Electrical – power an outdoor security light from a non-EV garage receptacle

electricallighting

I'm planning to install an outdoor floodlight above my rolling garage door, and there is a continuously powered receptacle in the rafters above the garage door that's just a few feet from the other side of the wall where I want to install the light. Running some new Romex from that receptacle through a hole and into an outdoor junction box for the floodlight seems like an easy installation.

However, I've read that new code requires that no garage receptacles power outdoor security lights. Is this an issue even for ones that are not intended for EV car charging, like my garage door opener receptacle?

Here's a photo of the receptacle powering the garage door opener, and the wall above the garage door where I'd be drilling a hole:

Garage door opener receptacle and inside of garage wall

Best Answer

The 2014 NEC states:

210.52 (G) (1). For attached and detached garages with electric power, the branch circuit supplying the garage receptacle(s) will not supply any outlets outside the garage. And at least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for each car space.

An "outlet" is defined as "A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment."

So, your outdoor floodlight power should come from elsewhere.

Sorry 😞

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