Dedicated ckt for garage door?

[lynchmob723]

I have read a few places where people use dedicated ckt for the garage door opener. I personally dont see any reason to do such a thing. I just hooked it up to one of my (2) 20a ckts which have about 6 outlets on each

Does anyone want to convinve me otherwise? I am sheetrocking Wed, so I have until then to change it.

Thanks

 

[ddawg16]

The advantage is that if something else trips, your garage door still works....or, if the opener has an issue, it's easy to determine the culprit....

I have mine hooked up to some of my lights....reason being...it's unlikely I'll have the lights on at the same time as I operate the opener...but then again, all of the lights can be on AND the opener can be operated and I still have plenty of capacity left before the breaker will trip.

 

[nissan_crawler]

Why? for the cost of a breaker, why not? I like EVERYTHING separate. Ok, sure, you can run it with lights and not overload the circuit. But, what if you want to work on the lights? No garage door opener. What if you're working on the opener outlet or something? No lights.

 

[larry4406]

I would run separate circuit. If not, make sure it is not common with a GFI circuit - played h#ll trouble shooting an opener one time.

 

[PAToyota]

Separate circuit = easy security feature. When you're out of town turn it off.

 

[ckgdrums]

Separate circuit = easy security feature. When you're out of town turn it off.

+1, especially if your opener doesn't have an "away" switch on the wall panel. Wire it up separate...you'll be glad you did.

 

[D KRAGER]

+1, especially if your opener doesn't have an "away" switch on the wall panel. Wire it up separate...you'll be glad you did.

+2 Or I guess for security you could just wire the door openers thru a switch.

 

[Gary S]

I wired my openers on the same circuit as my outside receptacles. This way, when I turn off the opener breaker if I'm out of town, my outdoor receptacles get shut down at the same time.

 

[lynchmob723]

ok im convinced. Thanks guys

 

[ddawg16]

Why? for the cost of a breaker, why not? I like EVERYTHING separate. Ok, sure, you can run it with lights and not overload the circuit. But, what if you want to work on the lights? No garage door opener. What if you're working on the opener outlet or something? No lights.

I would have....except I'm limited to 6 breakers in the panel...in fact, I had to take out one that I was using just for the compressor.....inspector dinged me on it.

Like Gary, mine is sharing the same breaker as the outside lights.....

And don't forget, I live in CA...security is not an issue.....the line of dead bodies on the grass keeps everyone away....

 

[dipper]

I have mine on a 15A circuit along with the 45kbtu hot dawg heater.
I'd keep it separate from outlets that you'll use regularly, but should be okay
paired up with something that doesnt draw a ton of current.
Just my .02.

 

[DB2]

In Houston, which is on the NEC with some mods, electrical code supposedly requires a separate circuit for the garage door opener. Why, I don't know, but I was red-tagged because of it.

I do agree that the ability to switch the outlet on/off is a nice security feature, particularly if your daily drivers don't reside in the garage.

 

[Chris Adams]

Yup, code in California too. They required a dedicated circuit, but with two plugs, which if you think about it, is stupid. But then, it's code, not sense.

I added a second outlet to mine, had to because I use a Liftmaster 3800 jackshaft and the original circuit was in the middle of the shop, not near where you mount a jackshaft opener.

 

[dlewis]

When I had mine inspected last december in NJ the electrical inspector said I was lucky becuase new code called for dedicated ground fault circuit.

 

[Shocker]

Yup, code in my area requires it on a separate circuit. I plan on plugging my Maxx 45k btu heater into it as well.

 

[avc8130]

I was told the garage door openers could NOT be on the same circuits as the lights.
ac

 

[DigitalFusion]

I would run separate circuit. If not, make sure it is not common with a GFI circuit - played h#ll trouble shooting an opener one time.

NEC 2008 requires GFCI on everything, no exemptions for overhead/opener outlets

 

[Chris Adams]

NEC 2008 requires GFCI on everything, no exemptions for overhead/opener outlets

If you could take a second and help with my ignorance?

I just had a shop built. Last inspection in mid August. I am in a picky, heck, finicky, city, in one of the most **** states (Peoples Republic of Kalifornia) otherwise known as North Mexico.

And they did not require a GFCI anywhere except on the wall plugs. Not on the light circuits, even the outside, and not on the overhead opener dedicated circuit.


So how does that work? I am pretty certain the inspector didn't goof up, I am sure my builder didn't make a mistake.

I really don't get how to interpret the 'it's code, but it's not code' thing?

I know that's a tough question, and I know it may take more time than you can spare, but any clarification would be nice.

 

[DigitalFusion]

Check with your county to see if they have adopted the NEC 2008 regulations or not. If you are still under NEC 2005, it does not require GFCI on every outlet. NEC 2008 requires it for ALL outlets, no exceptions. It also requires tamper proof recepticles be used, even the ones up on the ceiling

Having said that, I do believe the inspector did screw up, because as I recall, you have to have GFCI protection for exterior outlets going back several code revisions. If he isnt making you, I would still invest in them for your own sake.

 

[Chris Adams]

Check with your county to see if they have adopted the NEC 2008 regulations or not. If you are still under NEC 2005, it does not require GFCI on every outlet. NEC 2008 requires it for ALL outlets, no exceptions. It also requires tamper proof recepticles be used, even the ones up on the ceiling

Having said that, I do believe the inspector did screw up, because as I recall, you have to have GFCI protection for exterior outlets going back several code revisions. If he isnt making you, I would still invest in them for your own sake.

Exterior outlets are on the GFCI, same one as inside.

I called the city and asked.

They told me on the phone that they were using 'the latest' and quoted a long string of numbers, that I didn't catch.

Oh well, apparently it doesn't matter, it is just up to whoever does the inspections.

That's the way it was when I had retail stores. 'Code' was whatever the local guy felt it was that morning. Twenty cities, up to 12 stores in one city, no two answers were ever the same.

My maintenance guys just refused to talk about it, just told me to 'leave it to them'.
Guess it worked, but 'Lord, what a way to run a railroad'.

 

[mrb]

Check with your county to see if they have adopted the NEC 2008 regulations or not. If you are still under NEC 2005, it does not require GFCI on every outlet. NEC 2008 requires it for ALL outlets, no exceptions.

in california, the state adopts the code -not the county. We're still on 2005 thank god.