Extension Cords

[Marty]

FYI.... the standard 120V charge cord and the Volt are smart... if you plug into a 120V outlet that is not properly grounded, the car will start chirpping and will not charge - lights on the charger will flash red. Same thing if you use the wrong extension cord. I actually have not found an extension cord that works - tried a couple just to see, but nothing yet. I'll try a commercial grade extension cord and see if that works - as some customers will not be able to park close enough to a 120V outlet.

Are you using a three-wire extension cord, one with two flat prongs and one round one?

What wire gauge and length?

Does it work in the low (8-ampere) setting?

[LGA]

You might have a miswired wall outlet, too -- bad ground or reversed hot/neutral. Try one of those cheap plug-in testers to confirm proper wiring.

[ocryan]

I actually have not found an extension cord that works - tried a couple just to see, but nothing yet. I'll try a commercial grade extension cord and see if that works - as some customers will not be able to park close enough to a 120V outlet.

I just have a regular orange extension cord, 25ft, nothing special. Couldn't tell you if its 12 or 14 gauge, but it works just fine plugged into my garage outlet with the EVSE on the normal "high" setting.

[WVhybrid]

FWIW, there are some places that sell 10 gauge extension cords. Ten gauge wire has about 38% less resistance than 12 AWG wire. They don't come cheap, however, at about $1/foot. Good luck, and happy "VOLTING".

[woodruff13]

The other point is to have the unit in the charging cord drop to the 8 amp mode from the 12 amp mode.

In my garage, the GFI is old and tired. It trips on the 12a mode, so I push the orange button before plugging it in, and it charged overnight on the 8a mode.

So, any time you think you've got a limitation on the supply, drop to the 8a mode. This should make it works w/ extension cords.

[ChrisC]

I have been charging exclusively in 7-8 Amp mode so far. I haven't yet needed to charge faster, and wanted to avoid dealing with popped breakers and the like at the various places I was charging for the first week until I got the car home. And even now at home I have yet to charge it at the faster rate.

I'm definitely looking forward to getting my kill-a-watt in there and seeing what it tells me ...

[evil_attorney]

Just want to bump this thread. Has anyone else had any experiences with extension cords working/not working? I expect to get my Volt in the next few weeks and will likely need to use an extension cord until I can figure out my charger situation.

[ocryan]

Just want to bump this thread. Has anyone else had any experiences with extension cords working/not working? I expect to get my Volt in the next few weeks and will likely need to use an extension cord until I can figure out my charger situation.

Prior to installing my Voltec EVSE, I used an extension cord for 10 days with NO issue. I did not need to step down to the lower power level. I simply plugged the extension cord into the wall and then plugged the EVSE into the extension cord. My outlet that I plugged into was already a GFCI outlet and is connected to a 20 amp circuit in my panel. I used an extension cord that I just had laying around, it is a three prong orange exterior grade extension cord 25 feet in length.

[barry252]

I bought a 100' 12ga. Yellow extension cord (industrial grade) from Lowes. It works great. I've recharged from several different outlets at home and an exterior outlet at work with no issues. I've monitored temperatures of the line and the only components that get warm is the Voltec charger itself and its short 14ga. plug wire.

While charging, using a Kill-a-watt meter, I measured 114.8V at the wall outlet, 111.0V at the end of the extension cord, while drawing 11.75amps. I've tested the 8amp Voltec setting, but have not had to use it yet. I've had the meter for only a few days and have only had to top off battery levels. I'll get measurements next week.

[bitguru]

I just have a regular orange extension cord, 25ft, nothing special. Couldn't tell you if its 12 or 14 gauge

If it's nothing special, then it's probably neither. 16 gauge is more common.

the only components that get warm is the Voltec charger itself and its short 14ga.

Someone on another forum said the 110V charger was 16 gauge. Was he mistaken?