Why is my EV charger tripping? Error codes by brand
Short answer: Most home charger faults fall into five groups the makers' manuals name: no power (breaker off or tripped), a ground fault, overheating, the car drawing too much current, or bad supply voltage or grounding. Every maker below says to try a power cycle at the breaker first. If the fault comes back, or the breaker itself keeps tripping, stop and call a licensed electrician or the maker.
Last updated:
Codes are copied from each manufacturer's manual or support page (links below), read on Oct 25, 2026. Firmware and models change; your manual wins. Never open the charger or panel yourself. We have no relationship with any of these brands.
Common causes of a trip
| Cause | What the manuals say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Breaker off or tripped / charger won't power up | Wallbox lists a tripped or off dedicated breaker as the first cause; Tesla's "no lights" code is a power supply issue. | Manufacturer |
| Ground fault (GFCI) trip inside the charger | All four makers have a ground-fault code (Tesla 1 blink, ChargePoint IGF/GF, Grizzl-E 2 and 4 flashes, Wallbox 103 for DC leakage). Tesla says to look for damage or water in the handle, cable and charge port. | Manufacturer |
| Overheating | Tesla 3 blinks and Grizzl-E 5/6 flashes. Tesla tells an electrician to check conductor size and terminal torque. | Manufacturer |
| Car drawing too much current | Tesla 7 blinks, ChargePoint OVRC, Grizzl-E 10 flashes. Tesla and ChargePoint point you to lowering the car's setting or the car maker. | Manufacturer |
| Bad supply voltage or grounding | Tesla 2 and 6 blinks; Wallbox 109. Both say an electrician should measure voltage. | Manufacturer |
Jump to: Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3)ChargePoint Home Flex (CPH50)Grizzl-E Classic (United Chargers)Wallbox Pulsar Plus
Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3)
Red blink codes pause for one second, then repeat.
| Light / code | Meaning (maker's wording) | Maker's fix |
|---|---|---|
| No lights | Power supply issue, charging disabled | Check the power supply (breaker) is on. If it persists, an electrician checks voltage at the terminal block. |
| Solid red | Internal fault, charging disabled | Breaker off, wait 5 seconds, back on. If it stays red, record part and serial number and contact Tesla. |
| 1 red blink | Ground fault circuit interruption (unsafe current path) | Inspect handle, cable, unit and car charge port for damage or water. Electrician checks ground isn't tied to a conductor in the branch circuit. |
| 2 red blinks | Ground assurance fault, high ground resistance | Check grounding and all connections; in homes, check the ground-neutral bond at the main panel. |
| 3 red blinks | High temperature; charging limited or disabled | Check faceplate and handle for heat. Electrician verifies conductor size and terminal torque. |
| 4 red blinks | Internet connection lost | Check Wi-Fi router and signal; recommission if the Wi-Fi password changed. |
| 5 red blinks | Power-sharing communication issue, charging reduced | Check Wi-Fi signal; re-link the Wall Connectors. |
| 6 red blinks | Overvoltage or poor grid quality | Supply should be nominal 200–240 V. Electrician checks voltage at the terminal block. |
| 7 red blinks | Vehicle overcurrent | Lower the car's charge current setting; if it persists, contact the car maker. |
Sources: Tesla Gen 3 Wall Connector manual (PDF) · Tesla Energy Library: Fault Codes
ChargePoint Home Flex (CPH50)
ChargePoint's own steps for a red light: unplug and replug the connector, restore factory default in the app, flip the charger's breaker; then call support.
