12V/24V 25A & 40A DCDC Charger With Solar MPPT + Integrated Bluetooth
Troubleshooting Guide
SKU: KADCDCBT25A-AND | KADCDCBT40A-AND
Start
Choose a topic you need help with
DCDC Charger automatically turns off
DCDC Charger not reaching full current during bulk charge
- DCDC Charger continues charging after vehicle is turned off
Solar reverse polarity fault will not clear
- Alternator from app suddenly reads 10A for a short period
The DCDC Charger gets hot
The charger feels hot to the touch during or after use, especially when the vehicle has been running for a while or charging demands are high.
Details - It is normal for the unit to reach temperatures of up to 80°C as the charger naturally generates heat as it converts and regulates high current power.
- The charger's body is designed with built-in heat sinks and open fins to passively dissipate heat without a fan.
What You Can Do - Allow space around the charger for proper airflow.
- Limit the alternator or solar input in times of excessively high ambient temperature.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during operation.
Did this resolve your concern?
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The DCDC Charger gets hot
The charger feels hot to the touch during or after use, especially when the vehicle has been running for a while or charging demands are high.
Details - It is normal for the unit to reach temperatures of up to 80°C. The charger naturally generates heat as it converts and regulates high current power.
- The charger's body is designed with built-in heat sinks and open fins to passively dissipate heat without a fan.
Tips - Allow space around the charger for proper airflow.
- Limit the alternator input in times of excessively high ambient temperature.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during operation.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC Charger automatically turns off
All lights and Bluetooth signal disappear after a few minutes of inactivity, even though the charger was previously working.
Details - This is a normal feature, not a fault.
- The charger will enter Standby Mode after 5 minutes of no charge activity, turning off LEDs and the Bluetooth module to conserve starter battery power.
What You Can Do - Start or turn on your vehicle — this reconnects the charger to the charging source (alternator) or connect the charger to a solar panel. This automatically wakes up the charger to resume normal operation, including the LED lights and Bluetooth monitoring.
- Alternatively, you can press the Mode button on the front panel to manually reactivate it.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC charger not reaching full current during bulk charging state
The charger does not reach the full output current whenever it has entered the bulk charging stage.
Possible Causes - Undersized wiring between the alternator and the charger may be causing a voltage drop, resulting in lower input voltage to the charger.
- Low alternator output may be limiting the available current, making it insufficient to power both the vehicle systems and the charger.
- The maximum alternator input current has been lowered via the KA Charge app.
What You Can Do - Increase the cable size. The recommended cable size is 6 AWG (40A) or 8 AWG (25A).
- Identify and disable any non-essential 12V loads (e.g. spotlights) while charging.
- Increase the maximum alternator input current via the app.
- Consider upgrading the vehicle’s alternator if necessary.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC charger continues charging after vehicle is turned off
The charger continues to detect input source and won't stop charging even after vehicle has been turned off.
Possible Causes - The fuse tap/ignition (blue) wire has been connected to a circuit that remains live even when the ignition is off.
- It is normal for the DCDC Charger to continue charging for a short period after vehicle is turned off, as cut-out voltage has not been reached yet.
What You Can Do - Check the fuse slot you have tapped into to see if it is live/active during accesory or ignition. You can complete this test using a simple circuit tester.
- You must be tapped into a fuse slot operated by the ignition circuit ONLY (when the vehicle is running).
- If your ignition wire is tapped into the accessory circuit, you will have to select a new fuse to tap into.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
Solar reverse polarity fault will not clear
The solar reverse polarity fault shown in the KA Charge app and indicated by the flashing LED cannot be cleared.
Possible Causes - The system is detecting a reverse polarity connection between the charger and the solar panel.
- The reverse polarity protection remains active until the incorrect wiring is corrected.
What You Can Do - Check the connection between solar panel and the DCDC Charger.
- Disconnect the solar input and reconnect with the correct polarity.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
Alternator from KA Charge app suddenly reads 10A for a short period
Every few minutes, the alternator current reading in the KA Charge app briefly drops to 10A before returning to normal.
Details - This is normal operation. The charger includes a voltage drop compensation feature designed to account for any voltage loss in the cabling, allowing it to more accurately assess whether the alternator’s output voltage is above or below the cut-out threshold.
