When a device is broken or malfunctioning, this is your guide to handling the issue.
If the steps in this article do not resolve the issue, follow instructions for warranty device return and replacement.
Contents
Click to jump to a topic, or use Ctrl+F to search this page.
| Error code on device |
| Power and charging problems |
| Water damage |
| Problems making a recording |
| Transfer/upload problems |
| Bad data |
| Reset a device |
Error codes on device
This section covers error codes on the screen of the device itself. For errors showing on the LENA Hub or in LENA Online, please see those sections of the LENA Library.
Error 09 Set Clock
This error is common on devices that have not been used for several weeks. Ideally, you will catch and resolve all Error 09 issues during the device check and prep step when preparing to work with a new group of children.
Reset the device's internal clock by connecting the device to LENA Hub as follows:
- If the battery is low, charge the device for 15-30 minutes to ensure the battery has enough charge for the next steps.
- Connect the device to LENA Hub as if you were going to transfer a recording.
- Transfer, erase, or acknowledge the empty recorder error message, as appropriate.
- Disconnect the empty device and check its screen.
If the Error 09 is gone, fully charge device to prepare for use.
If a device shows an Error 09 during a period of frequent use, when it has been connected to Hub at least every other week, take note of the serial number. It's most likely a fluke, but if it happens again with the same device during regular use, contact LENA Support about warranty replacement options and indicate that the Error 09 is occurring repeatedly during frequent use.
Error 04
Error 04 can sometimes be resolved by connecting the device to LENA Hub.
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If the battery is low, charge the device for 15-30 minutes. We need to make sure the battery has enough charge for the next steps.
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Connect the device to LENA Hub as if you were going to transfer a recording.
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Transfer, erase, or acknowledge the empty recorder error message, as appropriate.
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Disconnect the empty device and check its screen.
If the Error 04 persists, try resetting the device. Then turn it back on and check the screen.
If the Error 04 is gone, fully charge it to prepare for use, but note the serial number. If Error 04 occurs again on the same device, contact LENA Support about warranty replacement options.
All other error codes on the device's screen
Power the device off and on a few times.
If the error message persists, try resetting the device. Then turn it back on and check the screen.
Problems with power and charging
Device seems dead, won't turn on, screen is blank
If the screen is blank or blank unless plugged in:
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Charge it for at least 15 minutes (ideally using a method you can verify is working on other devices).
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After charging, attempt to reset the device. Then try turning it on again.
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If the problem persists, hold down only the Power button for 10 seconds.
Device won't turn off, screen is stuck
Inability to power off is usually paired with one of these other symptoms:
- Screen stuck on Charged or Charging even though it is not plugged in
- Screen stuck on Power off
- Screen stuck on v1.3 or something similar (stuck in startup sequence)
In all cases, do the following:
- Try to turn it off by holding down the power button for several seconds.
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If it does not respond, try holding down both buttons for 10-15 seconds until the screen says "Resetting" and/or goes blank. Wait a few more seconds, then power it back on to see if it is working properly.
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If it still does not respond, set it aside to let the battery die. This may take a 1-2 days depending on the current charge level. The screen will go blank.
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After the screen goes blank, charge the device for at least 15 minutes, and then disconnect it from power to see what the screen says.
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If it now shows Error 09 Set Clock, resolve the Error 09. Otherwise, charge and use the device.
Failing to charge
Note: charging with equipment that does not provide the required .5A power can damage the device.
Signs of a charging issue include:
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Device shows the message "Failing to charge"
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Device never seems to take on any charge when plugged in
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Device appears to charge but says "Low battery" right after disconnecting from power.
There is no way to fix a device with a charging issue, so the troubleshooting goal is to pinpoint that the problem is definitely the device, not the charging equipment or method. To pinpoint the problem:
- Try a different cable and a different charging port, and even a different electrical outlet.
- You can instead try charging a second device with the same equipment. If the second device seems to charge fine, then you can rule out the equipment as the problem.
