Recently had a inspector say the exception, "that if a single outlet is placed in a garage for a dedicated piece of equipment like freezer etc. it does not have to be on a GFI". Inspector says it's not there anymore. Any verification to this?? I had put a single outlet for a garage door opener, and he started to turn it down but was gracious enough to let me by this time. It seems awful unconvenient for the homeowner to have to get a ladder to reset a receptacle if you have a lightening strike near by and it trips, but I guess that's life.
Thanks for the reply..Steve

Sherman set the "way back machine" to 2005!

That was the last code cycle that had a GFCI exception for receptacles that were not "readily accessible" in the garage.
Since 2008 they all require GFCI.
As a design issue, you could pick up the GDO on a GFCI that was on the wall.

Thanks Greg. I guess I Was living in the past. I guess the last inspectors I had was living there too. This is the first I've had in question. Now I know.. Thanks again

IMO, as an outsider, I'd either install a GFCI in the panel and feed the recept that way or install a GFCI recept in an accessible position and "loop" the GDO recept off that, by rights the GDO outlet would have GFCI protection.
Or are there laws against doing that over there?

I would not be surprised if every receptacle in a dwelling will be AFCI plus GFCI in the 2014, maybe with deferred implementation until 2017.
Cuttler Hammer has that device and it is how they did the AFCI in the first place.

I guess the 120/240V model of wiring in the US isn't looking too good these days.
Everyone else that uses the 230V single phase system has never had to install such AFCI gear.
It's just that 120V requires such large conductors and better connections at wiring points that is the down-fall.
Higher current for a given load.

Your codes are not written by manufacturers.

Is that the way you think?
Have you read AS/NZS 3000: 2009?

Trumpy,

Greg is right there are a lot of manufactures sitting on our code making panel and the rules of the NEC are getting ridiculous. They are pushing for more and more special equipment so that they can sell more and they change the codes every 3 years and I know a lot of people think it should be a 5 year cycle. Soon they will require air bags in showers to prevent people from falling in there.

Take a breath Caper!

I guess if a down under company had invented the GFCI/AFCI, Mike and Raymond would be asking the questions and we would be wondering why they need that.

It is mostly about the safety and a lot about the Benjamins.

Trumpy:

"Have you read AS/NZS 3000: 2009?"

May this be read on-line??

Are modern garage door openers all required to have emergency release for opener, in case the power goes out? I had a opener go dead since it was on a gfi and we had to cut hole in door to access the pull cord, I at that time 1996 put it on a single, but thought it was in the exception to the rule, there is no other door to garage. chris

Greg,

Years ago there was a crotchety old AHJ who worked around here. You could never ever get a passing sticker the first time with him. Anyway, I wired up a very large detached garage with 4 or 5 garage doors, and dozen of receptacles about 4' off floor height. Well Walter came on my job for a final inspection and saw the garage door opener recpt. not GFI protected and failed my job. I asked nicely why and he said that he wanted GFI protection for those outlets. I told him it wasn't code, but he was insisting that I do it. He gave me the "What If?" someone plugged into that recpt. and I said, why would they when I had 15 other recpts. down low.

Long story short, I gave him copies of pictures from IAEI showing the that GDO recpt. did not have to be GFI protected. I passed but he always had it in for me after that time.

If you have no other way to get into your garage, they make a removable keyed cylinder that you put in the overhead door.
Once you pull out the cylinder with your key; the release rope for the door opener (which you fastened to the other end of the cylinder) can be pulled from the outside.
http://www.aaaremotes.com/key-release-lock.html

Harold:

Hmmmm....

"crotchety old AHJ"
"but he always had it in for me after that time."

Think about that!

John,

I did and then I got my inspectors license in order to face him head on. He still didn't back down from some of his wrong decisions. They finally, after many years, got rid of him.

John,

Another thought, I am getting old and sometimes get grumpy, but if I ever get as bad as he was, SHOOT ME!

just kidding.

I remember when, in the early 60's, garage door openers first became available. Especially the first, fancy ones, with the remote control.

My Dad proudly told the neighbors he had an automatic door opener. When they asked to see it, he simply pointed to me - it was my job to open the door as he came up the drive!

Reno,


That sounds like what happened to me when I worked for my original boss. Someone asked my boss if he had a "Ditch Witch" and my boss said sure did, then he pointed to me!

Is that "A cannoli powered back hoe"?

Greg,


Yup it sure was!