After installing the boundary and guide wires, it’s important to confirm that your Automower® robotic lawn mower can locate and dock with the charging station. Proper docking ensures your lawn mower can recharge automatically and maintain your lawn on schedule. This guide explains how to test docking via the lawn mower display and Automower® Connect app, and provides troubleshooting steps if docking fails.
Your Automower® uses a two-step process to find the charging station:
Signal detection: The lawn mower first attempts to detect the charging station signal directly
Wire following: If unsuccessful, it follows the boundary wire or guide wire to reach the station
Understanding this process helps you identify where issues may occur during testing.
Place the lawn mower about 3 m (10 ft) from the boundary wire, facing the wire.
Connect via Bluetooth
Navigate to: More > Settings > Installation > Find charging station > Test: Boundary wire setup
Start the test
(For lawn mowers with a keypad)
Navigate to: Installation > Find charging station > Overview of search methods > Boundary > More > Test right/Test left
Press START and close the hatch (if applicable to your model)
Does the lawn mower follow the boundary wire correctly?
Does it dock successfully on the first attempt?
Repeat the above steps but select Guide wire test in the app or display. If your installation uses multiple guide wires, test each one separately.
Important: The test is successful only if the lawn mower follows the wire all the way and docks on the first attempt. If it fails and retries repeatedly, troubleshooting is needed.
Inspect the wire connections at the charging station to ensure they’re secure and correct.
See: How to connect the boundary and guide wires to the Automower® charging station
If the lawn mower struggles to follow the wires consistently, adjust the corridor width settings.
See: How to adjust the corridor width in an Automower® installation
Metal objects (e.g. reinforcement bars, metal edging, coils of low-voltage cable), even buried, near the charging station or wire path can interfere with signals.
Check our guide for charging station placement.
For installations on steep slopes, ensure the guide wire is laid at the proper angle.
See: Optimise Automower® installation for slopes
Confirm all installation steps were completed correctly.
Check our detailed step guide for Automower® installation with a physical wire.
If docking still fails after troubleshooting, consider repositioning the charging station or contact a dealer for assistance.