Power button is very difficult to push - seems stuck or jammed
This happens sometimes. If you find the buttons are too difficult for caregivers to use, contact LENA support about possible replacement.
Water damage
Device went into water...or cereal and milk, or soup, or the washing machine, or the toilet...
If the device was submerged, or if you can see condensation on the inside of the screen, we do not recommend trying to revive it. Although common practices like placing the device in a bag of rice to dry out may allow the device to power on, it's likely that the microphone and other internal components are damaged in such as way that the device cannot accurately capture the language environment or will not be able to transfer data to the LENA Hub.
Water damage is not covered under the warranty, and so the device should be considered scrapped.
Problems with making a recording
Pressing the RECORD button does not start a recording
If the device is also showing an error code or won't power off, address that issue first.
Then, be sure to press and hold the button. It takes about 4 seconds for the device to start recording. This is to help avoid accidentally starting or stopping a recording.
RECORD button is very difficult to push - seems stuck or jammed
This happens sometimes. If you find the buttons are too difficult for caregivers to use, contact LENA support about possible replacement.
Recording is frozen, the elapsed time counter is stuck
This is rare except on devices manufactured before 2015, which are no longer under warranty and should be scrapped.
If the device also will not turn off, follow the instructions for a device that will not turn off.
Device died or stopped recording before reaching Memory Full
If a caregiver reports the device stopped recording, assign a new one to the child and try to sort out what happened.
Try to check the screen before connecting the device to LENA Hub .| If you see this... | Do this... |
| Error code on device screen | Address the error code. |
| Paused without elapsed time | No recording was started. Review how to hold the Record button for 3-4 seconds, until the screen says "Recording." |
| Paused with less elapsed time than expected | Transfer the data, then test device. |
| Won't turn on | Charge fully, transfer any contents, then test device. |
| Low Battery | Charge fully, transfer any contents, then test device. |
If you did not check the screen before connecting to Hub and it is now empty, then test whether device can make a full LENA Day recording as follows:
- Unassign device.
- Fully charge device (~3 hours).
- Start a recording, and leave the device running in a drawer or other out-of-the-way location.
- After 16 hours, turn on the device to see how it performed.
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- If it says Memory Full, it works fine. Erase the recording and put the device back into rotation.
- If it shows Paused at a time less than 16 hours despite starting the test with a full charge, contact support@lena.org.
Problems during transfer/processing
Hub does not react to the device
Sometimes nothing happens when you connect a device to LENA Hub. Frequently, this is not a device problem. See Troubleshooting: Hub does not recognize LENA device if the device is not popping up on the Hub screen.
Windows says the USB device malfunctioned
Typically resolves itself. You may need to disconnect device, wait a moment, and reconnect.
Device screen is stuck on Audio Transfer
Typically happens in conjunction with an audio transfer failure. Then after you disconnect the device, the screen remains on Audio transfer. The following instructions will not harm any data on the device.
- Try to turn it off by holding down the power button for several seconds.
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If it does not respond, try holding down both buttons for 10-15 seconds until the screen says "Resetting" and/or goes blank. Wait a few more seconds, then power it back on to see if it is working properly.
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If it still does not respond, set it aside to let the battery die. This may take a 1-2 days depending on the current charge level. The screen will go blank.
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After the screen goes blank, charge the device for at least 15 minutes, and then disconnect it from power to see what the screen says.
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If it now shows Error 09 Set Clock, resolve the Error 09. Otherwise, transfer the data, charge fully, and continue using.
Problems with the data produced by a device
No words and turns detected, or extremely low counts for both words and turns
If the recording produced by a device has almost no words or turns, it's possible that the device was used incorrectly – left running while not being worn by the child, or inserted backward, etc. It's also possible that the device is damaged. If you suspect the device has malfunctioned, provide a different device for the next recording, and contact support@lena.org for advice on testing the device.
How to reset a LENA device
To reset a device, press and hold both buttons for 10-15 seconds until the screen says "Resetting" and/or goes blank.
Resetting a device does not erase it or affect its contents in any way. The reset just attempts to return to the device to its base state.