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Audiomoth flashes and configures, but does not record

Hi, I have a number of Audiomoths both 1.1.0 and 1.2.0. One of my 1.1.0 Audiomoths is not working. When I plug it in to the USB, it appears to Flash (and version 1.10.1 shows up as being on the device), the time can be set, and I can configure the device. However, when I eject the Audiomoth and switch it to custom (or to default) no lights flash and no recordings are made. I have tried adding new batteries, different brands of batteries, and I have tried different USB cables (always ones that came with the Audiomoths) and have tried new sd cards (and have reformatted old ones to exFAT). Nothing I have tried works. Any suggestions?

12 comments

12 Comments

Tina Blaine

Sep 28

Hi Alex,

Thanks for responding so quickly. These devices were purchased in a hydromoth group buy in the fall of 2022 and only used for testing purposes before this deployment, but the devices previously recorded files as configured. I use the AudioMoth time app to configure the time and then use set to local in the config-app. I am currently in Zanzibar, so it is adding +3 hours to UTC. When I reconfigured the time on one of the hydromoths, I got an error message that I haven't seen before which says: "The clock on the connected AudioMoth seems to be running fast. This could be a hardware problem."but I think it may have been because I had both the time and config apps open at the same time. Despite this error message, the time does appear to count up at the correct rate for all 3 devices and is steadily counting up in time with my laptop clock. When I unplug the devices and plug them back in, all are still showing the correct time in the config app, but not showing any of the other settings. When switched to either default or custom on one device, there is one brief red light with a short pause followed by a constant flashing red light, the 2nd and 3rd devices both show a slow green flashing light in custom mode and one long red followed by rapid red blinking light in default mode. The hydromoth that didn't record anything at all is the one that flashes red in both default and custom modes. All 3 hydromoths have a SanDisk Extreme 64GB SD card and are using rechargeable Panasonic eneloop Ni-Mh AA batteries (photos attached). I am also attaching the config.txt files which show they were all configured to record 240 files per day - please note that two of the config.txt file dates show jan 1 2098 and jan 4 2098.

Alex Rogers

Sep 29

Replying to

These all seem to be working fine. I would reformat the SD card and charge the batteries and then do a test deployment on the bench to check them out for longer. Go through the exact deployment procedure that you will use in the field including the cases. Could the batteries have been dislodged in the first deployment? If the devices had lost their time between configuration and deployment switching to CUSTOM would have led them to start waiting for the smartphone tone to set the time - solid red and flashing green LED. Could it have been particularly wet and humid at the deployment site? That might affect the HydroMoth but we haven't had reports like that in the past. If so, you can use the magnetic switch option to delay the actual start of the recording. You enable this option in the Config App. Switch to CUSTOM immediately and seal the HydroMoth in a nice dry environment. The HydroMoth is then in a low-power delayed start mode and will wait for the magnetic switch to be triggered to actually switch into CUSTOM mode. When we deploy we normally switch to DEFAULT to check that the SD card writes are working correctly (you should see a flashing red LED) then switch to USB/OFF and check the battery flashes. Then switch to CUSTOM and check that the green LED is flashing every 2 seconds as it waits for the recording period.

Edited

Tina Blaine

Sep 29

Replying to

Since I am not using the audio chime or magnetic switch, I did set the devices from USB/OFF to custom while I was in the boat --I saw a red light on all 3 devices. It's definitely very hot and humid here in Zanzibar. I just finished reformatting all the SD cards and am recharging the batteries now. I really appreciate all your feedback and suggestions and will do some more bench testing before deploying these again using the method you outlined above. Thank you!

Alex Rogers

Sep 29

Replying to

Another option is to use the 'First recording date' option, and to set this to the day after you deploy. You can then switch to CUSTOM in a nice dry environment, seal the HydroMoth in it's case, and then check that the green LED is still flashing every 2 seconds when you deploy. It will then start recording from midnight.

Tina Blaine

Sep 27

I am having the exact same problem, I was able to flash and configure three 1.0.0 hydromoths running version 1.10.1, but after setting them to record in custom mode, two didn't record anything at all, and one recorded a short wav file and reset the date to Jan 1, 2098. None of them recorded at the times or lengths preset in the configuration. When I plug in one audio moth it shows 19:18:44 04/01/1970 UTC, 19:28:38 04/01/1970, and one that didn't record does show the accurate UTC timecode 7:16:03. 27/09/2024. Recording in default mode works, but its not activating in custom mode even though the red light was on and the batteries are all still charged.

Alex Rogers

Sep 27

Replying to

Hi Tina, Are these newly arrived devices, or older devices that have developed a problem? If you plug one of the HydroMoth in and set the time in the Config App does the time then correctly appear to count up at the correct rate? It should be steadily counting up in time with your laptop time. If you then unplug the HydroMoth so it runs on battery (without changing the switch from USB/OFF) and plug it back in, is the time still correct in the Config App? Can you use the 'Summarise AudioMoth Files' tool in the Config App to generate a summary of the files that one of the devices generated, and post that with the CONFIG.TXT file. We'll then be able to see what it did. Finally, can you confirm the exact make and model of the SD card and batteries that are being used (post photos if possible). Alex

Edited

Alex Rogers

Sep 27

Hi,

If there are no lights at all when you switch to CUSTOM or DEFAULT it sounds like a power problem and the AudioMoth is not running on the battery after being unplugged. When you plug the AudioMoth back in does it still retain the previous time that you set or has it reverted to 00:00:00 01/01/1970? Alex

styringa

Sep 30

Replying to

Hi Alex,

In my case, when I plug the Audiomoth back in, it does not retain the time and has reverted back to 00:00:00 01/01/1970.

Alex Rogers

Sep 30

Replying to

It seems that this device will not run on battery power. Often these non-specific problems result from corrosion on the PCB. Make sure that the batteries are good and that the battery contacts are clean. If it is corrosion on the PCB it is often not possible to repair.

styringa

Sep 30

Replying to

Thanks Alex,

Batteries are good and the contacts also look clean, so corrosion on the PCB must be it. Is there a way to see that visually? The device looks to be in good shape.

Thanks for your help.

Alison