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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName FRANKLIN CUSTODIAN FUNDS
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Feb. 01, 2016
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Goal
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock Income.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 106 in the Fund's Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 71 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 69.10% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 69.10%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 100,000
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption If you do not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities. The Fund presently invests substantially all of its assets in Government National Mortgage Association obligations (Ginnie Maes). Ginnie Maes represent an ownership interest in mortgage loans pooled together for sale to investors to finance purchases of homes. The mortgage loans may have either fixed or adjustable interest rates. As the underlying mortgage loans are paid off, Ginnie Maes provide investors with monthly payments of interest and principal as well as any unscheduled prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans.

Ginnie Maes carry a guarantee as to the timely repayment of principal and interest that is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The full faith and credit guarantee does not apply to the market prices and yields of the Ginnie Maes or to the net asset value or performance of the Fund, which will vary with changes in interest rates and other market conditions.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Interest Rate

When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply and demand of bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to these interest rate changes.

Prepayment

The Fund may receive unscheduled payments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancing or foreclosure on the underlying mortgage loans. To the Fund this means a loss of anticipated interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.

Ginnie Maes

Ginnie Maes differ from conventional corporate debt securities because principal is paid back monthly over the life of the security rather than at maturity. The Fund may receive unscheduled payments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancing or foreclosure on the underlying mortgage loans. Because of prepayments, Ginnie Maes may be less effective than some other types of securities as a means of "locking in" long-term interest rates and may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of falling interest rates. A reduction in the anticipated rate of principal prepayments, especially during periods of rising interest rates, may increase the effective maturity of Ginnie Maes, making them more susceptible than some other debt securities to a decline in market value when interest rates rise.

Income

Because the Fund can only distribute what it earns, the Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds.

Credit

U.S. government investments generally have the least credit risk but are not completely free of credit risk. Any downgrade of securities issued by the U.S. government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by its agencies or instrumentalities, including securities issued by Ginnie Mae. While securities issued by Ginnie Mae are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, guarantees of principal and interest do not apply to market prices, yields or the Fund’s share price.

Management

The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Market

The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares with the returns of an index of funds with similar investment objectives as the Fund.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress franklintempleton.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Class A Annual Total Returns
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
Best Quarter:Q4'083.86%
Worst Quarter:Q2'13-2.09%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns
(figures reflect sales charges)

For the periods ended December 31, 2015
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

No one index is representative of the Fund's portfolio.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 4.25%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.15%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.16%
Total annual Fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.76%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 499
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 656
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 827
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,322
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 3.69%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 6.36%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 6.88%
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 4.77%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 6.08%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 6.81%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 1.53%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 (1.68%)
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 4.31%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 0.94%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 3.86%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2013
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (2.09%)
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 1.00% [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.65%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.16%
Total annual Fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.26%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 228
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 398
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 689
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,518
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 128
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 398
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 689
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,518
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Class R  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.16%
Total annual Fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.11%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 113
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 352
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 609
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,347
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Class R6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.02%
Total annual Fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.47%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 48
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 151
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 263
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 591
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Advisor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.16%
Total annual Fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.61%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 62
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 194
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 338
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 757
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (3.37%)
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.46%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.48%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.70%)
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.80%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.39%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class R  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.42%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.97%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.56%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class R6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.22%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.48% [2]
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Return Before Taxes | Advisor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.08%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.49%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.08%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | After Taxes on Distributions | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.73%)
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.02%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 1.91%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.91%)
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.52%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.07%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Barclays U.S. Government Index: Intermediate Component (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.18%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.03%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.71%
Franklin Custodian Funds-15 | Franklin U.S. Government Securities Fund | Lipper GNMA Funds Classification Average (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.65%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.41%
Past 10 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.21%
[1] There is a 0.75% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $1 million or more (see "Investments of $1 Million or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge.
[2] Since inception May 1, 2013.