I am now on my 4th charge cord due to overheating and melting issues. I am being advised by Chevy techs to install hospital grade electrical outlets everywhere I plug in. This is not how the car is marketed nor is this information to be found in owners manuel, or in any notification from Chevrolet. If this is in fact the cure for a safety hazard, should not Chevrolet step up to notify all owners and cover costs??
Charge Outlet/ Over Heated Cord Issues
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I'm going to say you've just had a round of bad luck. Lets face it, the Volt pulls about the same amps as a space heater. So if you ran a space heater from that same outlets, you would have had the same results. Just because it is a 20-amp outlet doesn't guarantee it will be fine. If it is old and has worn or corroded connections inside, it will build up heat.
I have been using my 120V Voltec charger every day for a year now on a dedicated 20-amp outlet that I installed in my garage and have had zero issues with it.
Yes... Most old wall outlets have tarnished contacts with worn out springs. Many have been connected using the "EZ stab" terminals instead of the screw clamps. (Cuz the electrician who installed it was lazy.) If the plug goes in easily... It's probably going to overheat at 12 amps. If the plug is hard to push in it may work OK at 12 amps.
The fact that the outlets are not capable of delivering 12 amps for a sustained period is NOT the fault of your car not the EVSE... It's the fault of the lousy worn out outlet. If you plugged in a 1500 watt light bulb into that same outlet it would overheat and melt too.
If you are plugging into an unknown quality outlet... You should probably use the default 8 amp setting. That's why GM changed the default to 8 amps on the 2013 model. Too many people were experiencing problems associated with poor quality outlets.
The fact that the outlets are not capable of delivering 12 amps for a sustained period is NOT the fault of your car not the EVSE... It's the fault of the lousy worn out outlet. If you plugged in a 1500 watt light bulb into that same outlet it would overheat and melt too.
If you are plugging into an unknown quality outlet... You should probably use the default 8 amp setting. That's why GM changed the default to 8 amps on the 2013 model. Too many people were experiencing problems associated with poor quality outlets.
Don't be a butt. Tens of thousands of people, including me, charge using the same equipment as you do and don't have a problem with the outlet. As mentioned, even at 12 amps the Volt pulls about as much juice as a space heater or a hair dryer or an iron. If your outlets can't handle that level of power for several hours there is a problem with the outlets.
My advice is to immediately stop charging at 12A and use 8A as has been suggested. If your EVSE plug still gets overheated stop charging and use the genset. Then get the outlet and circuit fixed. The big issue, which you're not focused on, is that if the plug to the EVSE is melting it's highly likely the outlet is also overheating. Worst case for the EVSE plug melting is you have to get a new EVSE. Worst case with the outlet melting is a house fire.
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20,583 Posts
I'm going to say the opposite, a handful have had issues and many of those where the result of not taking precautions.
120V charging guide: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?48937-120V-Charging-FAQ
Owners Manual:
WARNING Using the charge cord with a worn or damaged AC outlet may cause burns or start a fire. Periodically, check the AC wall plug and charge cord while the vehicle is charging. If the AC wall plug feels hot, unplug the charge cord and have the AC outlet replaced by a qualified electrician. Replace the charge cord if the AC wall plug or cord are damaged. Do not use an AC outlet that is worn or damaged.
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging
The AC outlet must have a
grounded, dedicated, 15 amp or
greater, three‐prong wall plug.
That means there should be no
other major appliances connected
to the same circuit. If it is not a
dedicated circuit, the current rating
of the outlet circuit breaker could
be exceeded and cause it to trip
or open. The vehicle can be
charged in the reduced level mode.
See “Charge Level Button” in this
section. Reduced level mode allows
a non‐dedicated circuit to be used
but increases the charging time.
This vehicle is capable of being
charged with a variety of standard
vehicle charging equipment.
The following are the minimum
requirements for circuits used to
charge this vehicle:
120V/15Amp
240V/20Amp
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1,065 Posts
Since you tried three outlets, I'll bet your entire house was wired by the same guy who used the "EZ stab" push-the-wire-into-the-hole connections. The contacts inside those is a tiny v-shaped tip. When you pull a lot of juice over a long period through that, it is going to get hot, and melt everything around it.
