I just visited my thread for the first time in 2 years. Wow, it's a sticky now. I'm famous (again?)
I should point out that a lot of kdenninger's tips are excellent too, although keeping the device immersed is more important with salt water (which will corrode very fast when exposed to air) than with fresh water - sometimes it just not pratical to transport the device submerged....In this case, that's why I recommend washing dirty/salty water with clean water, to slow down corrosion sufficient enough until you have enough time to manage to get the device to be cleaned (proper tools, proper chemicals, etc). Also, water can leak inside things such as behind the LCD screen. So this can be a really tough call. For example, devices have survived semi-wet for weeks on end, as long as power was disconnected and it was a low-corrosion environment -- such as the report on a PalmPilot buried for a week in a relatively clean snow bank until the snow melted a little. But this guide is pretty useful if you've dropped something at the seashore, and you've got a sandpail handy for water transport.
Originally Posted by kdenninger
Ok, here's my "save the electronics" procedure. It may save you, it may not. It does have a 50+% success rate in SALT water, and a nearly 90% one in fresh though for me over more than a decade....
This assumes you DUNKED the phone. If it got SPLASHED, this is a tough call - you can make it worse doing this! This procedure is a last-ditch effort to save your equipment when the alternative is certain replacement.
Note that I have used this on HID dive lights (lots of high energy running around in those) along with various consumer electronics that are not meant to get wet.
1. FIRST, GET THE POWER OUT OF THE DEVICE IMMEDIATELY! This means removing the battery - PRONTO! Seconds count here. Once it starts to "fizz" (and it WILL in salt water) you're almost certainly screwed.
2. Next, DO NOT remove the phone from the liquid it fell into until you are ready to proceed. This means get a BUCKET full of the water it fell into, plus phone, and transport it SUBMERGED. As soon as you remove the device from the water corrosion begins and salts begin to deposit on connections - in minutes. A couple of hours later you have nothing worth saving. This is especially true if the water is salty or brackish.
3. Get yourself to the store and buy several gallons of DISTILLED (not "spring!") water and three or four bottles of the highest percentage isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol you can get. 90+% is what you want, but its hard to find. 70% will do (the pedestrian stuff) if that's all you can get at your local drug store. Ask the pharmacist if they have the 90% - they may behind the counter. Tell him why you want it if he asks - druggies use it to "cook" cocaine (its very flammable), which is why its getting hard to find. You will also need a FAN (NO heat! Just air movement!) DO NOT use acetone or other strong solvents. Acetone in particular, while an excellent water dispersant, eats a lot of plastics! There is no way to know if the plastics in your phone are safe around it or not. Acetone also is much more dangerous to your health (inhalation) and poses an extreme vapor flash-fire risk if used indoors. Don't.
4. Find a good place to work, and at least two containers big enough to hold everything that got dunked. The kitchen sink area is good, provided you can prevent anything small from going down a drain.
5. Take one of the containers and put distilled water in it. Transfer the phone to it. Disassemble it to the maximum possible extent WHILE UNDER WATER. If you can get the torx screws out, do so. The idea is to maximize contact area and not have any places for the original liquid to "hide". Its especially important to get any keyboard membranes off, because any contaminents in there will hose that key, sticking it "on" perpetually and may destroy the carbon buttons that make contact when you press the key otherwise.
6. Now agitate gently for a few minutes (5 or so) to insure that the clean water gets everywhere the dirty water did.
7. Fill the second container with NEW distilled water, and transfer the parts from the first to the second. Discard the water in the first.
8. Go back and forth like this AT LEAST TEN TIMES, with a change of NEW distilled water each time. You are diluting any contaminent content by doing this, and getting it out of the phone before it solidifies and crystallizes - it is those salt/mineral crystals that cause shorts and corrosion. Pure (distilled) water has NO conductivity - its the impurities that conduct electricity. A minimum of ten changes is required to reduce the concentrations of ions in the water to neglible levels. Don't skimp here - distilled water is a buck a gallon - how much is your phone worth again?
9. Once you've done this, replace the water with rubbing alcohol. Again, perform several "flushes" with the isopropyl alcohol - at least three; more is better. Again, DO NOT permit the unit to come into the air any more than necessary to exchange it during this procedure. The alcohol carries off the water, and the alcohol itself will flash off, leaving nothing. Again, the alcohol is cheap - a buck a pint or less.
