Troubleshooting: Symptom to Action

Troubleshooting should follow layers. Do not jump directly to protocol decoding when the installed binary, license, NIC, port, or gRPC service has not been proven.

Fast triage order

1. Identity — exact ChargeLink version, license and profile.
2. Environment — doctor, OS, permissions, NIC/CAN adapter.
3. Local service — runtime state, port ownership, gRPC health.
4. Transport — IPv6/SDP/TCP/TLS or CAN/CAN-FD.
5. Protocol — V2GTP/EXI/session sequence.
6. Integration — VeriStand mapping, automation client, external orchestration.
7. Evidence — run ID, trace, report and first error timestamp.

Failure matrix

CLI is not found

$CL = 'C:\Program Files\ChargeLink Native\bin\chargelink.exe'
Test-Path $CL
Get-Command chargelink -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$env:Path -split ';'
& $CL --version

Open a new terminal after installation. Add the bin directory to PATH only through your approved Windows configuration.

License or entitlement failure

& $CL --json license verify --file C:\ChargeLinkData\licenses\customer.cllic
& $CL --json license status
& $CL --json license entitlements

If verification passes but a feature is denied, the likely issue is edition/entitlement rather than file corruption.

gRPC health fails

Get-Process chargelink,chargelinkd -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Test-NetConnection 127.0.0.1 -Port 50051
netstat -ano | findstr :50051

Start the agent in a dedicated terminal:

& $CL integration serve --listen 127.0.0.1:50051 --state-root C:\ChargeLinkData\runtime\grpc

Then:

& $CL --json integration health --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:50051
& $CL --json integration session-smoke --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:50051 --protocol iso15118-20 --role evse

If built-in smoke passes but your client fails, collect the client request/error separately.

ISO 15118 / DIN peer cannot discover the EVSE

Inspect the intended NIC:

Get-NetAdapter | Format-Table ifIndex,Name,Status,LinkSpeed -AutoSize
Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv6 | Format-Table InterfaceIndex,InterfaceAlias,IPAddress,AddressState -AutoSize
Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 15118 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Then run the protocol-specific preflight:

& $CL --json evse live-preflight `
  --source external `
  --protocol iso15118-20 `
  --profile-id iso15118_20_dc `
  --host '::' `
  --udp-port 15118 `
  --tcp-port 50118 `
  --advertise-ipv6 '<LINK_LOCAL_IPV6_WITH_ZONE>' `
  --interface-index <INTERFACE_INDEX>

For ISO 15118-2 or DIN 70121, replace protocol/profile with the values from the installed catalogue.

TLS handshake fails

Start with time and material validation:

Get-Date
w32tm /query /status
& $CL evse tls-pki-doctor --help

Use the exact TLS-doctor syntax shown by the installed release. Check:

• certificate validity period;
• private-key match;
• trust chain;
• expected server/client identity role;
• CA requirement;
• selected TLS adapter/profile;
• workstation clock;
• whether the DUT is using the same protocol/security mode you selected.

Do not send private keys to support.

Session starts but protocol stops after connection

Capture the run ID and locate the trace. Identify the first protocol-layer error rather than the final shutdown message.

Useful separation:

SDP → TCP → TLS (when used) → V2GTP → EXI/application protocol → charging sequence

A later-layer failure does not invalidate earlier transport success. This distinction is important when escalating to DUT or network teams.

VeriStand Native Gateway cannot connect

1. Deploy the VeriStand project manually without ChargeLink.
2. Confirm the exact .nivssdf path.
3. Confirm ClientAPI and Gateway Server assemblies belong to the same validated NI release.
4. Confirm NativeClientBroker and OperatorLauncher are from the installed ChargeLink package.
5. Prove gRPC health separately.
6. Confirm exact VeriStand channel paths.

Test-Path 'C:\Program Files\ChargeLink Native\bin\ChargeLink.Veristand.NativeClientBroker.exe'
Test-Path 'C:\Program Files\ChargeLink Native\bin\ChargeLink.Veristand.OperatorLauncher.exe'
& $CL --json integration health --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:50051
& $CL --json signals list --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:50051
& $CL --json signals smoke --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:50051

Do not install/configure ASAM XIL to solve the current Native Gateway workflow.

CHAdeMO physical CAN lane fails

Prove software first:

& $CL --json dc-can virtual-run --protocol chademo --profile dc_can_virtual_evse --frame-count 8

If virtual passes:

• confirm adapter driver installation;
• confirm channel name in the vendor utility;
• confirm bitrate;
• confirm termination and wiring under the bench procedure;
• confirm no other application owns the adapter/channel.

Do not disable hardware-required checks merely to convert a physical failure into a software pass.

Test result is BLOCKED

BLOCKED normally means the test could not legally/technically execute under the selected setup. Check:

1. role and profile;
2. PICS/PIXIT applicability;
3. package entitlement;
4. certificate/security prerequisites;
5. physical adapter/bench requirement;
6. replay/live evidence requirement.

A blocked case is not a protocol FAIL and should not be edited into one.

Stale session or runtime state

& $CL --json runtime list
& $CL --json evse stop
& $CL --json evcc stop
& $CL --json runtime list

Only remove runtime state manually after confirming no physical process remains active and support/release procedures allow it.

Prepare a support bundle

Use the dedicated Support Escalation and Evidence Collection chapter. Preserve the failing run before repeating the test.