Hi:

After a very bad storm, my Garage door opener does not work anymore. This unit is, some how, connected to a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter receptacle inside my garage and I do not have a way to access the garage to reset GFCI receptacle manually. Is there any other way that it can be reset without forcing the garage door open? Otherwise I have to hire a Garage door opener technician to force the door open, reset GFCI receptacle manually and then have the technician to fix the opener. I was told that if I find the proper breaker at the electrical main panel, and from there reset the breaker it should also reset the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter receptacle as well. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your assistance in this matter.

Hermann
PS
By the way, as soon as I get the GFCI reset I will replace the receptacle for one without GFCI.

"By the way, as soon as I get the GFCI reset I will replace the receptacle for one without GFCI." don't just eliminate GFCI but go with a GFCI breaker rather than a recpetacle. No technicial is going to force that door open and no reset at the panel will work. Once the GFCI trips it stays tripped until you manually reset it. What kind or gargae door do you and what does the passage door look like, we are going through one of them if there are no windows.

"By the way, as soon as I get the GFCI reset I will replace the receptacle for one without GFCI." don't just eliminate GFCI but go with a GFCI breaker rather than a recpetacle. No technicial is going to force that door open and no reset at the panel will work. Once the GFCI trips it stays tripped until you manually reset it. What kind or gargae door do you and what does the passage door look like, we are going through one of them if there are no windows.

Hi:

There is no way to access the garage unless door, some how, is force open. There is no window not door other than garage door itself. CRAFTSMAN®/MD 1/2-hp Chain-driven Garage Door Opener is the unit currently installed. None remote control works, due to fact that there is no electrical power inside the garage. For some unknown reason Garage door opener was wired using circuit controlled by the GFCI receptacle inside the garage. Any suggestions on how to open Garage door without breaking Garage door opener unit?

Once again, thanks for any assistance you can provide.

Regards,

What kind of garage door do you have? It may be safer to knock out a panel, easier and asfer than trying to force the opener.

This is like the keys locked in the car problem. I was thinking if there are small windows on the gar.age

Break one and try to pull garage door cable to you and externally power it.

Can you reach the reset button with a long stick?

If the garage has an eve vent, you could break it an re-enter the garage.

The point is to find the least expensive thing to break.

Let's even entertain core drilling through the walls to access the reset button.

Cut one of the panels of the garge and then replace it if possible.

Add a door to the garage.

All of these are guesss, not know ing anything about the garage. For instance siding could be removed ad re-used and a hole punched in the wood and then put back together easily.

The door is fiber glass overhead type single car. I don't see a way I can known a panel down and reset then replace panel. Maybe I can try to access garage from kitchen closet wall, reset receptacle then open door with remote. Then plan to install a door from garage to inside the house. Do I need to keep RFCI receptacle in garage or just have a simple receptacle without RFCI?

Once again thanks for your time and help..

Hermann

Now your thinking. Drywall repair is a whole lot easier.

What you could do in the long run is install an access panel such as:

Access Doors (http://www.ameraproducts.com/Access_Doors.htm?a=g-AP&gclid=CIKInqP9-JsCFZVB5godghe1AA)

Take the GFCI receptacle out of the garage area and replace with a GFCI breaker at the main panel.

Those are my thoughts. A utility knife will get you thrugh the drywall Patching is relatively easy.

Thank you very much for your help. I will open a hole behind the kitchen closet and reach RFCI receptacle, reset breaker and open garage door with remote. Then I will replace RFCI by just a normal receptacle because I do need an outlet there, but not one with RFCI. Down the road I with get a steel fire proof door to install between garage and house entrance.. Frame for that door is already there.

I really appreciate your quick response and assistance.

Have a good one.

Hermann

Most codes do require GFCI protection for a garage so you can install a GFCI breaker in the panel replacing the current breaker.