Multiple garage door openers on a single circuit/breaker

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I have three garage doors on my new garage/race shop.

I can put the outlets for the three electric openers on a single 20amp circuit/20 amp breaker?

Do those circuits have to be dedicated to the garage door openers, or can I put other outlets on the same circuits?

Thanks!

 

[my58dodge]

I also have three openers in my new shop. I have a dedicated circuit for the openers, but they all share the circuit. I have run all three at the same time with no problems.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I also have three openers in my new shop. I have a dedicated circuit for the openers, but they all share the circuit. I have run all three at the same time with no problems.

Electrical inspect didn't have a problem?

I'm using the Liftmaster 8500 opener that turns the jackshaft directly. I'd like to obviously run one (20amp) circuit, one breaker, and then "drop" down to an outlet below each of the openers.

Thanks!

 

[alfredeneuman]

The Liftmaster 8500 manual says it only draws 1 amp.

There will be no problem

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

The Liftmaster 8500 manual says it only draws 1 amp.

There will be no problem

I'm surprised the Liftmaster 8500 motor draws only 1 amp.

Will the NEC allow more than one garage door opener to be on one circuit/breaker?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Are they hard wired, or do they plug into receptacles? Either way, I'm not aware of any code restrictions on multiple door openers. As long as they don't overload the circuit you should be okay.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Are they hard wired, or do they plug into receptacles? Either way, I'm not aware of any code restrictions on multiple door openers. As long as they don't overload the circuit you should be okay.

Plug into receptacles. Thanks!

 

[bfarroo]

How big are your doors? I'm looking at the 8500's for my 12x14 doors. They fit in the sqft spec so I think they should be fine but some real world info would be cool.

 

[unsinkable]

per 2014 NEC:
One outlet per door opener on dedicated ckt, and 1 general purpose outlet per car space.
None of these ckts are allowed to pick up exterior outlets.
NEC is free to view online, see article 210.52 G, (1), (2)
20 amp ckt should be fine. Assuming 3/4 hp units: 560 watts ea = 1680 watts, 14 amps
and thats if you operate all 3 simultaneously.
Good luck !

Makes sense if you think about it, you wouldn't want the doors inoperable due to a nuisance trip. (also the way I explain it to my customers...)

 

[Blk88GT]

I put my 3 Liftmaster 3800s on a single 15a circuit. I used a line splitter and tested them with a meter, they really only draw around 1 amp a pop. Separate circuits is a waste with these low draw openers IMHO. I also used the same circuit to power the lights used with the openers.

 

[C96]

per 2014 NEC:
One outlet per door opener on dedicated ckt

It doesn’t say that

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I put my 3 Liftmaster 3800s on a single 15a circuit. I used a line splitter and tested them with a meter, they really only draw around 1 amp a pop. Separate circuits is a waste with these low draw openers IMHO. I also used the same circuit to power the lights used with the openers.

I'm really surprised that the motor only draws a single amp. Intuitively that just doesn't make sense.

 

[Stuart in MN]

per 2014 NEC:
One outlet per door opener on dedicated ckt, and 1 general purpose outlet per car space.
None of these ckts are allowed to pick up exterior outlets.
NEC is free to view online, see article 210.52 G, (1), (2)

That's not how I read it.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

That's not how I read it.

Stuart what do you conclude? Thanks!

This is a detached accessory building, not an attached garage. I should have said that from the beginning ... my mistake.

What I would like to do is have a 20amp dedicated circuit for the three garage door openers with one GFCI outlet at waist level so it is easy to reset. The only thing on the 20amp circuit would be the GFCI outlet, three Liftmaster 8500 openers, and the associated three lights.

Would that configuration meet the current NEC?

 

[unsinkable]

That's not how I read it.

Last sentence in (G)...
Garage door openers are fixed equipment, requiring outlets.
The other portion states one outlet per car space, these are GP outlets.
Most inspectors in our area are interpreting this to mean openers and GP plugs on different ckts. That's been the way a lot of new construction is being wired.

Again, why would you want to take a chance of a nuisance trip or surge from a compressor kick knocking out the garage door openers ?

All this is assuming you have a subpanel, easy stuff. the wire and outlets is $20 and half hr. work.
If no subpanel, well, more of a PITA.
You can put 15 outlets on one ckt if you want, will it work ? yes.
Is it the best way ? NO.

 

[Worsedog]

Last sentence in (G)...
Garage door openers are fixed equipment, requiring outlets.
The other portion states one outlet per car space, these are GP outlets.
Most inspectors in our area are interpreting this to mean openers and GP plugs on different ckts. That's been the way a lot of new construction is being wired.

Again, why would you want to take a chance of a nuisance trip or surge from a compressor kick knocking out the garage door openers ?

All this is assuming you have a subpanel, easy stuff. the wire and outlets is $20 and half hr. work.
If no subpanel, well, more of a PITA.
You can put 15 outlets on one ckt if you want, will it work ? yes.
Is it the best way ? NO.

All that says is that outlets for specific equipment can not be used to meet the outlets per parking space requirements. It also says nothing about separate circuits. While it would be good to have the openers separate from the lighting and/or the other receptacles inside the garage, there is no reason to waste a 15 or 20A circuit for each 1A draw device. The three openers on a single circuit of their own would be fine.

 

[larry4406]

I build new homes in MD. Our electrician installs a single GFI in the attached garage. This GFI feeds the two overhead lights and the two outlets for each future garage door opener.

 

[Stuart in MN]

The last sentence in G) talks about separate receptacles but doesn't say anything about separate circuits. However, if that's the way your local inspector interprets the paragraph, then you're stuck either fighting them about it or providing a separate circuit.

I did look up the Liftmaster 8500 owner's manual, and as Blk88GT said they are listed as only using 1 amp - it's on page 4: https://www.liftmaster.com/CatalogResourcesV3/en-us/shared/files/tucmanuals/114A4565.pdf

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Thanks Stuart!

 

[justsam]

I'm surprised the Liftmaster 8500 motor draws only 1 amp.
?

Actually the motor does draw more than 1 Amp, but it is at 12Volts, DC. The Liftmaster as a total unit only draws 1 Amp, but at 120 Volts AC.

The DC motor is used for easy reversal, as well as it makes it real easy to provide battery back up with no intervening conversions. I have battery back up on the unit in my attached garage, and it has been a real asset during some rains and power outages we have had.

 

[Morrison]

If your garage door is properly installed (balanced) it shouldn't take much effort to open it. The opener motor isn't lifting the dead weight of the whole door.

 

[christopizza]

I put 2 outlets for my openers in the ceiling and added a third one to power my 4 post lift. non -GFI dedicated to equipment in the garage.

During the inspection I pointed it out and my inspector saw no issue with it.

Your results may vary.