There is probably a point in your time with your automatic garage door opener that there is an issue with the circuit breaker or something else is causing a problem with the everyday operation of the device. You might consider using an extension cord until the issue is resolved. However, is that a viable option?
For temporary purposes, it’s okay to use an extension cord but it’s not a permanent solution and you don’t want to get caught up in putting a repair off because the extension cord is temporarily solving the problem.
The reason that an extension cord is not good as a long terms solution is multi-faceted. It may seem as if an extension cord is a reasonable workaround to a current problem, seeing as most garage door openers are plugged into an outlet in the ceiling.
Why is Long-Term Use of an Extension Cord a Bad Idea?
As aforementioned, the problems are multi-faceted and it’s only a problem due to the potential for bad circumstances.
- It presents a fire hazard since it can get in the way of the mechanical operation of the garage door
- It can also get pinched underneath the closing garage door
- They are a tripping hazard
- There is no environmental protection for extension cords in a garage
- It will void the warranty on the garage door opener if something goes wrong
The biggest problem that you have to worry about is if one of the potential issues listed above happens, then the warranty on the garage door opener may be voided because most garage food opener manufacturers stipulate that you cannot use an extension cord on their devices.
The environmental damage listed above is a good possibility. The number of times that an extension cord may be pinched or the insulation on the outside of the wiring compromised gets pretty high when you are using it as an extension cord for your garage door opener.
Exposed wire can do one of two things, neither of them any good. It can give you a heck of a shock, if not worse, or it can potentially start a fire. Not all extension cords are created equally and some are more heavy duty than others.
For the most part, your standard extension cord is not designed to handle the kind of abuse that it may be subjected to in a garage, especially when there are no environmental controls in the garage.
Do Garage Doors Openers Have Their Own Breaker?
Typically no. Most garage door openers will also have an overhead receptacle installed that is essentially just like any other power outlet, many of which are scattered throughout your home.
The reason that there is typically an outlet provided just for the garage door opener is that most garages don’t have very many outlets inside of a garage, because there is no NEC recommendation in terms of how many outlets should be in the garage.
In fact, in a lot of newly constructed homes, there is only one power outlet installed in the garage, unless otherwise requested by the home owner. Since there are usually no outstanding power requirements for a garage door opener, it is usually tied into the same circuit as everything else in the garage.
In terms of amps, a garage door opener only needs anywhere between 3A and 5A, which can easily be handled on a 15A circuit, which is a very typical circuit inside a residential residence.
When there are two garage door openers operating, for two, separate garage doors, you will usually find that they are on the same circuit but that circuit will be a 20A circuit. The larger the garage door, the more power that is required to lift the weight, and it will require more amps.
How Should a Garage Door Opener Be Installed?
There are two things that you will never see a technician do when installing a garage door. You will never see them install it for use with an extension cord (which immediately voids the warranty for every major manufacturer of garage door openers) and they will never hardwire the garage.
If the house was built with a garage door and no outlet or installation access for a garage door opener, a licensed electrician will have to come in and install an outlet on the ceiling that is within easy reach of the garage door opener, once it is installed.
Believe it or not, it’s actually a relatively easy DIY project, so long as you know enough about tying an extra outlet into the garage circuit. Since the garage is usually where your circuit breaker is installed, it will be easier to follow the circuit and determine where on the circuit your new outlet will fall.
A middle circuit will usually contain 2 or 3 wires. The first is for the current flowing through the outlet and the second carries on the current to the next outlet in the circuit. If you can work it so that it falls on the very end of the circuit, the installation will be easier.
You will only have one cable to deal with, the hot running to one screw terminal and the neutral running to the other. Of course, before you consider this as a DIY project, you will need to ensure that all power is cut to the garage and that you have the proper tools to cut sheetrock and wire a new outlet into the ceiling.
When we mentioned hotwiring it earlier, that was about tying it directly to the breaker or the circuit running to the breaker. That’s not a good idea, as any light switches on that circuit may keep the garage door opener on when it doesn’t need to be or you don’t want it to be.
Final Thoughts
If you have to use an extension cord for your garage door opener, it’s fine so long as it is a brief/temporary use of the extension cord. You shouldn’t use it for more than a week, tops. There are simply too many variables that can cause problems, along with the fact that you want to protect your warranty at all costs.