10. Take a towel and remove the pieces from the last isopropyl rinse. Tip (allow to run out) and blow free any remaining alcohol you can from the assembly. Place on the towel and direct the fan at it at reasonably close range. Turn the fan on high and move the parts occasionally so all sides and parts are exposed to the airstream to speed drying. This will require some time - as much as a few hours - BE PATIENT! If you used 70% alcohol significant WATER will remain (distilled though) which must also be evaporated quickly. DO NOT USE HEAT. Alcohol fumes are explosively flammable and using heat risks a flash-fire. Better is to let it dry under forced air for 24 hours before attempting to power it up.
11. When you are SURE its completely dry, attempt to power it up. If it doesn't act normally, you're probably screwed, as you either (1) didn't dry it completely, or (2) too much damage occurred.
Finally, be extremely careful with lithium ion batteries - which is what you find in most phones nowdays. Lithium ion batteries, if their case is compromised, are pyrolithic (that is, they ignite spontaneously!) on contact with atmospheric water vapor. Worse, water won't put out a lithium fire, and it burns hot enough to go through solid plate steel. A short in a lithium ion battery pack will almost always cause it to thermally run away and burst its case. There have been several recalls of notebook computer battery packs over incorrect assembly issues causing fires, and contamination from being dunked can do it as well. I would NOT use any lithium battery that got dunked, as the risk of it going up on you in your PANTS POCKET is not to be ignored. If it happens you will be very seriously injured, and if it happens in your home while on charge you'll have a dandy, and very hard-to-extinguish, fire. Go get a new battery or borrow a good one before trying to power up the device, and dispose of the old one properly (and before you do, keep it OUTSIDE away from anything that can burn!)
Anyway, thanks for making my thread famous -- didn't realize my thread eventually became a sticky here (it's a 2004 thread!).
I saw this topic on another site that shows how to fix a wet phone. I am not sure if this technique really works. Can someone tell me what this guy is saying is true or not.
Originally Posted by http://www.cellphonehacks.com/viewtopic.php?t=56666
I see alot of posts from people complaining about phones ruined after being wet. I have saved many pieces of electronic equipment this way (including a turntable that was underwater for a week and an R/C car when the batteries leaked on the board).
The electronics will not be harmed by the water. What WILL harm them is trying to turn them on while circuits are shorted by the water. So DON'T try to turn the phone on until you have done this.
Scientific fact: Pure water does not conduct electricity. It's the impurities in it that conduct. Salt is an excellent conductor, and so is saltwater. So if your phone got wet with saltwater or water with bleach or chlorine in it (ie.- municipal water... chlorine is a "salt"), the first thing to do is remove the battery and SIM card and immerse the phone in distilled water to get the salt out. Distilled water is available in any drugstore and most auto parts stores.
Not only is salt conductive, it's also corrosive and will eat up microcircuits, so this should be done ASAP. This also applies if the battery is overcharged and leaks inside the phone. Battery "juices" are conductive and even more corrosive than salt. You can leave the phone in the distilled water without any damage till you get the silicone or WD-40 for the next step.
You don't have to do the distilled water thing if your phone got wet in fresh water, but it wouldn't hurt just in case there were alot of minerals in the water. Second step is to get a big can of either electronics cleaner, Brake Kleen (available in auto parts stores), or WD-40. Electronics cleaner is pure liquid silicone, and it's the better choice (it won't leave a smell) but in a pinch WD-40 will work (but your phone will smell like it forever). Brake Kleen is a solvent that leaves no smell or residue. Turn the can upside down and push the button till all the pressure is out. Then take a can opener and pop the bottom of the can and pour the stuff in a bowl or something (you want some depth here, so use a small diameter bowl, and make sure you get a big can). Take the phone and put it in the silicone/WD-40 and turn it over and around in the stuff. You want to get the stuff through the whole inside of the phone so turn it in every possible position.
The silicone/WD will drive the water out of the phone, so you want to also turn it so the water can run out of the various openings (like the battery cover) It would be helpful to disassemble the phone as much as possible before doing this, but I realize most people don't have the tools to do it or are afraid to try it. This will work anyway. You may see beads of water at the bottom of the bowl when you are done doing this. That's the water that was in your phone. Leave the phone in the silicone/WD for about 15 minutes and then take it out and let it dry on some paper for about 24 hours. Then it's safe to put your battery back in and charge it.
If your SIM card got wet it's probably shot and you will have to get another one. If your network won't give you a new one, then see my post on how to unlock your phone for free, and get a different SIM for it. This post is under "Easy unlock courtesy of Motorola" in the Motorola message board.
