Seeing your EV charger glowing red just as you get home tired is one of those small modern frights. The good news is that the red light almost never means the unit is "broken": it is the charger's way of reporting a safety fault before letting current through. Understanding what that light is trying to tell you helps you stay calm and explain the problem better when you call a professional. At ElectriPro Alicante we diagnose and repair charging points across the whole province, and the cause is almost always one of these five.
1. Earth leakage fault
This is the most common cause. The charger constantly checks for current leakage and, if it detects even a small earth fault, it cuts off and shows red. It is usually caused by moisture in the installation, a wet connector or poor earthing — common in villas on dry-ground plots. It is not a quirk of the unit: it is exactly the protection that prevents a shock.
2. Communication error with the car
The charger and the vehicle "talk" before charging begins, through the Type 2 cable protocol. If that negotiation fails — because of a dirty or worn connector, a faulty cable or outdated firmware — the charger stays red without ever charging. Sometimes cleaning the connector or updating the unit solves it; other times the cable must be replaced.
3. Unsuitable or tripping RCD
EV charging requires a specific RCD (type A-EV or B). If the installation has a conventional one, it can trip intermittently and leave the charger red with no apparent cause. It is one of the faults we see most in installations done in a hurry: the unit is fine, but the protection was not the right one.
4. Overheating
In poorly ventilated garages, especially in summer and on the coast, the charger can enter thermal protection and stop charging. It also happens if a connection is loose and generates heat at the terminal. Here the red light is a serious warning worth checking soon.
5. Power or configuration problem
If the charger is set to deliver more current than the home's contracted power allows, the installation protests. The same happens if the dynamic charging parameters are wrongly set in communal garages with several spaces. A correct reconfiguration is usually enough.
What you can safely check
Before calling, there are a couple of harmless checks:
- Look at the light pattern. Steady or flashing do not mean the same; each charger has its own code, so note it down.
- Check the panel: see whether the RCD or breaker on the charger circuit has tripped.
- Unplug and reconnect the Type 2 cable, making sure the connector is dry and clean.
- Do not force an RCD that keeps tripping or open the inside of the charger.
If the red persists after this, the diagnosis must be done by a technician with instruments, because measuring leakage, earthing and communication cannot be done by eye.
When to call a professional
Call a licensed electrician if the charger does not work again, if the RCD will not stay on, if you notice heat or a smell at the connection, or if the fault appears intermittently with no clear reason. In these cases, our EV charger repair service in Alicante finds the exact cause with instrumentation and fixes it on site wherever possible, whether in the unit or in the existing installation.
If what you need is to install a new point or extend an existing one, we also carry out charger and Wallbox installation with MOVES Plan grant management.
You can call or message us on WhatsApp at +34 633 643 458. A red Wallbox is rarely a serious fault, but ignoring it when the warning is about safety is never a good idea.
