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audiomoths don't maintain set time

HI,

I have the following problem: some audiomoths don't maintain set time. Other AMs work fine.

In the order:

-I replaced the batteries.

-I updated the time with AM Time App.

-I configured with AM Configuration App by loading the settings that I attach.

When I switch to CUSTOM, the flashing green LED, indicating sleeping between recordings, does not come on, but the flashing green LED and the steady red LED do come on. Note that I didn't check "Always require acoustic chime on switching to CUSTOM".

If I put AM back on USB/off and recheck the set time with AM Time App. I see that the time is not updated (00:00:00 01/01/1970 UTC).

At that point I also used the acoustic chime app and the green LED went into sleeping between recordings. However, at the scheduled start time of recording, the AM did not record and went back to flashing green LED and steady red LED mode. If I check again with AM Time App, the time is lost again.

I tried to set a configuration with start recording 00:00 and end recording 00:00 and the AM (activated with the acoustic chime app) records correctly continuously. I therefore think that both the battery voltage and the SD card are ok.

Further checks: I tried with other USB cables and tried using another PC (I used both Windows Home 10 and Windows 11) and nothing changed. Applications and firmware are all updated to the latest versions.

I also attach the serial numbers of the Ams

Thanks for your help

Paolo Debernardi

9 comments

9 Comments

Marquette Crockett

Jun 09

Hello,

I'm curious if changing the SD card fixed this problem. We have ten brand new units and 50% that don't hold the correct time. The others seem fine. I flashed/updated software, set time, and configured them using the desktop App.

We are using PNY 64GB Elite-X Class 10 U3 V30 microSDXC Flash Memory Cards.

Alex Rogers

Jun 09

Replying to

Hi Marquette, Almost certainly. SD cards are very variable and some of the newer larger ones take very large write currents. We only use SanDisk Extreme (red and gold) cards. These are cheap, reliable and have low energy consumption. https://www.openacousticdevices.info/sd-card-guide

Alex

Alex Rogers

Mar 21

Hi, How many AudioMoth are affected, where did they come from and when? This sounds like a hardware issue as the only way for AudioMoth to lose the current time is through a hardware reset, or by removing the batteries. It seems unlikely that this would affect so many devices though. Are you sure the batteries are good? What make and model are you using? Alex

Edited

Stazione Teriologica Piemontese

Mar 21

Replying to

I tried and the time setting is lost and it happens by changing the position of the switch to custom. If I unplug the USB and plug it back in it doesn't happen.

I have now done this test: I configured the AMs without inserting the card and in this way they maintain the time settings. In the CUSTOM position the green LED flashes correctly. I tried putting the SD card next and the red light didn't come on.

Does this evidence have any meaning?

The cards are Silicon Power Superior 128Gb microSDX UHS-I V30 XC I U3

Thanks again

Alex Rogers

Mar 21

Replying to

I think the AudioMoth is losing the time when it tries to write to the SD card. This happens when you switch to CUSTOM (in order to write the CONFIG.TXT file) and when each recording starts. It may be that these SD cards require too much power. Check with another card if possible. We generally always use SanDisk Extreme (red and gold) cards. We haven't seen a card that does this but we haven't used these Silicon Power cards before. It may also still be the battery, as a low battery will cause the voltage to drop when the SD card writes. In the first instance, I would check the SD card.

Stazione Teriologica Piemontese

Mar 21

Replying to

Thanks Alex,

definitely better than the scenario that hypothesizes hardware problems! I will definitely try using SanDisk. Since I have to record 4 nights I will always use new batteries and better insulate the waterproof case of the AM.