That's all kiddies. And if you have to use this procedure, good luck and I hope it works for you.
I dont know if anybody will read this since this fourm has been made years ago and the last post was made months ago but anyway.
I accidentally left a bottle of apple juice open in my bag, and didn't realize my phone was in there too.
When I got home I left the battery out for a couple of hours but then turned it on again due to I was waiting for a important phone call.
I could tell the phone wasn't completely dried, because the pictures on the screen were different shades of color and sometimes when I pressed a key it wouldn't respond until 10 seconds later.
Anyways so I have been letting my phone dry for the whole night and when I turned it on again it seemed to work fine except the opening screen would freeze on the inside and the screen on the outside would contuine to show what time it is, etc.
I tried 2 more times and it would keep doing to the same thing and eventually turn on.
Now I thought it would be fine until I turned off my phone, then when I turned on my phone again the inside screen is completely black but the outside screen is dim.
xjonelle, I am unclear if your phone is now COMPLETELY dry or still damp. It sounds like you tried turinging it on a couple times and actually succeeded to some degree. This is critical because it will determine if your phone is "save-able". If your phone was soaked in apple juice (or any type of liquid for that matter), you need to IMMEDIATELY rinse the compents with distilled water and follow my previous instructions. That means opening up the battery pack, removing the battery, and taking off the faceplate, etc. If the phone has since dried without being rinsed, the chances of survival is very slim. The acid in juice (like salt water) will corrode the internal components even if all the external components look fine. If this is the case, your phone WILL eventually die even if it does work in the days immediately following the accident.
Hope this helps! Good luck and worse case scenario, you can pick up a used phone relatively cheap on ebay, craigslist, etc (unless you have a Sprint or Verizon phone - in that case, you'll have to spring for a new one).
I dont know if anybody will read this since this fourm has been made years ago and the last post was made months ago but anyway.
I accidentally left a bottle of apple juice open in my bag, and didn't realize my phone was in there too.
When I got home I left the battery out for a couple of hours but then turned it on again due to I was waiting for a important phone call.
I could tell the phone wasn't completely dried, because the pictures on the screen were different shades of color and sometimes when I pressed a key it wouldn't respond until 10 seconds later.
Anyways so I have been letting my phone dry for the whole night and when I turned it on again it seemed to work fine except the opening screen would freeze on the inside and the screen on the outside would contuine to show what time it is, etc.
I tried 2 more times and it would keep doing to the same thing and eventually turn on.
Now I thought it would be fine until I turned off my phone, then when I turned on my phone again the inside screen is completely black but the outside screen is dim.
xjonelle, I am unclear if your phone is now COMPLETELY dry or still damp. It sounds like you tried turinging it on a couple times and actually succeeded to some degree. This is critical because it will determine if your phone is "save-able". If your phone was soaked in apple juice (or any type of liquid for that matter), you need to IMMEDIATELY rinse the compents with distilled water and follow my previous instructions. That means opening up the battery pack, removing the battery, and taking off the faceplate, etc. If the phone has since dried without being rinsed, the chances of survival is very slim. The acid in juice (like salt water) will corrode the internal components even if all the external components look fine. If this is the case, your phone WILL eventually die even if it does work in the days immediately following the accident.
Hope this helps! Good luck and worse case scenario, you can pick up a used phone relatively cheap on ebay, craigslist, etc (unless you have a Sprint or Verizon phone - in that case, you'll have to spring for a new one).
I dropped my phone in the toilet and i pulled it out right away before it was even fully submerged. I let it dry out for awhile put the battery in. It comes on and works fine accept the battery wont keep a charge for long and the battery got really hot the other day and the battery went dead very quickly. It is a Lithium battery do you think i might need a new battery or is the phone shot? Also its a t629, on the battery it has a sticker with blue x's. I think thats the water damage inductor are they suppose to be red or blue?
I dropped my phone in the toilet and i pulled it out right away before it was even fully submerged. I let it dry out for awhile put the battery in. It comes on and works fine accept the battery wont keep a charge for long and the battery got really hot the other day and the battery went dead very quickly. It is a Lithium battery do you think i might need a new battery or is the phone shot? Also its a t629, on the battery it has a sticker with blue x's. I think thats the water damage inductor are they suppose to be red or blue?
