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Release a stuck cable

Free a cable a driver cannot pull out of the charger with one request, and work out what to check when the charger says no.

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A charger locks the cable into its socket while charging, so nobody can pull out a live plug. Now and then it does not let go: the session ended badly, or the latch jammed. The driver is standing next to a car they cannot leave with. You can release the cable from wherever you are.

POST/v1/charging-stations/$CHARGER/commandsbash
curl -X POST "$API/charging-stations/$CHARGER/commands" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: $(uuidgen)" \
  -d '{"type": "unlockConnector", "evseId": 1, "connectorId": 1}'

Take both numbers from the charger's own lists: evseId from its EVSEs and connectorId from that EVSE's connectors. These are the small numbers the charger counts its outlets by, not the UUIDs. Send both: some chargers need the pair, and Flowion passes each charger what it understands.

The call returns a command straight away. Follow it until the charger answers, as Sending commands describes.

Read the charger's answer

When the command settles, status is accepted only if the cable was released. result.status says why when it was not:

result.statusMeaningWhat to do
UnlockedThe cable is freeTell the driver to pull it out
OngoingAuthorizedTransactionA session is still runningStop it, then release
NotSupportedThere is no lock on this socketNormal for a charger with a fixed cable: nothing is stuck at the charger end
UnknownConnectorThe charger has no outlet with these numbersCheck the numbers against the lists above
UnlockFailedThe charger tried and the latch did not moveSomething is physically binding it. This needs a site visit

NotSupported is not an error. On a fleet of chargers with fixed cables it is the normal answer, and should not page anyone.

Before you release, check what is holding the cable

Work through these in order:

  1. Is a session still running? Some chargers refuse to release a cable mid-session; others end the session themselves and then release. Stop the session first, so it ends the way you intend, then release.

  2. Is the cable still locked at the car? If the connector's status is Occupied with no session running, the car may be holding its end. The driver has to unlock the car. No command reaches it.

  3. Is the charger set to keep the cable until the driver comes back? That is the unlockOnUnplug setting turned off, and it is behaving as configured. Release the cable now, and turn the setting on if your drivers expect the cable to come free when they unplug.

  4. Otherwise, release it.

If the charger is offline

The command waits in the queue with status: "queued" and goes out as soon as the charger reconnects. If that has not happened within five minutes, it moves to expired and is never sent: a cable released long after the driver gave up helps nobody.

A stuck cable on an offline charger needs someone on site, so build that into your support flow before the first time it happens.

Endpoints

Commands · EVSEs and connectors

In the API reference