To fix the problem, remove the old outlet, get a 20-amp or hospital-grade outlet, and install it with the wires wrapped around the screws, and the screws tightened well. That plug will not overheat.
I've been using a 15-amp circuit for 9 months, always setting the Volt to charge at 12 amps, and have had no trouble. But I checked the outlet to make sure the wires were connected via the screws.
To fix the problem, remove the old outlet, get a 20-amp or hospital-grade outlet, and install it with the wires wrapped around the screws, and the screws tightened well. That plug will not overheat.
I've been using a 15-amp circuit for 9 months, always setting the Volt to charge at 12 amps, and have had no trouble. But I checked the outlet to make sure the wires were connected via the screws.
Just want to add... This is not a toaster. .. It's a car pulling substantial current for 10 hours. It requires a very good source of power through a very good outlet. Not all outlets are good enough to charge this car. No recall needed. Just a good outlet, preferably on a dedicated circuit.
I think the odds are pretty good there is something up with the electrical wiring in your house, as opposed to 3 charging cords all being faulty. The fact the plug end of the cord is overheating almost confirms it is a house wiring issue. You might want an electrician to do an inspection of your electrical wiring before you experience something more severe than a melted charge cord.
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20,583 Posts
So my question is, after the first melted plug experience, did you follow the owner's manual and have a qualified electrician inspect and replace the outlet? What about after the second and third time?
Like others have said, back-stabbed wiring could be the root cause, or a worn outlet, or a non-dedicated outlet, or an undersized circuit. All these inferior/inadequate conditions can cause the plug to heat and potentially melt.
Like others have said, back-stabbed wiring could be the root cause, or a worn outlet, or a non-dedicated outlet, or an undersized circuit. All these inferior/inadequate conditions can cause the plug to heat and potentially melt.
Yes, I had my outlets at home checked. The house was built in 2010 , the 3 different outlets were at 3 different geographic locations, not in the same house. Internet search lists numerous posts of people with the same issue-which is my point-if its this involved its not user friendly and does not perform as advertised in my opinion. Will be signing off now -thanks for the support!
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5,782 Posts
Well, since he's 'signed off' I guess he doesn't want/need further help. (Or the OP is a troll that is repeating searched posts.)
He does have a point though. There have been too many incidents (even reported on this forum) where 15-amp outlets have failed from the 12amp draw for 10 or more hours. In all cases I have observed, they *were not* dedicated outlets. GM was correct to default to 8amps for 2013.
I might add (not this case but maybe others) that there was some aluminum wiring around the 1978 time-frame. Aluminum wiring expands and contracts when used and can cause loose connections especially at the outlet. Even when they used the screw connections.
This is exactly why I got an L2 EVSE. I wasn't impressed with the L1 that came with the car as far as build quality and the wire size. (See Silver's tear-down post.) It didn't seem to me that it could handle being used daily.
That said, I never had any issues with the L1 in my 1951-build house. Because I installed 20-amp outlets and new wiring everywhere I do a remodel. (almost done. Only 14 years in.)
The garage was first because it had some VERY bad amateur wiring.
I have charged at other homes, but, I check the temp of the cord and plug periodically. Suspenders and Belt.
He does have a point though. There have been too many incidents (even reported on this forum) where 15-amp outlets have failed from the 12amp draw for 10 or more hours. In all cases I have observed, they *were not* dedicated outlets. GM was correct to default to 8amps for 2013.
I might add (not this case but maybe others) that there was some aluminum wiring around the 1978 time-frame. Aluminum wiring expands and contracts when used and can cause loose connections especially at the outlet. Even when they used the screw connections.
This is exactly why I got an L2 EVSE. I wasn't impressed with the L1 that came with the car as far as build quality and the wire size. (See Silver's tear-down post.) It didn't seem to me that it could handle being used daily.
That said, I never had any issues with the L1 in my 1951-build house. Because I installed 20-amp outlets and new wiring everywhere I do a remodel. (almost done. Only 14 years in.)
The garage was first because it had some VERY bad amateur wiring.I have charged at other homes, but, I check the temp of the cord and plug periodically. Suspenders and Belt.
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