Ok mate, Similar situation had been faced by me six months ago, When I was passing from a road there was a small pit with muddy water and as soon I tried to jump my mobile was in my pocket fall into that pit of muddy water after sometime I got it and cleaned it with wet towel I have taken the battery out for some hours then turned on my cell phone
My cell phone was completely dried but the problem arise was the display on the screen were having different shades of color and sometimes I wont reply for few seconds after starting it. Whatever but the main impact of it is on my screen and it seem my cell phone is not affected anymore because generally batteries are so sensitive rather than cell phones so ultimately I have to replace my battery and you know it really works fine. If you like I can suggest you some batteries which are available here say foreg. Nokia Battery BP-5L. Different varieties of batteries are available its upto you which is compatible with your cell phone, which are not easily damaged or reach at its worst in just single hurt. So you should replace your battery I am damn sure you will get the result. Ya sure there may be different type of symptoms for battery such as it may got hot in couple of minutes or sometimes responding quite good and sometimes very strangely.
One more thing if your SIM card got wet it's probably shot and you will have to get another one but there are only 5% chance for this.
just dropped my sony ericcson w200i in a glass of seven up. unbelievaby stupid I know but I was only waking up. i'm in a panic trying to take it apart. also i rinsed it quickly with water as the idea of the seven up inside worried me. the battery didn't get too wet as the phone was only about half immersed. any thoughts on its chances?
I washed it with distilled water and followed the instructions in this thread to a t. after four days of letting it dry it was fine. I'm glad I took the whole thing apart though as I found a lot of drops of water
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My LG8700 phone got wet a couple of hours ago. I brought into Verizon Wireless and they tried to turn phone on using another battery, but it wouldn't fully go on.
The tech service guy suggested leaving it for a day to dry it out, and then if the phone fully goes on he could test the circuits.I know I remember reading something about placing the phone in a bowl with rice, to dry out the phone, or is it better to leave it under a desk lamp?
Is there any hope for the phone?
I personally take the phone apart and use a toothbrush with some clear rubbing alcohol. It's worked many, many times for me. It cleans all the corrosion off, and evaporates quickly. After a good cleaning its dry in 20 mins, then I just fire it up. Sucks when liquid gets behind the LCD though. Its a huge pain taking apart an LCD to dry out the layers within.
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This is an excellent thread, with loads of great advice. I am a cell tech and when we get water damaged phones in the shop, we take them apart, spray liberaly with electronics cleaner (available at Radio Shack), scrub with a toothbrush, spray liberally again, then place the circut board into a food dehydrator. The fan and low heat dry out the board in about two hours. We have an 80% success rate with this method. IF the phone was exposed to salt water, or any thing sticky or "gunky" we rinse the board in tap water, dry with a soft towel (or in some cases where the shields on the board prevent good drying...compressed air at a low flow rate) then finish the process. Besides salt water, the item I have found to be VERY corrosive is any type of cola. You know, Pepsi, Coke, Dr. Pepper....any of the brown stuff. My best success in those cases is rinsing in luke warm water with a very mild soap, being sure all the soap is gone before proceeding.
We have had success reviving phones that have been frozen in puddles over night, at the bottom of a lake for hours, Diesel fuel, paint and paint thinner, cat pee, dog & human puke (ewww), Hot tub and pool accidents, shower & toilet accidents, dish water, and others that have been in car accidents with water, foam fire retardant and some blood. Yep, we use gloves! The message here is it doesn't matter what got the phone "wet" chances are it can be saved.
REMEMBER>>>take out the battery and DO NOT try to power it up! I know, its human nature to want to try!!
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Thanks, everyone here. This is all very useful information. I will point out, just as an amusing factoid, that there is yet another way to dry out a phone, and quickly, but it will take kinda unusual equipment. A vacuum chamber. Water is only liquid somewhere around standard atmospheric pressures, so if you've got something you can put it in that will take the air out, the phone will dry out nearly immediately.
The obvious disadvantatage to this method is that it's a false friend if the substance it got in is more than just water (salt water, juice, etc.). The water will leave but that won't. Still, if non-water stuff isn't a concern (say, if it just fell in tap water, which would conduct some electricity but probably wouldn't produce too much in the way of mineral deposits), and you're lucky enough to have a vac chamber nearby, then stick it in and go for it. It's probably your quickest option for getting the phone dry, and you wouldn't really even have to open up the phone. (do take the battery out, though.)
Don't know about batteries in vacuums or such things. Anyone else have any further input?
Originally Posted by kdenninger
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