Garage outlets GFCI?

[Carl Beckett]

I am working out of a garage now, not a dedicated shop. I need to add 220V outlets. These are all in conduit. There was an existing car charge outlet (dry plug) that I relocated. This outlet was NOT GFCI protected

But do all these circuits need to be GFCI since they are in a garage?

[Patrick Varley]

Requisite "ask a licensed electrician or your local inspector" disclaimer.

However I believe that prior versions of the NEC did not require GFCI on branch circuits about 125V. That changed with the 2020 NEC and it is now required. So whether you "need" it and whether local inspector is going to require it may be different questions.

Here's the NEC comment:

1. 210.8(A) GFCI Protection for Personnel: Dwelling Units The changes in 210.8(A) will result in all 125‐volt through 250‐volt receptacles installed at dwelling units supplied by single‐phase branch circuits rated 150‐volts or less to ground be provided with ground‐fault circuit‐interrupter (GFCI) protection for personnel. During the 2020 NEC cycle it was substantiated that 250‐volt receptacle outlets present similar shock hazards as 125‐volt receptacle outlets. This change will impact the typical 240‐volt receptacle outlets for cord‐and‐plug connected dryers, ranges, ovens or similar appliances. This new addition of 250‐volt receptacles, and the removal of any ampere limitation, will require GFCI protection for commonly used receptacle outlets in the specified areas of 210.8(A)(1) through (A)(11): Bathrooms, Garages and Accessory Buildings, Outdoors, Crawl Spaces, Basements, Kitchens, Sinks, Boathouses, Bathtubs and Shower Stalls, Laundry Areas, Indoor Damp and Wet Locations. Also, (A)(2) for basements previously only required GFCI protection in unfinished areas; (A)(2) requires all receptacle outlets in basements (area below grade level) to be GFCI protected, regardless if the basement is finished or unfinished. During the 2020 NEC code cycle it was substantiated that conductive floor surfaces prone to damp, wet or flooded conditions may exist in both finished and unfinished basements. The potential for electrical hazards and risk of a shock hazard exists regardless of unfinished or finished surfaces.

[Paul F Franklin]

Patrick provided a good summary of chapter and verse. I will just add that many areas don't adopt new code revisions right away, so you can start by finding out what revision has been adopted in your area. In many areas, you can find this online at the local building department site.

Of course, nothing is stopping you from installing a GFCI even if it's not required by local code; it's not a bad idea.

[Carl Beckett]

Thanks.

A simple approach - I will just ask the inspector during rough in inspection. If he says yes will add GFCI to the entire sub panel (where the new circuits all are). That way it is a single breaker purchase (these things are $120-$150 each....)

Like you say, its not a bad idea and if a single breaker it isnt too $$ (was starting to cringe if I had to buy separate breakers for each circuit).

[John K Jordan]

I’m not familiar with GFCIs for entire panels. If tripped, would that also turn off all the lights (seems hazardous) or will the light circuits be on a separate, existing panel?

My experience with GFCIs in the shop is mixed. I like the safety aspect but some equipment would simply not work. For example, the 110v Jet 1642 lathes with VFDs would trip the GFCI every time it was turned on. I had to bypass the GFCIs for the lathes.

Thanks.

A simple approach - I will just ask the inspector during rough in inspection. If he says yes will add GFCI to the entire sub panel (where the new circuits all are). That way it is a single breaker purchase (these things are $120-$150 each....)

Like you say, its not a bad idea and if a single breaker it isnt too $$ (was starting to cringe if I had to buy separate breakers for each circuit).

[Leigh Betsch]

The electrician I hired to wire my garage put arc fault breakers in the garage. He said that was the new code. When the inspector came he didn’t know why I had arc faults. They are a real pain and trip with several of my tools.
I hired a different electrician for my shop. He said I don’t need arc faults. The final electrical inspection hasn’t been done yet.

[John Goodin]

The 2017 NEC code requires AFCI on all 15 and 20 amp circuits with exemptions for the exterior, bathroom and garages. Whether it is required in your area is a different question but I doubt many jurisdictions exceed that specific part of the code.

[Carl Beckett]

I’m not familiar with GFCIs for entire panels. If tripped, would that also turn off all the lights (seems hazardous) or will the light circuits be on a separate, existing panel?

