Square Terminal Not Charging

[Marian52]

So frustrating! I use mine for 4 craft shows a year, I'm half way through one and suddenly it won't take a charge. It's 2 years old, so no warranty. This thing is WAY too expensive for this kind of thing!

[rtfulk · Accepted solution]

@Marian52 I understand your frustration. Just a suggestion have you tried connecting a new cable and power brick?  Power bricks can just die with no warning. You can use any USB-C cable and any power brick that is at least 5V/2A. You probably have a power brick that will work lying around as most newer cell phones and tablets use a USB-C power brick. 

Hopefully this is the problem and it's not your unit.

[Marian52]

Yes, I tried several. It started charging again after being slightly jarred when I dropped it about 3 feet onto a mattress, so I made it through the rest of the show. It is the first time it's been dropped, but it does appear that the issue is... currently... fixed.

[rtfulk]

The next time you plug the cable in see if the connector wiggles any inside the terminal, if so it could just be a loose solder.  That would be a simple fix, remove the back and with a soldering iron, put the tip on the solder joints to reseat them.  

[_Violet]

Thank you for offering these helpful tips, @rtfulk! ⭐

@Marian52 since you mentioned you only use your Terminal a few times a year, it's possible that it could be due for a software update. When you have some downtime, I recommend checking for updates by following these steps to ensure you're on the latest software version.

1. Tap ≡ More > Settings > Hardware > General.
2. Tap About Square Terminal or About Square Register or About Square Handheld.
3. From this page, you’ll see your software version.
4. Tap Check for Update to see if a software update is available.

If you see Software Up To Date then you are all set!

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns 🙂

[Marian52]

I upate the machine prior to each use, but thank you.

[HandyDandy]

This is the charging flex cable from terminal. The whole port seems like soldered in a way to make it super tricky to repair and no chance to find spare part. I have few terminals with these failed. It's such a waste from Square not providing the cable at the cost and it's a 15 minute job to replace.

[VanKalkerFarms]

I have one of a dozen terminals that won't take a charge on any cord, UNLESS a specific side of the USB-C cable is face up.  So I have a side marked.  That isn't how USB-C is supposed to work, and it took me a few days of trying different cords, and it would work and show charging, then I would unplug and it wouldn't show charging again. Once I marked the cord, there has been no issue since.  Something must have gone wrong in the port.  

[Salty100]

Thank you for this information. My terminal would not hold a charge or even come on until I turned the plug over. Terminal came up and was 100% charged. Working now, hopefully that fixed it for good.     

[VanKalkerFarms]

It is kinda crazy, I haven't ever run into it on other devices, and I don't know if that will keep working, but it is for now.

[jmulvaney]

Did it continue to work hi.? I've gone through at least four Square terminals that either stopped charging entirely or had ongoing charging issues that were too much of a hassle to deal with. I am now processing my third warranty return. It honestly feels like there's a ghost in this machine. Sometimes it works with the chargers that Square provided, other times I have to use another cable and charger entirely, and there doesn't seem to be any pattern that I could figure out. It's supremely frustrating. 

[VanKalkerFarms]

I didn't see this, and its a bit late now.  But we have a dozen terminals some V1 most V2 and only the one has acted up.  Some are from day one of terminal being available.