GFCI outlet in garage keeps triping

[Bryan Wellman]

Basically any building that is on residential property will fall into this catagory. A commercial workshop will have different standards, but your situation is still considered residential.

It's about safety.....pure and simple. Of course the people building GFCI's have influence in the industry, but the fact of the matter is.....they save lives. I will be upgrading my own shop soon to install GFCI's in all my general use outlets. And Im an electrician! PO just didn't have any in there and I haven't spent the time to do it.

[Joe Wiliams]

It has nothing to do if one can or does drive a vehicle in the building, GFCI protection is still required.

This is a copy & paste from the 2008 NEC.

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
Personnel.
FPN: See 215.9 for ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection
for personnel on feeders.
>snip<
(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
>snip<
Please note the bold type.

Thanks for that Rollie.

[Tommy Squires]

Kurt, I agree. I understand that code requires it. Every $%#@^ wall outlet in my shop has to be protected because my of the concrete slab. As they fail (and rest assured they will fail) I will replace them with regular outlets. I know this is a violation and if the city fathers want to spend my tax money trying to stop me they can be my guest. Before the flames start, I also know that there is some increase in risk to me personally. I can accept that risk. Mine is a one man shop and no children are allowed without close supervision.

It just seems a little silly that I have extremely well protected 110 volt outlets four feet up the wall at the same time I run 12 horse, three phase motors a foot or two from the floor. I better be careful. If I start spraying water around, I could get hurt!!

This is just the rantings of an crusty old curmudgeon that still has all his digits even though I have spent a lot of years around spinning sharp things. Not recommending this for anyone else (just in case the PC police are reading).

[Tom Veatch]

...This is just the rantings of an crusty old curmudgeon that still has all his digits even though I have spent a lot of years around spinning sharp things. Not recommending this for anyone else (just in case the PC police are reading).

I hear your rant, and sympathize with it. I don't see the GFI regulations with quite the same view as I do many of the other "for your own good" laws/rules/regulations, but the fact is, I moved out of my parents room and board many, many years ago and don't particularly appreciate anyone trying to take their place.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Thank guys. I come to the conclusion that my shop is just as safe as it was when the day I built it. I've never had an electrical incident in my shop in 20 years so I'll go with the law of averages and keep on keeping on. I'm not saying that it's right for everyone, and everyones shop is different but in my case why change something that has been working without incident for 2 decades.

[Rollie Meyers]

Kurt, I agree. I understand that code requires it. Every $%#@^ wall outlet in my shop has to be protected because my of the concrete slab. As they fail (and rest assured they will fail) I will replace them with regular outlets. I know this is a violation and if the city fathers want to spend my tax money trying to stop me they can be my guest. Before the flames start, I also know that there is some increase in risk to me personally. I can accept that risk. Mine is a one man shop and no children are allowed without close supervision.

It just seems a little silly that I have extremely well protected 110 volt outlets four feet up the wall at the same time I run 12 horse, three phase motors a foot or two from the floor. I better be careful. If I start spraying water around, I could get hurt!!

This is just the rantings of an crusty old curmudgeon that still has all his digits even though I have spent a lot of years around spinning sharp things. Not recommending this for anyone else (just in case the PC police are reading).

GFCI requirements have nothing to do w/ a concrete slab if the floor was wood they still would be required....

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

But a slab is at ground level and a wood floor is normally above as per the post by Joe Williams a few above. What this all comes down to is if your building a new shop the current code should be followed. If you have an existing shop it is what it is and is grandfathered in. It's up to each individual to make the call. I have yet to see a member of any BB that I belong to or the many woodworker friends I associate with killed by being electrocuted in his shop due to the lack of a GFI. This is just my opinion and i'm sorry if I offended the majority.

[Rollie Meyers]

But a slab is at ground level and a wood floor is normally above as per the post by Joe Williams a few above. What this all comes down to is if your building a new shop the current code should be followed. If you have an existing shop it is what it is and is grandfathered in. It's up to each individual to make the call. I have yet to see a member of any BB that I belong to or the many woodworker friends I associate with killed by being electrocuted in his shop due to the lack of a GFI. This is just my opinion and i'm sorry if I offended the majority.

If you wear out a receptacle & you decide to replace it you are no longer grandfathered in, the GFCI requirements kick in, my kitchen was rewired about 1980 or so, it does not have GFCI's at all, one of these days they will be installed.....