Help LG Spectrum won't turn on

[coach_alexis]

Ok...so I have a weird situation.
I got a new phone over a year ago. I had an LG Spectrum. It worked perfectly fine. It was just slow and it was time to upgrade, so I did. I should also mention that my husband had the exact same phone and upgraded. Anyways, fast forward a year...

My dad needs a new phone. We always keep the old ones in case we (usually one of our teenagers) need an emergency backup. So I get the Spectrum out, attempt to charge it because I'm sure it's dead. But it won't do anything. Won't turn on, won't charge, computer won't recognize it's plugged in...nothing. Weird. So I'm thinking something happened to it. So I get my extra battery...same thing. Grab my husband's old Spectrum...also the same thing. Almost as if there was some sort of kill switch in the phone once they were deactivated. Both worked PERFECTLY before they were deactivated. Any ideas?

 

[Xavier Black]

Try to do a simulation like you are trying to put it in download mode(if you don't know how to get there..in YouTube you can see how it is..just have to enter you make and model phone in there)..it might take you to a screen where the factory reset is an option..and that's is what you wanna do next..let me know..

 

[coach_alexis]

Try to do a simulation like you are trying to put it in download mode(if you don't know how to get there..in YouTube you can see how it is..just have to enter you make and model phone in there)..it might take you to a screen where the factory reset is an option..and that's is what you wanna do next..let me know..

Hey there! Thanks for replying. Will this work if we can't get it to turn on, charge, or even be recognized by plugging it in to the computer? I can't see any screen options or anything.

 

[Xavier Black]

You don't need to plug in your phone to the computer to do a factory reset, friend..the factory reset is an option hidden in your phone which you find through the main keys of your phone..

 

[El Presidente]

Where were they kept? Somewhere dry?

Is it at all possible they got wet (even via moisture in the air if it's humid)?

 

[chanchan05]

Have you tried changing the battery? Maybe the battery just straight up died.

 

[coach_alexis]

Have you tried changing the battery? Maybe the battery just straight up died.

Yep. Tried 3 different batteries between the 2 phones

 

[coach_alexis]

Where were they kept? Somewhere dry?

Is it at all possible they got wet (even via moisture in the air if it's humid)?

No. They were in a dry drawer. In southern California. So, about as dry as you can get. Haha

 

[coach_alexis]

You don't need to plug in your phone to the computer to do a factory reset, friend..the factory reset is an option hidden in your phone which you find through the main keys of your phone..

They won't turn on though. I can't see anything at all on the phone. The buttons don't even light up when I plug it in. It's like it's completely dead. I'm hoping there's some sort of internal component that can be replaced. But I have no clue.

 

[El Presidente]

If the batteries have been left unused, it's possible they're completely discharged and are dead (if you're storing lithium batteries for any length of time, they need a small charge or they'll die). Are they new batteries or have they been unused for a while too?

 

[Kibaikasu]

You might need to replace the battery. If a battery is not used after X amount of time, there is a very real possibility that it will not charge. I would suggest contacting LG about purchasing a new battery for the phone, they usually don't cost more than $30, and you would have the guarantee that the battery would be OEM.

 

[coach_alexis]

You might need to replace the battery. If a battery is not used after X amount of time, there is a very real possibility that it will not charge. I would suggest contacting LG about purchasing a new battery for the phone, they usually don't cost more than $30, and you would have the guarantee that the battery would be OEM.

Oh...they hadn't been used in over a year.

 

[Kibaikasu]

Oh...they hadn't been used in over a year.

That would do it. I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about:

I work advanced technical support for a service provider here in the United States. One of the things I know very well is how a manufacturer's warranty works. All warranty replacements provided to customer's are either "Certified Like-New" devices (i.e. - refurbished devices) or they send out new devices from their surplus at the warehouses. Lets say, for argument's sake, that you have a Samsung Galaxy S6, a Samsung flagship phone, but with a non-removable battery. Suppose you do a warranty replacement, and they send you a brand new device from their surplus inventory. Surplus inventory can be sitting in a factory for well over a year at times without turning on. I have seen cases where those devices reach customers, and they will not charge or turn on. Those devices would be what we consider "Dead On Arrival" and, considering the Galaxy S6 has a non-removable battery, would have to be replaced (again) through the warranty process.

So, in conclusion, it is very possible that since you did not use that phone for over a year, not even to charge it, that you very well might need a warranty replacement. You are actually very fortunate that your model phone has a removable battery, as those are generally easy to replace. I only mention getting the new battery through the manufacturer as 3rd party batteries tend to either not last as long or even go as far as to damage the device they are powering.

 

[WarrantyVoider]

If your old phones are out of warranty and you don't want to buy or can't find new batteries for your old phones, you could try to see whether the old batteries could be revived...

WARNING: Batteries can explode, so I won't recommend doing this. Please use your own judgment.

I found this video describing the process.

You can find a cell phone battery charger on ebay (or even locally, since you're in socal) that can easily accommodate a cell phone battery (no messing with wires and probes like in the video). Those chargers are dumb and cheap. You probably don't want to use them to charge expensive batteries long-term, but they are probably usable to activate the charging/protection circuit on the battery and to supply a surface charge to the battery to hopefully allow the phone's charger to work afterwards.

Again, batteries can be dangerous and hazardous, so feel free to forget or ignore this post completely. Anyway, good luck.

 

[Xavier Black]

If I were you I would find a shop or a local flee market where there's some that fixes phones..like here in Houston where I am zonk I found a guy..and more than likely just to hear to what you say..I would think is the power board what is malfunctioning..try to see if you can find a guy..that fix isn't more than $30..don't let any one taking advantages of you