The Siemens Versicharge is one of the most reliable “no-frills” home charging solutions available to EV owners. However, it triggers the charger anxiety from time to time like others in the market by refusing to charge or stopping midway into a charging session. When will it stop working?
A Siemens Versicharge will stop charging or refuse to charge in the event of a fault. In this scenario, the charger’s fault lights will indicate a problem. Electrical faults are the most common causes of charging problems with Siemens Versicharge, but EV settings may also interfere.
The rest of the article will cover how to troubleshoot the problem. I’ll start with the most common to the least likely electrical issues.
When your Siemens Versicharge refuses to charge, you should first look at your EV for compatibility issues. If you’ve never had compatibility problems with the charger before, you should go over any recent settings changes you may have made.
For example, if you’ve set up a specific time of charge, your vehicle won’t charge if it’s plugged in outside of your designated “scheduled charging” hours. You have to either override the timer or change the setting in this scenario.
Overriding the timer is as simple as pressing the “Start Charging” button on the EV. A Tesla or Mercedes will have the button on the touchscreen, while other models like the Nissan Leaf will have a physical button somewhere around the dashboard.
Once you click the override, the car should start charging again.
If an electrical fault has stopped your charger from working, you’ll notice a solid or blinking red halo in addition to the charger’s fault LED lights coming on. Grounding faults are most common because the charger has 5 mA grounding protection installed.
The specification is more sensitive than other products with 20 mA protection levels. Therefore, your charger will stop working if your electricity fluctuates while it’s in use.
If you notice a possible grounding-related problem, you just have to wait it out. The Versicharge is designed to restart charging after 15 minutes of delay. During the 15 minute delay, the charger’s “Fault” indicator will blink.
The charger’s Halo will also blink red, while the “2 Hour Delay” indicator will stay illuminated. If you don’t notice any of these signs, the problem lies elsewhere.
Confirm that the charger is getting enough electric current. Remember, it’s a 240V charger. If you’re sure it’s not a current problem, consider resetting the charger (more on that below).
If you’re using a cable extension with your Versicharge, it may be at fault for the charging disruptions. That’s especially the case if you’re using household extension cables to lengthen the EV cables.
Most extension cables in the home are designed for low-power domestic use and won’t work well under the demands of a charging EV. Forcing the issue won’t only stop your charger from working optimally; it’s also a fire hazard.
Move your vehicle closer to the charging port and try charging without the extension cable. If the cable connection is at fault, your car should start charging after a while.
To prevent a recurrence, you’ll need to change the extension cable or move the charger permanently to a more central location. You may also consider moving your parking spot so you’d no longer need an extension cable.
Your Versicharge will automatically disconnect from power if there’s a fault. You’ll hear the audible click sound when it disconnects, followed by the “Fault” lights coming on. If you’re sure no settings or electrical faults are affecting the charger, the next option is to reset it.
You can reset the Versicharge by doing any of the following:
The Versicharge will go back to normal if resetting corrects the fault. Otherwise, it will return to the “Fault” state.
Some EVs may not start charging immediately after resetting the charger. Allow at least 15 minutes for charging to start after you’ve reset the device.
If your charger doesn’t show any LEDs, or any other signs of life, the first check should be to confirm that the wall unit has an electric current. Plug another device into the unit to confirm or use a tester screwdriver.
If the wall unit is dead, call in an electrician to check your connection and figure out why the unit has stopped working. On the other hand, you may need to reach out to Siemens customer support if the charging unit is dead and won’t come on even when plugged in elsewhere.
Don’t attempt to open the Siemens Versicharge unless you’re a qualified professional. Opening the charger may also void your warranty.
Some Siemens Versicharge owners have found out that the charger leaves the “Fault” mode if you do any of the following after plugging the charger:
As you’re probably thinking, there’s no logical explanation for these fixes, and different EVs respond differently. Still, they’ve worked for some people, so trying the sequence is worth a shot.
If you’ve just bought a new unit, it’s important to ensure it’s installed correctly. Here’s a YouTube video from Siemens on how to install one of these chargers:
