Troubleshooting | E-Stopp Corporation

Problem with your E-Stopp? Let's figure it out.

Rarely, one of our E-Stopps decides to have an off day. If your E-Stopp is not working or is acting strangely, these steps may help make things right.

ISSUE: It takes a very long time for my brakes to engage.
WHAT TO DO: If the E-Stopp takes more than 1 to 2 seconds to engage, there is very likely too much slack in the brake lines.

Disconnect the E-Stopp from its power source.
Disconnect the control box from the actuator.
Momentarily apply 12 volts (and 8 to 10 amps) of power directly to the actuator wires by connecting your power source's positive wire to the brown actuator wire and the negative wire to the blue actuator wire.
When powered up, the cable will extend. When it stops, immediately disconnect the power source. Your cable may already be fully extended, in which case it will not move when power is connected. DO NOT leave the actuator connected directly to a power source.
Ensure that the cables coming from your brakes have minimal slack in them when connected to the E-Stopp actuator. They should be just loose enough that you can slightly move them with a finger and they are not pulling on your brakes at all.
Ensure that the control box button (or key lock switch) is in the off/disengaged position.
Reconnect the actuator to the control box and the control box to the vehicle power source as detailed in the instructions.

ISSUE: The E-Stopp does not hold my vehicle well enough.

WHAT TO DO: This can be due to one or both of the following problems.

If your E-Stopp also takes a long time to engage, there may be too much slack in the line, which causes the controller to stop the actuator when the pull distance is exhausted. In this case, please follow the steps under "It takes a very long time for my brakes to engage".
The other situation that can cause this problem is when the brake cable runs are binding somewhere along the path, or trying to make a tight turn. We recommend that turns (if any) be kept to a minimum and avoid any tight angles.

ISSUE: The buzzer sounds and the light flashes, but the brake does not engage.

WHAT TO DO: This can be caused by a problem with the power to the control box.

Ensure that the control box is getting a full 12 volts and at least 10 amps of power.
Ensure that the wires providing power to the control box are 16 gauge.
Ensure that the E-Stopp control box power wires are not coupled to any other devices.
Ensure that there are no breaks in the wires connecting the control box to the actuator and that all splices or connectors are solid.

ISSUE: Nothing at all happens when I push the button/turn the key switch.

WHAT TO DO: If the blue ignition safety wire is being used, ensure that the vehicle is OFF when attempting to engage the E-Stopp. If that is not the problem, check that the ignition safety wire is not inadvertently wired to an always-on power source.

ISSUE: My button light flickers faintly when the brake is engaged.
WHAT TO DO: This is normal.

Still not working?

If your problem has to do with the brake not engaging or disengaging, you'll need to check whether the actuator itself is working. To do this, you'll need access to the wires that go to the actuator.

Connect an external 12-volt (8-10 amp) power source to the actuator by connecting the positive source wire to the brown actuator wire and the negative source wire to the blue actuator wire. When powered up, the cable should extend.
If it does not, disconnect the power source and reverse the polarity of the connection by connecting the positive source wire to the blue actuator wire and the negative source wire to the brown actuator wire. When powered up, the cable should retract. If it does not, your actuator may have failed and will need to be replaced.
If the actuator is working, disconnect the power source and reverse the polarity again, ensuring that the cable is fully extended.
When this test is complete, immediately disconnect the power source. DO NOT leave the actuator connected directly to a power source.

Now that you know whether the actuator is working, please contact our technical support department at help@estopp.com. Let them know the problem you are having and the steps you have taken to troubleshoot it. They can help you diagnose the issue further or issue you an RMA for a warranty replacement if you are within the one-year period.