What the 9718 alarm means

The encoder battery voltage is low but position is still being held; this is the early warning — fix it before it becomes 9716 and position loss. This is one of the faults our repair team handles on Epson RC90 / RC700 (EPSON RC+) systems — the cause is usually identifiable within the first on-site inspection.

Most common causes

  • Battery nearing end of life
  • Long storage without power
  • Poor battery contact
Field note: the first item on this list is what we find most often on real machines. Check it before you go deeper.

Step-by-step field fix

  1. Replace the battery at the next scheduled stop
  2. Check the signal cable connection
  3. Verify encoder values are still consistent
  4. Do not power off the controller until the new battery is installed
  5. Add battery replacement to the periodic maintenance schedule
Safety first: never bypass safety circuits or force contactors closed. If the alarm involves E-stop chains, brakes or drive power, and you are not a trained robot technician, contact a professional — wrong moves here can cost you a robot or an injury.

Still stuck? Get an engineer on the phone — right now

Tell us the alarm code, the robot model and what was happening when the alarm came up. Our engineers run these diagnostics every day, and remote diagnosis by phone or video call is free.

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Related Encoder & Position alarms

5098 — High Temperature of Encoder 9716 — Power Supply Failure of Absolute Encoder 9711 — Serial Encoder Communication Failure
Other brands: we also keep field-fix libraries for Nachi · Omron · ESTUN and more — see the complete alarm code hub.

Frequently asked questions

QWhat does the Epson 9718 alarm mean?

The encoder battery voltage is low but position is still being held; this is the early warning — fix it before it becomes 9716 and position loss. In field practice it belongs to the encoder & position family of faults.

QCan I clear a Epson 9718 alarm myself?

Sometimes. Work through the step-by-step checks on this page — the first listed cause is what we find most often in the field. If the alarm returns after two attempts, or the fault involves power, brakes or safety circuits, stop and call a qualified robot service engineer.

QHow fast can a Henghuan engineer help?

On-site response in the Pearl River Delta within 30 minutes to 3 hours, across mainland China in 1-3 business days, and worldwide within 2-5 business days. Remote diagnosis by phone/WhatsApp/video is available immediately.

Written by the Henghuan Robotics repair team from field service experience. Alarm descriptions are our own summary for troubleshooting reference and may vary by controller and software version — when in doubt, check your Epson documentation or contact us. Henghuan is an independent service provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by Epson.