Charger troubleshooting (no lights, flashing lights, or red for a long time)Updated an hour ago

If your Cart Tek charger isn’t showing the expected lights or charging seems stuck, this guide will help you identify the cause quickly.

Safety note:

Use the charger that came with your Cart Tek battery. If anything smells burnt, looks melted, or is unusually hot, stop charging and contact support.

Charger feels hot — what’s normal vs not

It’s normal for the charger to feel warm or hot to the touch while charging, especially when the battery is very low.

Stop charging and contact support if:

• The charger is too hot to comfortably touch (can’t keep your hand on it for more than a second or two)

• You notice a burning smell, melting/discoloration, buzzing/clicking, or the charger repeatedly shuts off

For full details, see our Charger Heat FAQ:
https://carttek.gorgias.help/en-US/battery-charger-faq-4010807

Step 1 — Identify what the charger is doing

Choose the closest situation below:

A) Charger has NO lights at all

This is usually power-related (outlet, wall cable, or the charger needing a reset).

Try this:

1. Try a different outlet (preferably in a different room).

2. Check that the wall-to-charger power cord is fully seated on both ends (at the wall and at the charger).

3. Reset the charger: unplug it from the wall and from the charger/battery connection, wait 5 minutes, then plug it back in and try again.

4. If you have one, try a different wall power cord (the cord from the wall to the charger can fail).

If you still have no lights after those steps, the charger or wall cord may be faulty.

B) Charger lights are FLASHING when they should be solid

Flashing lights often indicate the charger needs a reset or there’s an internal charger fault.

Try this reset:

1. Unplug the charger from the wall.

2. Disconnect it from the battery.

3. If your charger has multiple cord connections, unplug/pull them apart as well.

4. Let everything sit for 5 minutes.

5. Reconnect everything firmly and try again.

If it continues flashing after a full reset, contact support (include photos of the charger lights).

C) Charger stays RED for a very long time

This can be totally normal if the battery was extremely low.

What to know:

• If the battery was deeply discharged, it can take 6–8+ hours to recover depending on battery condition.

• In some cases, the charger may stay red longer than expected during recovery.

Try this:

1. Leave it charging for a full 8 hours (overnight is fine).

2. After 8 hours, disconnect and reconnect the charger once to see if it changes behavior.

3. If it stays red after 8+ hours consistently, contact support with the details below.

D) Charger shows RED → then never goes GREEN

That may mean the battery isn’t reaching full charge or the charger is not completing the cycle.

Try this:

1. Confirm the battery connection is fully seated.

2. Try a different outlet.

3. Do the 5-minute charger reset described above.

4. If still stuck, contact support.

Step 2 — What to send support (so we can solve it fast)

Contact Support / Report an Issue:
https://carttek.gorgias.help/en-US/contact

Please include:

1. Your model (FORMULA / 1500 V3 / GRi-1500Li / Yellowstone / 975 / Titan)

2. Your battery type (if known) + approximate age

3. A photo of the charger label (shows the model/specs)

4. A photo or short video of the charger lights while plugged in

5. How long it has been charging (ex: “red for 7 hours”)

6. If you have a multimeter: your battery voltage reading before and during charging

Quick tips that prevent most charger issues

• Always plug the charger into the wall first, then connect to the battery (helps reduce weird resets).

• Avoid charging in extreme cold/hot environments.

• Make sure connectors are fully seated (loose connections can cause flashing behavior).