When a home charger stops working, the clue is usually in plain sight: a safety switch that won’t stay on, a red light where the green one used to be, an app showing “offline”, or a lead with a flattened patch where a wheel rolled over it. Our EV charger repairs start by working out which of those you’re dealing with, making the charger safe, then testing the circuit and the unit until the cause is clear. Our A-grade electricians cover Melbourne from premises that include Toorak Road in South Yarra and Bourke Street in the CBD, and all of it is carried out under REC 35838, our Victorian contractor registration.
First steps when a charger misbehaves
Safety comes before diagnosis. United Energy’s advice to EV owners is never to use faulty, damaged or modified charging equipment, to replace a cable if any damage is visible, and to stop using the car or charging station as soon as you notice a fault. With portable units, skip household adaptors and never daisy-chain leads. Energy Safe Victoria adds a rule for any appliance: don’t use one with a frayed cord, a cracked or broken plug, or one that has given someone any kind of shock.
- End the session from the car or the app.
- Unplug the car only if the connector and lead look undamaged.
- If you can reach it safely, switch off the charger’s circuit breaker at the switchboard.
- Reset a tripped safety switch once at most. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Photograph any error code, the light pattern and the car’s message.
Smoke, a burning smell or melting plastic is a different situation. Keep people away, and call 000 if there is smoke or flame.
Faults that lead to EV charger repairs
The safety switch trips
Which device tripped narrows the search. As Energy Safe Victoria explains, a safety switch, or RCD, detects a problem that may pose a risk to personal safety and cuts the power within 0.03 of a second. Circuit breakers do a different job, protecting against short circuits and overloads. A tripped safety switch sends us looking for leakage in the charger, the lead, the car or another circuit on the same switch; a tripped breaker points to overload or a short.
The age of the installation matters too. Amendment 2 of AS/NZS 3000 stopped Type AC RCDs being installed in new work from 1 May 2023. Those devices may not detect pulsating DC faults, and EV chargers can introduce pulsating DC leakage. For EV circuits, the Wiring Rules’ informative EV appendix points to a Type B RCD unless the charger carries built-in DC fault detection and shuts down on a fault, in which case a Type A will do. On an older charger circuit protected by a Type AC device, the right repair may be one of our switchboard and safety switch upgrades rather than anything inside the charger.
An error code or warning light
Codes are specific to each brand, so the manual and the manufacturer’s support notes come first. Many chargers now carry their own DC leakage detection, which can stop a session without tripping anything at the switchboard. One manufacturer’s knowledge base describes an error raised by its 6 mA DC detection and lists a firmware update and a 10-second power cycle as the first steps, ahead of component checks. We work in the same order: software and settings first, parts last.
Leads, connectors, heat and lost connections
A damaged lead or connector
Leads get driven over, caught in roller doors and left in puddles. Look for cracks in the connector housing, flattened or kinked sections and exposed inner layers; Energy Safe Victoria’s line is that frayed or damaged cords should be replaced immediately or the appliance disposed of. Whether a fixed or plug-in lead can be replaced as a part depends on the model and its warranty, which we confirm with the manufacturer before ordering anything.
Heat damage at the plug or terminals
Discoloured plastic, a socket that has started to soften, or a charger that smells hot after a long session all need an electrician. Heat at a connection usually points to resistance where there shouldn’t be any, from a loose termination, a worn contact or a cable too small for the load, and the Electric Vehicle Council warns that undersized cable will get hot. With the circuit isolated, we check every termination and measure the circuit before deciding whether the unit can be repaired.
The app says offline
If the lights look normal and only the app has lost the charger, the cause is more likely the network than the wiring: a new modem, a changed Wi-Fi password, or a garage at the far end of the house where the signal barely reaches. What a charger does without its connection varies by model, so check the manual first. Honestly, a call-out won’t fix a changed Wi-Fi password, so try the app’s reconnection steps before booking us.
How we test and repair a charger circuit
The six tests Energy Safe Victoria requires after electrical work, plus a visual inspection, check earthing, insulation resistance, polarity, how the circuit is connected, earth fault-loop impedance and whether the RCDs operate. Run in order, they also make a sound diagnostic routine, because they separate a fault in the fixed wiring from a fault inside the charger or the car.
Paperwork follows the work. Swapping one faulty circuit breaker or RCD counts as non-prescribed work under the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019 (regulation 249(4)), and it still gets its own Certificate of Electrical Safety. Fitting a new or replacement main switchboard, or working on the parts of one that control the whole installation, is prescribed work, which an independent Licensed Electrical Inspector must check before the power goes back on. Either way, you get a certificate for the work we do.
