GDO

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floater4444

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I may do a detached garage for a friend. I was reading another thread saying that everything in the garage has to be GFIed. Is this true? How would one get in the garage if the GDO tripped for some reason then? What about freezers, Vacs, and Condensate pumps/air cleaners. I just did a geothermal furnace, and I added a recepticle on the line side of a GFI in an unfinished bassment for 2 dedicated HVAC equipment, and the inspector said it was the best job he has seen. Nothing beats that for customer confidence in your work. I would rather do a single plug from the line side than a duplex of the load side for the GDO. Just trying to keep up with new times. I would rather not put a GDO on a GFI. It just doesn't make scense to me just like putting the lights on the load side either. The last thing a homeowner wants is to be running a saw, and trip the GFI and the lights all in one go. This would be followed by lots of cussing I would assume.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
Personnel.
-
(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and
20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
(1) through (8) shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter
protection for personnel.


(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
Click to expand...


No exceptions, all must be GFCI
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
floater4444 said:
How would one get in the garage if the GDO tripped for some reason then?
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Like iwire said. How would you get in anytime power was lost for any reason?

What about freezers, Vacs, and Condensate pumps/air cleaners.
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What about them? If GFCI trips, reset it. If it continues to trip find out what is wrong with it. GFCI's are not installed to annoy people when they trip, they are installed to help protect them from being electrocuted, and they do a pretty good job of it when installed and used properly.

I added a recepticle on the line side of a GFI in an unfinished bassment for 2 dedicated HVAC equipment, and the inspector said it was the best job he has seen.
Click to expand...

What was so good about this job? I would rather see the GFCI where it is required than see the neatest routing of cables that I have ever seen. Now depending on what code that was inspected under it may have not required GFCI at the time.


I would rather not put a GDO on a GFI. It just doesn't make scense to me just like putting the lights on the load side either.
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Many HO find that outlet in the ceiling to be convenient for some reason and use it for more than just the GDO. Putting lights on load side of GFCI is not a requirement, unless they are cord and plug connected lights. If not cord and plug connected it is a design choice if they are on the GFCI. (someone may have wanted to save 10 feet of cable VS connecting lights to GFCI protected outlet because it was 10 feet closer.)
 
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floater4444

Member
Yeah, it was just Neat work, thats all. Do you guys put the fridge, and gas stove on a GFI too? I will end up GFIing everything then
 
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hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
floater4444 said:
Yeah, it was just Neat work, thats all. Do you guys put the fridge, and gas stove on a GFI too? I will end up GFIing everything then
Click to expand...

You really need to read 210.8 as in dwelling kitchens it only requires GFCI protection for receptacles serving counter tops, if a receptacle does not serve the counter top then its not needed.:happyno:
 
F

floater4444

Member
kwired said:
Like iwire said. How would you get in anytime power was lost for any reason?


What about them? If GFCI trips, reset it. If it continues to trip find out what is wrong with it. GFCI's are not installed to annoy people when they trip, they are installed to help protect them from being electrocuted, and they do a pretty good job of it when installed and used properly..)
Click to expand...

I have not seen the garage yet. I don't know the deal if there is a man door or not. I am not a garage door guy either. I just install a plug whatever height the door is +2' back and a little bit off center. I don't know about releases controlled from the outside, but I will tell her to contact the GDO guy about an install like that if there is no man door. Thank you IWire for the heads up BTW.

I have seen frogs nusance trip a GFI. It wouldn't have tripped a normal plug I am assuming. Plus the GFI is an extra mechanism to fail in general no matter what the competance of the installer is. All, I am saying is, I would always put a freezer on its own circuit in a garage, with a single service outlet. You are saying GFI is now code for 2011? That is fine. I will follow the code.

Thank you for all your Help/responces
 
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hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Yes the exceptions that allowed us to install single receptacles for certain appliances in garages and basements was removed from 210.8 in 2008 so if your under the 2005 you can still use them.
Also the allowance for receptacles not readily assessable was also removed which is the part that now requires a GFCI for the GDO

My own preference for appliances that can be a problem if the GFCI trips is to use Leviton GFCI's as they seem to be better immune to false trips, the chepo one that Menard's sells seem to be the worst.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Instead of thiking of a GFCI as something that can fail, one needs to learn some basics of how they work and why they were created. The potential lives saved or reduced injuries outweighs the inconveniences of having them trip.
 
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