Home EV Charger Not Working? Common Faults and What to Check

Home EV chargers are usually reliable, but now and then one stops charging, shows a fault light, or keeps tripping. Many problems are simple to fix, while others need an electrician. This post walks through the common causes and what to check first, in a safe order.

Start with the simple checks

• Is the car set to charge? Many cars have their own charging schedule or charge limit in the car's app.
• Is the charger set to a schedule in its own app, perhaps for a night tariff?
• Is the cable fully plugged in at both ends, and is the car unlocked if it needs to be?
• Has the charger lost its Wi-Fi or mobile connection? Some chargers will not start a session while offline, depending on settings.

Check the consumer unit

If the charger has no lights at all, look at the consumer unit. The charger usually has its own circuit breaker and RCD protection, and these can trip. If it trips again as soon as you reset it, leave it off and call an electrician. Our main blog explains what to check in power cut or tripped switch?

Earth and supply faults

Many chargers have built-in protection that stops charging if they detect an earth fault, very high or low voltage, or a problem with the supply. The charger's app or lights usually show a fault code. Look it up in the manual or app before resetting, and note when it happens, such as only at night or after rain.

Load management slowing the charge

If your charger has load management, it may slow down or pause when the shower, oven or heating is on, to protect your main fuse. This is normal behaviour, not a fault. Our main blog explains this in EV charger and electric shower: is your main fuse big enough?

Signs to stop using it and call an electrician

• Burning smells, scorch marks or a hot cable or plug.
• Visible damage to the charger, cable or connector.
• Water inside the unit.
• The breaker or RCD trips every time you charge.

Book a charger check

Energy North Ltd tests and repairs home chargers and their circuits across North, East and West London with City & Guilds certified electricians. See our EV charger installation page.