Servicing: what you can check and what we check
No single service interval suits every charger, so start with the manufacturer’s manual. Between visits, the useful checks are quick.
| Check | Who | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Press the safety switch test button | You | Power should cut straight away and reset; if not, call an electrician |
| Look over the lead and connector | You | Cracks, crushing or exposed layers mean the lead is retired |
| Install firmware updates | You, in the app | Some known faults are fixed in software |
| Terminations, insulation and RCD trip time | Our electricians | Whether the fixed wiring is still sound |
| Enclosure, seals, brackets and cable protection | Our electricians | Water entry, impact damage and corrosion |
For the test button, Western Australia’s electrical regulator suggests following the manufacturer’s instructions or testing every three months, whichever is more often. We haven’t found a Victorian equivalent, so that’s the rule of thumb we pass on.
Warranty claims and your consumer guarantees
Warranty decisions belong to the manufacturer or the business that sold you the charger, and the outcome often depends on evidence. We document what we find, including test results, photos, the serial number, firmware version and installation date, and send it to the supplier or manufacturer so the claim isn’t decided on a vague description. Before opening a unit that’s still under warranty, we check the manufacturer’s terms.
Your rights don’t depend on the warranty card. Consumer Affairs Victoria explains that under the Australian Consumer Law, products bought from an Australian business are automatically covered by consumer guarantees regardless of any other warranty. A minor problem can be fixed within a reasonable time, and if the supplier doesn’t act within a reasonable time you can have the product fixed elsewhere and claim reasonable costs from the supplier. Services carry guarantees too, including due care and skill.
Moving, upgrading or replacing a charger
Renovations, a new carport or a second EV can mean moving the charger. Relocating one is new circuit work: a fresh cable run sized for the load and the distance, mounting to the manufacturer’s instructions, full testing and a new certificate. Upgrading from a 16 A unit to a 32 A one needs more than a swap, because the cable, the protection and the network’s advice on large single-phase loads all come back into play. If you’ve already bought the replacement, we can install it; see home EV charger installation for what a fresh install involves.
If you’re buying a portable unit or an adaptor, note that Energy Safe Victoria lists electric vehicle supply equipment, including in-cable control and protection devices and vehicle adaptors, as a high-risk (Level 3) equipment class, with the new definition taking effect from 12 February 2028. Consumer guarantees apply to products bought from an Australian business, one more reason to buy locally.
Buying a home with a charger already fitted
A charger on the garage wall reads well in a listing, but the paperwork doesn’t always come with the keys. We’d treat an undocumented charger as unknown wiring until it has been tested. Before settlement, or soon after, ask the vendor for:
- the Certificate of Electrical Safety, and the contractor’s details on it, which you can check on Energy Safe Victoria’s public register
- the manual, warranty details and purchase date
- release of the app account, because a connected charger can stay linked to the previous owner’s login
Then check the hardware: a Type 2 plug, the standard AC connector in Australia, and a rating that suits your car, since the car’s onboard charger caps its AC rate (Polestar lists 11 kW on three-phase for the Polestar 2). If the circuit predates May 2023, find out which RCD type protects it.
Apartments add a layer. At the 2021 Census, 79.5% of occupied homes in South Yarra were flats or apartments, so a charger that comes with a home there is likely to be in a shared car park. Ask the owners corporation which supply it runs from and whether it was approved. Our pages on apartment and strata EV charging, EV charger installation in South Yarra and EV charging in the Melbourne CBD cover those buildings.
Frequently asked questions about EV charger servicing
Is it safe to keep using a charger that trips the safety switch now and then?
No. A safety switch trips because it has detected a problem that may pose a risk to personal safety, so occasional trips still need tracking down. Leave the charger off and have the circuit and the unit tested.
Can you repair a charger someone else installed?
Yes. We test the circuit and the unit the same way whoever fitted them, and if the fault is inside a charger that’s still under warranty, we work through the claim with the supplier or manufacturer.
Can a faulty charger be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Faults in the circuit, the safety switch or the terminations are repaired like any other electrical fault. A fault inside the charger depends on the model, parts and warranty, and we’ll tell you which way it’s heading once we’ve tested it.
How do I book an EV charger repair?
Call 1300 003 853, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 7pm, or book a repair or ask for a quote through our contact page. Having the charger’s make and model and any error code to hand helps us arrive with the right parts. We work under REC 35838.