We have compiled some tips on how to proceed if one of your charging stations has stopped working. You should take the following steps before calling for help, as this will save you many hours of waiting and at least several hundred dollars for an electrician. NB: These are general recommendations. If the installer who installed the system has given you other instructions, follow those instead.
How to troubleshoot a charge point
Step 1: Check if the charger has power
If it lights up, it is usually not in contact with the system; if it does not light up, the problem may be the power supply. If it is powered on, go to Step 2. If it is not powered on, go to Step 3.
Step 2: Restart the router
Go to the portal and check if the charger has contact with the system. If it does not, it is most likely not connected to the internet either. Check if the router that the charge point is connected to works properly. To do this, connect to the router with a PC or mobile phone and see if you get internet access. If you are unsure where the router is located, you can often follow the internet cable. If the router does not have internet access, try turning the router connected to the charger on and off. If the router does not provide internet access, turn it off, wait 30 seconds and turn it on again. If the router works properly, check that you have not changed the password on it since the charge point was installed. If you have internet access and the password has never been changed, but the charge point still does not work, it is time to restart the charge point.
Step 3: Restart the charge point
You can easily restart the charge point by taking the fuse associated with the charge point in question. To do this, turn off the fuse, wait 30 seconds and turn it back on. If this did not solve the problem, it is time for a self-inspection.
Step 4: Self-inspection
Go to the charger and look at it. Does everything look okay? Has it suffered any damage? Then check the charging cable. Is there any damage to it? You should also try swapping the charging cable with another one and see if that solves the problem. If it works with a different cable, there is something wrong with the old charging cable.
Step 5: Try charging with another car
Often it is the car and not the charger or the system that is the problem. Test the charger with another car before calling an electrician. If the charger works with another car, you know it’s time to call a workshop. If this does not solve the problem, we know that there is something wrong with the box or its setup, in which case you can go to Step 6.
Step 6: Are you still having problems?
If the above steps have not solved the problem, it’s time to call for help. Note: complete all steps before calling. These are the same steps an electrician will take before testing other solutions. Doing these yourself will save the electrician a lot of time and save you a lot of money. When you call for help, tell them you have completed all the steps on this page. Then the person you contact will know that you have completed the most common troubleshooting steps. We understand it can be frustrating to do this yourself, but it’s even more frustrating to have to pay an electrician to come out just so they can tell you that a charging cable stopped working.
For the future: Have a charging manager
As a housing association, condominium or business, it can be a good idea to have a charging manager. This is someone who knows where all the components of the charging system are located, looks after them and can carry out all the above steps when something goes wrong. In addition, this person should arrange an annual routine check of all chargers with a certified electrician.
