Wiring Of A Garrage Door Opener When There Is No Ceiling Outlet ? (2023 Update)

He can do that provided there is constant 110v at the box. It could be on a switch being it's a light fixture.

Reply to
Mikepier
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What is the logic for this "violation"? What's the difference whether the wire is in front of or behind the wall?

Reply to
John Harlow

"My garage door opener has been connected to a wall outlet, with an extension cord strung across the ceiling, for 20 years. It does not violate any electrical codes anymore than using an extension cord for anything else."

I would beg to differ. Using an extension cord for a garage door opener is a code violation. Extension cords are intended to be used for temporary connection, not for connecting appliances, motors, etc which are built into the structure. Just because you did it for 20 years doesn't mean it passes code. This is typically red flagged during a home inspection prior to sale.

Reply to
trader4

I had the very same problem. My garage door openers were installed in

1962. But rather than run an extension cord the owner/builder wired the openers and fluorescent light direct to the ceiling light boxes. If you have ceiling light you can remove the box and put an outlet box up there. One plug can be used for the opener, the other for a 4 or 8 foot fluorescent with attached plug. HTH
Reply to
The hooligan

Hello:

Friend is moving into a 30 year old house which is a bit shy on electrical outlets.

The previous owner put in an electric garage door opener, but as there is no outlet on the ceiling of the garage for a door opener, he ran an extension cord across the ceiling and half way down a wall to where there is an outlet.

Ceiling and walls in garage are finished, so it would be quite a pain to install an outlet there now.

Realize that installing a ceiling outlet, snaking the wires internally to where they can be spliced in is of course the best way to do it. Will probably end up doing it that way, I guess.

But would like to ask:

What do most folks faced with this "problem" do ? Just this extension cord bit ?

Does this violate any electrical codes ?

Any thoughts on would be appreciated.

Thanks, Bob

Reply to
Robert11

Reply to
Warren Weber

On 2/26/2005 7:09 AM US(ET), Robert11 took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

My garage door opener has been connected to a wall outlet, with an extension cord strung across the ceiling, for 20 years. It does not violate any electrical codes anymore than using an extension cord for anything else.

Reply to
willshak

I'm curious about how "finished" your garage is. Since you mention a door opener, I assume you keep a car in the garage, so it's probably not some showpiece of a room. If so you could use regular EMT conduit on the surface of your ceiling and walls. If you don't feel like buying and learning to use a bender, you could just buy the elbows and other fittings you need. It is a lot easier to pull wire through bent curves than fittings, though.

That does still leave open the question of where the electricity is coming from in the first place. My electrical service box is in my garage, so in my case it would be easy. You could put the opener on its own circuit. If not, you could probably put an extender box on your present oulet box.

I would encourage you to first figure out what else is on that circuit. If your house is "shy" on outlets, it's probably shy on circuits too. My house originally had a crazy combination of fixtures from all over the house on each breaker. The door opener is a very intermittent use item, but you might not want an electric motor on the same circuit as your computer, for example. You also might not want it to be the straw that occasionally breaks the camel's back on an overloaded circuit.

You could also use the Wiremold surface mount wiring system. I believe they make an "extension box" that you can attach to your present outlet box. It extends the box out an inch or so, so it protrudes out from the wall. This allows you to attach their raceway (sort of a squared-off conduit) to the side or top of the box, extending along the wall. Make sure to get the SAME type of their product for the whole run. They make 2 sizes, which are mutually incompatible and NOT well labeled. I believe that the WHITE and BEIGE pieces are actually two different sizes.

I think their stuff is a little expensive and I'm guessing it's harder to pull wires through than EMT. If a somewhat "industrial" look would not be out of place in your garage, I'd use EMT.

Greg Guarino

Reply to
Greg G

In that case just leave the switch on. I did this in a previous home and the switch gives an additional security feature. When you go out of town, flip it off. Then thieves with "code-breakers" can't open the door that way.

Reply to
Dennis Turner

Find out what your local building code stipulates. Go to your municipal building inspector and find out what is required for your neck of the woods.

Extension cords should not be used as a permanent electrical supply for garage door openers or any other permanent fixture in or about your home.

Rich

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Reply to
Richard

When I bought my first house(20 years old). At the end of my gravel driveway was a Utility/Light Pole with a dawn/dusk sensing 200 watt halogen industrial design light fixture wired to an extension cord then buried under ground and re-appeared at the outside outlet at the back door. The real kicker was when I yanked it all up and dug a trench for it to be wired properly and lay the wiring in plastic conduit(plus I wanted a weather-proof outlet on the pole). It was actually two "orange" extension cords. The idiot who did this had buried the mating of the plug and receptacle of these two cords straight into unprotected earth. He did not even wrap it in tape or anything. Needless to say I found some other idiotic wiring inside the house as well. At least before I sold the house I had all the electrical up to code.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM >>

Reply to
Samuel Warren

You can use surface mounted wiring also. It would look neat, meet code. Check out Wiremold products that are made for just that.

Yes, but I've seen it done a few times. I don't advocate going against code, but it is fairly safe is a heavy enough cord is used and you don't use it as a clothesline. I'd probably do it on a temporary basis if I had to.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

What about the fittings for feeding track lighting with a short cord and a 3-pin plug? How come those are legal? Track lighting is usually installed permanently rather than temporarily, isn't it?

Perce

On 02/26/05 11:44 am Richard tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

I think if you look into the electrical code you will find that it is in violation. Extension cord are only intended to be used for temporary connections and may not be used as a substitute for permanent wiring.

Waldo

Reply to
Waldo

Biggest issue is exposure -- the wire is just exposed 24x7, just waiting for someone to damage it.

Reply to
Andy Hill

replying to Waldo, x Hades Stamps wrote: Not everywhere requires permanent wiring. I DO agree that extension cords are not supposed to be used in that way, but there's nothing else you can really do if your ceiling and walls are finished. It's kind of pricey to install more outlets, even if you do it yourself, which I recommend doing. You would have to pay for new drywall, more electrical pipes, electrical wires (copper price is declining from outrageous, but it's still ridiculous) that are insulated, a ground wire (usually NOT insulated), and the outlets, not to mention you'd have to have someone respray your ceiling on if you have a popcorn ceiling, an electrical box, a brace for the electrical box, and anything I missed. Often, fluorescent light fixtures do not have their own permanent wiring and have to plug DIRECTLY into an outlet connected to the light switch. There IS something that CAN be done, though, and that is to install a longer cord. THAT wouldn't be a violation, WOULD IT? You could cut the end off of an old extension cord and connect it to the screws on the garage door. That would PERMANENTLY connect it, and it would no longer be an extension cord.

Reply to
x Hades Stamps

Sadly, no pun in ten did. Ha ha!

Reply to
x Hades Stamps

replying to RBM, x Hades Stamps wrote: Couldn't you just install a longer cord?

Reply to
x Hades Stamps

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