My experience with GFCIs in the shop is mixed. I like the safety aspect but some equipment would simply not work. For example, the 110v Jet 1642 lathes with VFDs would trip the GFCI every time it was turned on. I had to bypass the GFCIs for the lathes.

A good flag. But yes, the nature of this is that all the garage outlets are on a sub panel fed by a 60a breaker from the main panel. I can replace that 60a with GFCI and get them all.

The garage lights are on a separate circuit from the main. The only other items on the sub are the refrigerator and the dishwasher.

I think what happened is that they added a car charger. They had to pull two breakers from the main to allow room for a breaker to feed the sub. So they pulled the fridge and dishwasher and moved that over.

I have fits with GFCI on florescent lights once. Never sorted it out, had to replace the ballasts. But do mind the safety aspect at all, just need to get it done and passed. Who knows, there may be something else I missed.

None of my 220v circuits has any type of electronics - just old fashioned on off stuff. Should be straightforward (although this code stuff rarely is). Even electricians do not all agree on what is code... comes down to the inspector (and I get this sense that some inspectors give DIY different answers than they give tradesmen).

[Paul F Franklin]

Also, your refrigerator is 110v single phase... if it is on a 220v gfci, it will trip it immediately as it is pulling current on only one leg of the circuit. Any 110v circuit off the 220v GFCI will trip it. The way GFCI works is it checks for current on both lines of a circuit. A 220v GFCI makes sure that the current on one hot line is the same as on the other hot line. A 110v GFCI makes sure the current in the single hot line is the same as the current in the neutral line.

A 240 v GFCI will not trip unless there is current flow to ground. An imbalance in current draw on the two legs will not trip it because the GFCI also monitors the neutral. An imbalance between the two hots will result in current flow in the neutral equal to the imbalance, and the GFCI will (correctly) ignore this. So a 120V load correctly installed between one hot leg and the neutral will not trip the 240v GFCI.

[Charles Coolidge]

The electricians installed a GFCI outlet in my garage. I have tripped that panel breaker many times but the GFCI has never tripped.

[Rollie Meyers]

The OP is in MA, they were the first to adopt the 2020 NEC. Adoption of the NEC varies from State to State, in CA where I am from has adopted the 2017.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Thirty years ago when building our home I had every single circuit individually GFCI protected including garage and workshop 110 and 220 volts. No regrets.

I would go for GFCI circuits also today. The prices dropped a lot after three decades.

If any equipment breaks the GFCI protection I would seriously consider to repair or replace it but at last resource you could consider an insulation transformer only for it.

[Charlie Velasquez]

A nuance of 2020 NEC 210.8 that may help some (if you consider installing non-gfci outlets a help or a dangerous scenario)....

My 12’ x 16’ shed/workshop is located on a residential backyard 10’ from the house.
The shed substructure is compacted soil at grade, 2” of pea gravel, rows of 4” x8”x16” solid concrete blocks stacked one to three high to accommodate slope, 4” x 4” skids resting on the blocks, 1/2” treated ply (to act as a critter barrier for the insulation and stabilizer for the skids, 2x 6 joists running perpendicular to the skids, 3/4” osb. The joists are not nailed to the ply, so the “floor” structure is independent of the skids and ply.


210.8(A) Dwelling Units...
(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


210.8(B) Other than dwelling units ...
(8) Garages, accessory buildings, service bays, and similar areas other than vehicle exhibition halls and showrooms

I posed this question to the members of Mike Holt’s forum of electricians, electrical contractors and electrical inspectors:
Am I correct that the 240v 50 amp outlet does not have to be gfci as this accessory building is part of a dwelling unit, the floor is at least 7.5” above grade in all cases, and 210.8(A)(2) is the reference that governs and not 210.8(B)(8) ?

The response was yes. The 240 volt outlet does not need to be gfci.

And as the code reads the 120v outlet probably not either (although I didn’t ask about 120v).

It probably would not affect slab on grade shops. But if your shop is a stand alone with a wood floor, or slab on insulation (stand alone or attached) you have a case for non-gfci.
Ultimately your AHJ will have a say, but you can always appeal an unfavorable decision.