# Garage GFCI protection



## Sifu (Jan 13, 2012)

It has been a long time since I looked at any electrical so forgive my ignorance please.  On a recent inspection the contractor related a story to me where he was called out to a homeowners house late at night, in a storm to pick her lock for her.  It seems she had become so accustomed to using the garage door as her only means of entry she did not have her keys.  Apparently the storm tripped the GFCI (or something else I guess) into which her OHD was plugged.  This surprised me as I thought garage doors and freezers (dedicated and practicably in-accessible) were exempt from the GFCI provisions, for the reasons like the situation this lady found herself in and/or to prevent thawed food in the event of an unknown trip.  I came back to the office and looked it up and sure enough the provision is not in 2008 NEC.  It is in the 2005, even had a picture in the 2005 NEC handbook showing both as non-GFCI.  So for the experts: is it completely gone and now all receptacles in garage must be GFCI, or is it hidden elsewhere in the code?  How about the 2011 NEC, I do not have a copy of that to check it.  This is just for my personal knowledge, I do not inspect electrical in this jurisdiction.


----------



## georgia plans exam (Jan 13, 2012)

There were exceptions to garage gfi's in the 2005 but not in the 08 or the 11. 201.8

GPE


----------



## north star (Jan 13, 2012)

** **

Don't know which code book you are using, but from

the `06 IRC: *Section* *E3802.2 Garage and accessory*

*building receptacles.*

All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere receptacles

installed in garages and grade-level portions of

unfinished accessory buildings used for storage or work

areas shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection

for personnel (see Section E3802.11).

*Exceptions:*

1. Receptacles that are not readily accessible.

2. A single receptacle or a duplex receptacle for two

    appliances located within dedicated space for each

    appliance that in normal use is not easily moved

    from one place to another, and that is cord and

    plug-connected.

** **


----------



## Sifu (Jan 13, 2012)

The code I used back in the day was 2005 then 2008 NEC.  I am currently staring at 2008 NEC 210.8(A)(2) but I don't show the exceptions.  If I did that would settle it for me, a receptacle in the ceiling is not one I would consider readily accessible.  Pretty sure the electrical inspectors here are using 2008 NEC.


----------



## jar546 (Jan 13, 2012)

Hey robert s check your inbox I just sent you a PM to take care of what you want


----------



## Kevin Turner (Jan 13, 2012)

I couldn't find the exception in the 2008 NEC or the 2009 IRC, and don't have a 2011 NEC....crazy!


----------



## north star (Jan 13, 2012)

***

Sifu,

My apologies to you!....I forgot that your AHJ has not yet

adopted this section of the code book.....In the `08 NEC,

the Exceptions were removed, ...it's all of them baby!

FWIW, your "distressed homeowner" may want to have

the garage door receptacle fixed to be a non-GFCI

receptacle *A F T E R* you inspect it!

***


----------



## Sifu (Jan 13, 2012)

Thanks all!  Doesn't make any sense to me, glad I don't have to enforce it.


----------



## north star (Jan 13, 2012)

***

" Sifu " huh... Well, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaallrighty then!    

***


----------



## gbhammer (Jan 13, 2012)

north star said:
			
		

> ***Robert S.,
> 
> My apologies to you!....I forgot that your AHJ has not yet
> 
> ...


That would be a violation of the code north star. If the oppener is listed for it then hardwire the thing, that would be a way to solve the problem legally.


----------



## Msradell (Jan 13, 2012)

Another option would be to buy one of the garage door openers with the built in battery backup.  That way if the GFCI tripped she would still be able to operate the door.  And


----------



## ICE (Jan 15, 2012)

It is required to be tamper resistant too.


----------



## chris kennedy (Jan 15, 2012)

ICE said:
			
		

> It is required to be tamper resistant too.


Won't be for GDO's when you adopt the 2011 NEC. There have been significant changes made to 406.11. For one it has been moved to 406.12. Another is the following exception.

From the 2011 NEC:



> 406.12 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units.In all areas specified in 210.52, all nonlocking-type
> 
> 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles shall be listed
> 
> ...


----------



## Sifu (Jan 17, 2012)

I don't have to enforce it since I am not the electrical inspector for this jurisdiction.  I was just asking because this came up in conversation and back when I was enforcing electrical I permitted opener receptacles in the ceiling to be non-gfci.  I was just trying to figure out if I was wrong then or wrong now.  I knew it would be one of the two.


----------