| Light / code | Meaning (maker's wording) | Maker's fix |
|---|---|---|
| Solid red (IGF) | Immediate ground fault | Remove and return the charging plug. |
| Solid blue, stays blue after 15 min (GF) | Soft ground fault | Remove and return the charging plug. |
| Solid blue, red after 1 min (GMF) | Ground monitor fault (earth fault) | Restart by unplugging the cable or using the breaker. |
| Solid blue, red after 1 min (RSO) | Relay stuck open | Restart by unplugging the cable or using the breaker. |
| Solid blue (OVRC) | Over current: car drawing more than allowed | Unplug from the car, wait about 15 seconds, replug; if it recurs, call the car maker. |
| Solid red (VBRGF / VRBI) | Virtual breaker detected (GFCI coil / current coil) | Remove and return the charging plug. |
| Solid blue, red after 1 min (PVERR, STTO, FREQ, GMERR, CERR, PERR, RERR, FERR) | Pilot voltage, self-test, frequency, or internal memory/CPU test errors | Restart by unplugging the cable or using the breaker. |
Sources: ChargePoint Home Flex installation guide: Fault Codes · ChargePoint Home Flex troubleshooting
Grizzl-E Classic (United Chargers)
Red flashes with a beep. The manual says the charger retries on its own 60 seconds after a temporary fault clears; a fault within 5 seconds of starting a session is permanent until reset (unplug the car, breaker off 1–2 minutes, back on).
| Light / code | Meaning (maker's wording) | Maker's fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 red flash | Lost ground – AC Line1 | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 2 | GFCI high leakage | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 3 | Relay is stuck | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 4 | GFCI low leakage | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 5 | High temperature of the module | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 6 | High temperature of the relay | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 7 | Pilot state is Status E | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 8 | Pilot state is Status F | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 9 | Diode error | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 10 | Over current | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
| 12 | Application error | Reset per manual (see note above); if it stays, contact United Chargers. |
Sources: Grizzl-E Classic manual rev 3.5 (PDF) · United Chargers: Grizzl-E red LED indicator
Wallbox Pulsar Plus
Red LED = fault; Wallbox says not to charge and to contact Wallbox Service if a breaker power-cycle doesn't clear it. Wallbox also lists a wrongly set current selector (position 0, 8 or 9) as a cause.
| Light / code | Meaning (maker's wording) | Maker's fix |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Connection or internal error | Unplug the car, restart the charger, reconnect; then restore via the app. |
| 102 | Internal relay stuck closed | Unplug, power-cycle at the breaker, reconnect, restore. |
| 103 | DC leak (car's onboard charger, charger, or installation) | Unplug, restart, reconnect; then restore via app. |
| 104 | Control pilot (car communication) circuit issue | Switch off, unplug, restart; then restore via app. |
| 106 | Unexpected control pilot voltage | Switch off, unplug, restart; then restore via app. |
| 107 | Couldn't lock the connector (incorrect insertion) | Reseat the cable fully; see Wallbox's step list. |
| 109 | L1–N voltage outside limits (Wallbox's page cites UK limits) | Clears if grid voltage stabilizes; if not, a certified electrician checks voltage. |
| 110 | Can't read the charging cable resistor | Reseat the connector; try another cable; restore via app. |
Sources: Wallbox: app error codes and how to resolve them · Wallbox: Pulsar Plus product overview (troubleshooting table)
Not covered yet
Emporia, Autel, JuiceBox (Enel X Way) and others are not listed because we haven't read their manuals yet. Wallbox code 112 is on Wallbox's page but we couldn't read its full text, so it's left out.
Related: charger safety check · charger size by breaker · is my charger covered?
Why does my EV charger keep tripping the breaker?
The makers' manuals point to a fault in the supply, the wiring or the charger. Tesla tells an electrician to check conductor size and terminal torque for overheating, and to measure voltage for supply faults. Our advice (not the makers'): treat a breaker that trips again after a reset as a job for a licensed electrician.
What does a red light on my charger mean?
On all four brands here, red means a fault and charging is stopped. The pattern (blinks, flashes or a code in the app) tells you which fault.
Is it safe to reset an EV charger at the breaker?
Each maker lists a breaker power-cycle as a first step. Unplug the car first (Grizzl-E and Wallbox say so explicitly).
When should I call the manufacturer?
When the fault returns after a reset. Tesla asks for the part and serial number; United Chargers asks for the number of red flashes.
Last updated: Oct 25, 2026.