Can an EZ Go charger be plugged into a 15 amp GFCI plug?

nawhitfo

Just purchased a new golf cart. My question is....can I just plug the charger into a normal 15 AMP GFCI plug in my garage or do I have to change the CB in the main house panel to a 20 AMP CB to accommodate the charger?

BGW

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jacannon

Mine would pop the GFI every time. I put in a 30 amp breaker and a dedicated circuit and no more problems.

radioman

You should be able to plug it in the GFI. If it trips you have a ground fault in the equipment. A golf cart charger does not draw but about 7 amps @120 v.

kb1sxv

Mine is and it works fine

scottyb

Yes but no extension cords

A 15a household circuit is typically 14g wire. 20a (dedicated appliance, garage, or outdoor) is 12g. Remember the closer you are to the main panel the less amperage drop you will experience.

RM is correct about the draw. The problem is not the charger but the hair dryer somebody just turned on in the bathroom on the same GFI. LOL

nawhitfo

Thanks for the input. My concern is when I switched off the breaker to change the plug, it also shut off other things in my house, i.e. modem, router, tv, cable box, sound bar, etc. My concern is when I add the extra load of a golf cart charger, will it be too much for the 15 amp breaker to manage? Should I start lining up an electrician to change the breaker?

sportcoupe

It is nice to have the home outlet for a cart charger on a dedicated circuit. That usually isn't possible so a lightly used circuit is usually selected. Sounds like you are on a well used outlet. Try another one if possible that isn't as burdened.

You also cannot just put in a bigger circuit breaker either. The house wiring and outlets need to match the rating of the breaker. For 110vac outlets that is usually 15A or 20A.

radioman

Why don't you just try it and see? If the 15 amp breaker trips then upgrade it. If your house circuit has 14 gauge wire you don't want to replace a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp one.

nawhitfo

Thanks for the info. Ill give it a try. Unfortunately, out garage only has one plug. Grrrrrr :-)

yurtle

Mine has 4 20 amp GFCI outlets, and I've never had any problems. However, 4 just ain't enough, so I added an additional 22 wire-mould non-GFCI outlets on the front of my work bench. All outlets in a garage, bathroom, kitchen, and outdoors "should" be GFCI, and this can be done at the breaker or the outlet. My 22 non-GFCIs are for playing with electrically "leaky" things.