Roborock not charging
DIRECT ANSWER
COMMON CAUSES · RANKED
Oxidized or dirty contacts MOST COMMON
The metal strips under the robot and the pins on the dock build up an oxide layer that blocks current. Roborock's own fix list starts here.
Dock cable loose or outlet dead
The cable head has to click fully into the slot on the bottom of the dock. A half-seated plug is a classic miss.
Robot misaligned on the dock
Docked at an angle, the strips never meet the pins. The dock light staying on with the robot parked gives it away.
Deep-discharged battery UNCOMMON
After months in storage the battery drops below its wake threshold. Roborock warns that storing the robot with a low battery can damage the pack, and it can need hours on the dock before showing any light.
Dock board failure RARE
S5-era docks have a documented capacitor failure, and iFixit has a board-level repair guide for it. For most owners the practical answer is a replacement dock.
HOW TO FIX IT
Unplug the dock before cleaning its contacts, and never bridge the two contact strips with a metal tool.
Read the dock light
With the robot away, the indicator should be solid on. If it is dark, the problem is power. Check the outlet and push the cable head into the slot under the dock "very hard", as Roborock puts it.
Erase the oxidation
Dock unplugged, rub each contact strip on the robot and each pin on the dock about ten strokes with a pencil eraser, then finish with an alcohol wipe. Those are the two tools Roborock's own article names.
Re-dock straight on and listen
Plug the dock back in and guide the robot on square. A properly seated robot announces "Charging" and the dock light goes out. If you hear nothing, the contacts still aren't meeting.
Power cycle both units
Robot off (hold power 3 to 5 seconds), dock unplugged for about two minutes, which is Roborock's own reset interval. Then bring both back and dock again.
Give a stored battery time, then replace
Left it in a closet all summer? Leave it docked for several hours before judging. Roborock itself warns that storage with a low battery may damage the pack. If it still won't take a charge after that, the battery or the dock is done.
IF IT STILL FAILS
WHEN TO STOP
Unplug the dock before you touch its contacts, and never bridge the two strips with anything metal. Leave the capacitor alone unless you work with mains-voltage electronics; the dock stores charge at 420 V. Board repairs and third-party parts also void Roborock's one-year warranty. Inside that year, write to [email protected] or call 1-855-960-4321 (US, 24/7) and let them replace the dock or the battery.
COMPATIBLE PARTS
As an Amazon Associate, RoboFaults earns from qualifying purchases. Prices are shown on the retailer's site.
Lithium-ion battery — S5
Power the robot off and remove the bottom screws to reach the pack; buy from a reputable seller, since no-name cells are a fire risk.
Compatibility and replacement details → Check price on Amazon ↗
Charging dock — S5 & S6
Check the dock contacts and the regional plug type before ordering a replacement.
Compatibility and replacement details → Check price on Amazon ↗MODELS AFFECTED
| Model | Status | Firmware | Parts | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roborock S5 Its dock (CDZ02RR) has a documented board failure, a 420 V 68 µF capacitor, that makes charging intermittent. Suspect the dock before the battery. · Source | limited | s5 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S5 Max | limited | s5 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S6 | limited | s6 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S6 MaxV | limited | s6 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S7 | active | s7 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S7 MaxV | active | s7 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S8 | active | s8 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock S8 Pro Ultra | active | s8 | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
| Roborock Q5 / Q7 | active | q | Parts → | 2026-07-05 · Source |
Models resolved from the series chips above. Support status comes from our EOL library; rows link to the matching parts and firmware pages.
FIELD NOTES
Roborock's official flow (contacts, dock light, cable pushed in "very hard", two minutes unplugged) was refreshed as recently as August 2026. Its newer FAQ adds the one detail owners tend to miss: a robot that is really charging says "Charging" out loud when it seats. What the official pages skip entirely is the dock's own failure mode.
Owner threads about the S5 and S6 era CDZ02RR dock describe charging that works for days and then stops for days. One iFixit poster measured about 4.2 V at the dock instead of the expected 20 V. Replacing the usual 420 to 450 V 68 µF capacitor did not fix his unit. Another owner found a worn spring contact that "rarely made contact" and cured it by bending the pin up. So if the dock light behaves and charging is still intermittent, suspect the dock before the battery. Contacts first, board second.
Two smaller gaps. Roborock's battery FAQs confirm the robot stops charging itself at 100 %, so parking it on the dock is safe, and they warn that storing it flat can damage the pack. There is no official revive procedure for a deep-discharged robot beyond leaving it docked. And on Q Revo class docks, a steady red LED means a voltage or tank error, which is a different page entirely.
FAQ · REAL QUESTIONS
Why is my Roborock not charging?
Roborock's own list has three causes: oxidised contact strips (rub them with an eraser or an alcohol wipe), a dock with no power (its light should be on with the robot away), or a cable not pushed fully into the slot under the dock. Two minutes unplugged clears the rest.
Why is my Roborock not charging on the dock?
Watch the dock light. It should be solid on with the robot away and off once it docks. If it stays on with the robot parked, the strips aren't meeting the pins. Clean them, dock straight, and on older docks check for a worn spring contact.
How do I charge a dead Roborock?
There is no jump start. Park it squarely on a powered dock and leave it for several hours. Roborock warns that storing the robot with a low battery can damage the pack, so a robot left flat for months may not recover. If it never wakes, the battery is due.
How do I know my Roborock is actually charging?
When it is seated properly on the dock it says "Charging" out loud and the dock's light goes out. If it says nothing, the contacts aren't connecting yet, and that is still a contact problem rather than a battery one.
Does leaving a Roborock on the dock damage the battery?
No. Roborock's FAQ says the robot stops charging and goes to standby once full, so there is no overcharge risk. The real risk runs the other way: storing it with a flat battery.
Can a Roborock S5 charging dock be repaired?
Often, yes. The CDZ02RR dock's usual failure is a 420 V 68 µF capacitor, and iFixit has a board-level guide for it. A worn spring contact is the other fix owners report. Both involve mains-voltage parts and void the warranty, so a replacement dock is the safer route.
Sources
- Roborock Support — What should I do when error 13 occurs?
- Roborock Support — What should I do if the device doesn't charge?
- Roborock Support — What should I do when the robot cleaner cannot find its dock?
- Roborock Support — Why does the vacuum indicate "Low Battery, Charge Soon"?
- Roborock Support — Does storing the device on the charging dock affect the battery life?
- Roborock US — Service and warranty
- iFixit — Roborock S5 dock capacitor replacement (Error 13)
- iFixit Answers — Roborock S5 not charging / Error 13 (owner thread, Nov 2023)
- iFixit — Roborock S5 troubleshooting wiki
Verification
Last verified: 2026-09-02 · How we verify a fault code
Corrections
Spotted an error? Report a correction — fixes ship within 48h and are logged on this page.