- To perform this check, the charger briefly reduces the charge current to 10A every 5 minutes for just a short few seconds. It then uses this data to calculate the voltage drop that would occur at full charging power, ensuring precise voltage regulation and system performance.
What You Can Do - This is a normal feature, not a fault.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
LED fault codes
Slow Flash (1-second Interval)
NTC Thermistor Open Circuit
Output Over-Voltage Protection
Output Under-Voltage Protection
Fast Flash (0.25-second Interval)
Battery Reverse Polarity Fault
Input Reverse Polarity Fault
Output Short Circuit Fault
Solid on: Float
Over Temperature Protection
Go Back to Index
Slow flash: Fault+Bulk&Abs
NTC Thermistor Open Circuit
Possible Causes - The temperature sensor cable is broken, cut, or damaged and the NTC Thermistor has no connection to the charger.
What You Can Do - If the cable is broken or cut, repair the cable by trimming away the damaged section, expose the wire, join them back together, and properly insulate and protect the wire.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Slow flash: Fault+Bulk
Output Over-Voltage Protection
Details - The system has detected that the auxiliary battery reached the highest threshold of voltage, which is 16V.
- To protect the system, the charger's over-voltage protection feature has been activated to protect from overcharging.
What You Can Do - This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Slow flash: Fault+Abs
Output Under-Voltage Protection
Details - The system has detected that the auxiliary battery reached the lowest threshold of voltage, which is 9V.
- To protect the system, the charger's under-voltage protection feature has been activated.
What You Can Do - This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash: Fault+Abs
Battery Reverse Polarity Fault
Possible Causes - The charger has detected that the wiring from charger to auxiliary battery has been reversed.
What You Can Do - Check the connection from charger to auxiliary battery.
- Make sure that the negative black (-) wire is connected to the auxiliary battery's black terminal and the positive red (+) wire is connected to the red terminal.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash: Fault+Bulk
Input Reverse Polarity Fault
Possible Causes - The charger has detected that the wiring from alternator and/or Solar Panel going to the charger has been reversed.
What You Can Do - Check the connection from alternator to charger/Solar Panel to charger.
- Make sure that the connection from Solar Panel and alternator is on the proper polarity.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash- Fault+Float
Output Short Circuit Fault
Possible Causes - The system has detected that there is a short circuit in the connection between the charger and the auxiliary battery.
What You Can Do - Ensure all connection between the charger and auxiliary battery are secure. Use this as reference:
- Check the cables for burnt or discolored wires. Replace if needed.
- Check for blown fuses. Replace if needed.
Wiring Diagram
Did this resolve your concern?
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Solid on: Float
Over Temperature Protection
Possible Causes - The system has detected that the charger has reached 80°C and activated the over-temperature protection feature.
What You Can Do - This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during this times.
- Allow time for the charger to cool. The charger will re-activate once cooled.
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Issue resolved
We're glad to know your concern has been successfully addressed. The KickAss Smart 12V/24V 25 &40 A DCDC Charger With Solar MPPT + Integrated Bluetooth + Pre-Wired Anderson should now be functioning as expected. What’s next? - Return to the Index if you’d like to review other topics.
- Or exit the guide if no further support is needed.
Thank you for using our Troubleshooting Guide. If you encounter any issues in the future, we’re here to help.
Go Back to Index
Need further assistance?
If your concern has not been fully resolved or you were not able to find it in this guide, don’t worry - We’re here to help. Please contact us via the Support Form: To help us better understand and resolve your concern, kindly include: - A clear description of the issue
- Photo or video demonstrating the concern
- How your product is currently set up
- The system or equipment it’s connected to
Some concerns may be unique or not yet listed in our guide — your input helps us improve support for all customers. Once your request is submitted, our Customer Support Team will review it and reach out as soon as possible.
