Most chargers split their electronics into a control side that decides and a power side that switches the mains. When a unit fails, the symptoms usually point at one side of that split — which is why support desks ask what the charger still does, not just that it stopped. This article reads those symptoms and what the split means for the repair. It is not a guide to opening a charger: neither board is a user part.
Key Takeaways
- Failures announce their side: a dead unit points one way, a live display with no power the other.
- Symptoms are a report for the maker’s technician, never a reason to open a sealed charger.
- Model, serial, symptom pattern and error text route a warranty job fastest.
The Split, in One Paragraph
The control board runs the session: it talks to the car through the pilot signal, watches the sensors, and drives the display, RFID reader and communications. The power board does the mains-side work: it drives the relay or contactor that connects the car, powers the electronics and senses the current. Decisions on one side, execution on the other. Compact chargers may merge both onto one board, but the two jobs stay distinct.
Symptoms Point at a Side
No symptom is a diagnosis to act on inside the box. But the pattern tells the technician where to start, and you what to report.
| What you observe | Side it points to | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Completely dead: no lights, no display | The supply first, then the control side’s power feed | Check the breaker and supply. If the supply is live, report a dead unit |
| Display and app alive, but the car never starts and there is no click | The power path — the switching device is not closing | Try a known-good cable or car if one is at hand, then report the behaviour |
| Sessions start, then stop early, or the figures look wrong | The sensing and control side — something it watches is out of bounds, or misread | Note when it stops, what the display shows, and whether every car does it |
| The charger trips protection or refuses after a fault message | The protection function doing its job | Do not bypass or repeatedly reset — this goes to the maker or an electrician. See our guide to RCD protection for EV chargers |
Why the Split Shapes the Repair
Because the jobs are separated, service is a board-level job. A technician working for the maker identifies the failed side and replaces that board assembly; component-level soldering on a live product is not the service model, for owners or for workshops. Boards are swapped as tested units for a second reason too: a charger is certified as a configuration, boards included, and a change to a safety-relevant board can require the laboratory to re-evaluate the product. What a listing attests is set out in our guide to EV charger certifications.
For the owner, the consequences are three. The unit stays sealed. The fault report matters more than the fault — the symptom pattern routes the job. And the warranty route decides the timeline, which is why our explainer of spare parts and the RMA process is worth reading first.
What to Report to Support
- The model and serial number — both are on the rating label.
- The symptom pattern from the table above: what lights, what displays, whether you hear the click, when it stops.
- Any error text or code, exactly as shown — a photo helps.
- When it started, and what changed: a new car, a supply job, a storm — and whether it follows the charger or one car only.
EVDANCE Units and Board-Level Faults
Networked models lean hardest on the control side: the EV-ACT3204E wallbox runs RFID and app control, and the EV-AC03201T station adds OCPP 1.6J and a touchscreen. EVDANCE does not publish board layouts or sell boards as spares; board-level faults go through the maker under the standard 3-year warranty. Bring the symptom report above to contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace a faulty board myself?
No. The boards sit on the mains side of a sealed product, matched to the tested configuration, and the service model is replacement by the maker’s side under warranty. Opening the unit is not a user repair.
Does every charger really have two boards?
Not always as two physical boards. Compact portables often place both zones on one PCB, separated into mains and low-voltage areas. The functional split — deciding versus switching — is there either way, and so are the symptoms.
The display works but the car will not charge. Which board is it?
That pattern points at the power path: the control side is alive, but the switching device is not connecting the car, or a sensor is vetoing the start. Treat it as a report, not a verdict.
Related Reading
- EV Charger Spare Parts and RMA Process for Distributors
- RCD Protection for EV Chargers: Type A, Type B and 6 mA DC Detection Explained
- EV Charger Certifications Explained: CE, UKCA, UL, ETL, CB and What Buyers Should Ask For
