A classic case. One bud charges dutifully, the other lies in the case like a teenager on the couch – doesn’t react to anything. The case light is on, so there’s power. The problem is somewhere between the earbud and the case.
Good news: most of the time this can be fixed at home without service. Bad news: sometimes it can’t. Let’s go through both scenarios.
Check these first
Before you fear the worst, go through the basics:
- Protective film on the contacts. If the earbuds are new, check that there isn’t still a thin plastic film on the charging pins on the bottom of the earbud. It must be removed. Sounds silly, but this is a surprisingly common cause.
- Dirt on the contacts. There are small metal charging points in the case and on the bottom of the bud. Earwax, pocket lint, and other life’s grime build up on them over time. Wipe them with a dry cotton swab or microfiber cloth. You can also use a little isopropyl alcohol, but don’t pour it in by the bucket.
- Bud’s position in the case. Make sure the earbud sits properly in the case. Press it down gently and check that it clicks into place. Sometimes a memory-foam tip keeps the bud slightly off the contacts.
Factory reset
If the contacts are clean and the bud sits correctly in the case, try resetting:
- Put both buds in the case
- Open the lid
- Hold the buttons on both buds until the light turns red
- Press the button on the back of the case and hold it for 5 seconds
- The case light blinks – the reset is done
- Close the lid, wait a moment, and open it again
The reset clears the earbuds’ pairing and restarts the charging process. Often that’s enough to bring the lazy bud back to life.
Try this too
If the reset didn’t help, try charging the case for at least an hour with a USB-C cable before trying again. Sometimes the case battery is so low it can’t charge both buds at the same time – even if the light is on.
Also try swapping the buds in the case – left to right and right to left. If the “broken” bud charges on the other side, the problem is the case’s contact, not the earbud itself. This information is useful for service.
If that doesn’t help
If none of the above worked, the fault is most likely either the bud’s battery or the case’s charging contact. In either case, the device needs service.
Send us an email at info@valco.fi and include:
- Your order number
- A photo of the earbud in the case (so we can see the condition of the contacts)
- A brief description of what you tried
Our service in Kajaani will fix these. During the warranty period (24 months) it’s handled at no extra cost. After the warranty we’ll still repair it – then the repair package just costs a bit.
We don’t throw away earbuds because of a single faulty component. That would be crazy – and exactly what the big brands would like us to do.