25A DCDC Charger
40A DCDC Charger
Go Back to Index
Before you proceed
We highly encourage our customers to use our KA Charge mobile app to access live data for your DCDC Charger. This includes:
- Real-time data monitoring
- Active faults with description
- Alternator input current adjustment
- And more
Choose your mobile app store below to download the app:
Google Play Store
Apple AppStore
ok
TG - KADCDC25ABT-AND
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Transcript
12V/24V 25A & 40A DCDC Charger With Solar MPPT + Integrated Bluetooth
Troubleshooting Guide
SKU: KADCDCBT25A-AND | KADCDCBT40A-AND
Start
Choose a topic you need help with
DCDC Charger automatically turns off
DCDC Charger not reaching full current during bulk charge
Solar reverse polarity fault will not clear
The DCDC Charger gets hot
The charger feels hot to the touch during or after use, especially when the vehicle has been running for a while or charging demands are high.
Details- Allow space around the charger for proper airflow.
- Limit the alternator or solar input in times of excessively high ambient temperature.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during operation.
- It is normal for the unit to reach temperatures of up to 80°C as the charger naturally generates heat as it converts and regulates high current power.
- The charger's body is designed with built-in heat sinks and open fins to passively dissipate heat without a fan.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
The DCDC Charger gets hot
The charger feels hot to the touch during or after use, especially when the vehicle has been running for a while or charging demands are high.
Details- Allow space around the charger for proper airflow.
- Limit the alternator input in times of excessively high ambient temperature.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during operation.
- It is normal for the unit to reach temperatures of up to 80°C. The charger naturally generates heat as it converts and regulates high current power.
- The charger's body is designed with built-in heat sinks and open fins to passively dissipate heat without a fan.
TipsDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC Charger automatically turns off
All lights and Bluetooth signal disappear after a few minutes of inactivity, even though the charger was previously working.
Details- Start or turn on your vehicle — this reconnects the charger to the charging source (alternator) or connect the charger to a solar panel. This automatically wakes up the charger to resume normal operation, including the LED lights and Bluetooth monitoring.
- Alternatively, you can press the Mode button on the front panel to manually reactivate it.
- This is a normal feature, not a fault.
- The charger will enter Standby Mode after 5 minutes of no charge activity, turning off LEDs and the Bluetooth module to conserve starter battery power.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC charger not reaching full current during bulk charging state
The charger does not reach the full output current whenever it has entered the bulk charging stage.
Possible Causes- Increase the cable size. The recommended cable size is 6 AWG (40A) or 8 AWG (25A).
- Identify and disable any non-essential 12V loads (e.g. spotlights) while charging.
- Increase the maximum alternator input current via the app.
- Consider upgrading the vehicle’s alternator if necessary.
- Undersized wiring between the alternator and the charger may be causing a voltage drop, resulting in lower input voltage to the charger.
- Low alternator output may be limiting the available current, making it insufficient to power both the vehicle systems and the charger.
- The maximum alternator input current has been lowered via the KA Charge app.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
DCDC charger continues charging after vehicle is turned off
The charger continues to detect input source and won't stop charging even after vehicle has been turned off.
Possible Causes- Check the fuse slot you have tapped into to see if it is live/active during accesory or ignition. You can complete this test using a simple circuit tester.
- You must be tapped into a fuse slot operated by the ignition circuit ONLY (when the vehicle is running).
- If your ignition wire is tapped into the accessory circuit, you will have to select a new fuse to tap into.
- The fuse tap/ignition (blue) wire has been connected to a circuit that remains live even when the ignition is off.
- It is normal for the DCDC Charger to continue charging for a short period after vehicle is turned off, as cut-out voltage has not been reached yet.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
Solar reverse polarity fault will not clear
The solar reverse polarity fault shown in the KA Charge app and indicated by the flashing LED cannot be cleared.
Possible Causes- Check the connection between solar panel and the DCDC Charger.
- Disconnect the solar input and reconnect with the correct polarity.
- The system is detecting a reverse polarity connection between the charger and the solar panel.
- The reverse polarity protection remains active until the incorrect wiring is corrected.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
Alternator from KA Charge app suddenly reads 10A for a short period
Every few minutes, the alternator current reading in the KA Charge app briefly drops to 10A before returning to normal.
Details- This is a normal feature, not a fault.
- This is normal operation. The charger includes a voltage drop compensation feature designed to account for any voltage loss in the cabling, allowing it to more accurately assess whether the alternator’s output voltage is above or below the cut-out threshold.
