because they can t get in their garage since. Yes even though it is not readily accessible a garage door opener outlet must be gfci protected.