Why would I have a single GFCI outlet in the garage?

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Eisenfaust8

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Today I noticed that none of the outlets in the garage were working. The breaker was not tripped, but upon further examination, I found that a GFCI had been tripped. Upon reset of the outlet, everything in the garage functioned normally.

There was nothing plugged into that outlet, and it is in fact the only outlet in the garage that is not a regular one. There is one more GFCI located in the kitchen, and what appears to be an outside one on the porch which powers a water feature.

Anyone have any ideas as to the purpose of a single GFCI in the garage?
 
Eisenfaust8 said:
Today I noticed that none of the outlets in the garage were working. The breaker was not tripped, but upon further examination, I found that a GFCI had been tripped. Upon reset of the outlet, everything in the garage functioned normally.

There was nothing plugged into that outlet, and it is in fact the only outlet in the garage that is not a regular one. There is one more GFCI located in the kitchen, and what appears to be an outside one on the porch which powers a water feature.

Anyone have any ideas as to the purpose of a single GFCI in the garage?
Click to expand...

Because the gfci on the first outlet protects all the rest of the downstream outlets.
And it likely saved the life of some insect.:thbup:
 
I put a GFCI as the first outlet in my garage. It's the same concept as having one near a bathroom sink.
 
nealtw said:
Because the gfci on the first outlet protects all the rest of the downstream outlets.
And it likely saved the life of some insect.:thbup:
Click to expand...

Okay, I get it now. I thought that each outlet on a circuit needed to be GFCI. Didn't realize that one could protect the whole. Thanks!
 
By code outlets in a garage must be GFCI protected.
Your refridgerator outlet should be a dedicated circuit or at least up-stream of a GFCI outlet. In the event that you unkowingly trip the outlet, your food won't spoil by the time you notice it.
 
Fridge in the garage still needs to be GFCI by code. ALL receptacles including the garage door opener on the ceiling need to be GFCI.
 
JoeD said:
Fridge in the garage still needs to be GFCI by code. ALL receptacles including the garage door opener on the ceiling need to be GFCI.
Click to expand...


Right. However I was referring to the fridge in ones kitchen.
Fridge plugged in a garage is at the owners risk.
 
My garage fridge is on its own circuit. The only GFCI circuit is for the exterior outlets. I've got the only garage that I've ever seen with even a single GFCI.
 
It would depend on when your garage was built. My garage has a single outlet for a freezer that is not GFCI protected. The rest are GFCI protected by the first outlet in line from the breaker. That was to code when the house was built in 1998/1999.

Unfinished basements, outdoor, kitchen, garage and bathroom outlets are to be GFCI protected these days.
 
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