- To perform this check, the charger briefly reduces the charge current to 10A every 5 minutes for just a short few seconds. It then uses this data to calculate the voltage drop that would occur at full charging power, ensuring precise voltage regulation and system performance.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to Index
LED fault codes
Slow Flash (1-second Interval)
NTC Thermistor Open Circuit
Output Over-Voltage Protection
Output Under-Voltage Protection
Fast Flash (0.25-second Interval)
Battery Reverse Polarity Fault
Input Reverse Polarity Fault
Output Short Circuit Fault
Solid on: Float
Over Temperature Protection
Go Back to Index
Slow flash: Fault+Bulk&Abs
NTC Thermistor Open Circuit
Possible Causes- If the cable is broken or cut, repair the cable by trimming away the damaged section, expose the wire, join them back together, and properly insulate and protect the wire.
- The temperature sensor cable is broken, cut, or damaged and the NTC Thermistor has no connection to the charger.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Slow flash: Fault+Bulk
Output Over-Voltage Protection
Details- The system has detected that the auxiliary battery reached the highest threshold of voltage, which is 16V.
- This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
- To protect the system, the charger's over-voltage protection feature has been activated to protect from overcharging.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Slow flash: Fault+Abs
Output Under-Voltage Protection
Details- The system has detected that the auxiliary battery reached the lowest threshold of voltage, which is 9V.
- This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
- To protect the system, the charger's under-voltage protection feature has been activated.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash: Fault+Abs
Battery Reverse Polarity Fault
Possible Causes- Check the connection from charger to auxiliary battery.
- Make sure that the negative black (-) wire is connected to the auxiliary battery's black terminal and the positive red (+) wire is connected to the red terminal.
- The charger has detected that the wiring from charger to auxiliary battery has been reversed.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash: Fault+Bulk
Input Reverse Polarity Fault
Possible Causes- Check the connection from alternator to charger/Solar Panel to charger.
- Make sure that the connection from Solar Panel and alternator is on the proper polarity.
- The charger has detected that the wiring from alternator and/or Solar Panel going to the charger has been reversed.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Fast flash- Fault+Float
Output Short Circuit Fault
Possible Causes- Ensure all connection between the charger and auxiliary battery are secure. Use this as reference:
- Check the cables for burnt or discolored wires. Replace if needed.
- Check for blown fuses. Replace if needed.
- The system has detected that there is a short circuit in the connection between the charger and the auxiliary battery.
What You Can DoWiring Diagram
Did this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Solid on: Float
Over Temperature Protection
Possible Causes- This is not a fault but a built-in protection feature of the DCDC charger.
- Do not cover the charger or place near heat-sensitive items.
- Avoid touching the charger during this times.
- Allow time for the charger to cool. The charger will re-activate once cooled.
- The system has detected that the charger has reached 80°C and activated the over-temperature protection feature.
What You Can DoDid this resolve your concern?
Go Back to List
Issue resolved
We're glad to know your concern has been successfully addressed. The KickAss Smart 12V/24V 25 &40 A DCDC Charger With Solar MPPT + Integrated Bluetooth + Pre-Wired Anderson should now be functioning as expected. What’s next?- Return to the Index if you’d like to review other topics.
- Or exit the guide if no further support is needed.
Thank you for using our Troubleshooting Guide. If you encounter any issues in the future, we’re here to help.Go Back to Index
Need further assistance?
If your concern has not been fully resolved or you were not able to find it in this guide, don’t worry - We’re here to help. Please contact us via the Support Form: To help us better understand and resolve your concern, kindly include:- A clear description of the issue
- Photo or video demonstrating the concern
- How your product is currently set up
- The system or equipment it’s connected to
Some concerns may be unique or not yet listed in our guide — your input helps us improve support for all customers. Once your request is submitted, our Customer Support Team will review it and reach out as soon as possible.25A DCDC Charger
40A DCDC Charger
Go Back to Index
Before you proceed
We highly encourage our customers to use our KA Charge mobile app to access live data for your DCDC Charger. This includes:
Choose your mobile app store below to download the app:
Google Play Store
Apple AppStore
ok