App said the public charger was available but it wouldn't start — what now?
Public L2 charger wouldn’t start charging today, even though my app said it was available. What steps should I try before calling support or leaving a bad PlugShare review?
Filed under: Troubleshooting
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5 answers
5 ANSWERS
@cedarloopJune 28, 2026
The latch matters more than people give it credit for. If it isn't fully clicking into the J1772 port, the proximity pilot circuit never closes, and the EVSE just sits there locked out regardless of what the app says. Hold the latch down manually while inserting and see if that's what's happening before you assume it's a station fault.
Check the connector latch first. If it's not clicking fully, the handshake won't complete. Those public L2s get abused and the latches get stiff. One firm press usually sorts it.
One diagnostic step not mentioned: if the J1772 connector clicks in fully but charging still won't start, check the proximity pilot (PP) pin resistance. The J1772 protocol uses the PP pin resistance value (standard 270 ohm for portable, 1500 ohm for fixed cable) to tell the EVSE whether a cable is attached. If the PP pin in the car's inlet or the connector's PP contact is corroded or bent, the resistance reads out of spec and the handshake fails. Multimeter between PP and ground on the connector should read 270 or 1500 ohms depending on the cable type. If it reads open, that's the issue.
Try another spot in the lot first. Some public L2 units won't initialize if the input voltage sags under load - bad connection at the pedestal or a long run from the panel. Plug in at a different station in the same lot and see if it behaves the same.
@ribbonashJuly 05, 2026
Try a hard reset before anything else - most public L2s have a power cycle sequence, usually holding the stop button around 10 seconds. Fixes this more often than you'd think. Beyond that it's almost always the J1772 latch not clicking all the way in on units that get heavy use - push it in firm. And try a different unit in the same lot before you write the review off as a bad station, could just be that one pedestal.
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