[theplatypus]

Cellphones and saltwater don't mix. I was cleaning out the skimmer this morning and dropped my phone in the bucket. Time for a new phone.

 

[bucket brigade]

I'm a computer repair guy ....and people bring us electronic-stuff that got wet....all the time....laptops, pda's, palms, pagers, pc's, cellphones, cameras, etc.

I hope you didn't try to turn it on.

Even if you did... you can try the basics I've learned on cleaning-up wet electronics:

rule#1 = even if it is not turning-on doesn't mean its dead.... it can come back to life if all the water is evaporated....meaning that the tinnie-tiny electronic circuits are no longer being short-circuited from the presence of water.

Now.... You'll need to remove the battery and then look for all the screws that hold the casing together. You'll need a tiny philipshead screwdriver (sometimes called an "eyeglass screwdriver") and a small flathead screwdriver to PRY on the edges of the casing to UNSNAP plastic pieces.

If you can get down to the circuitboard..... pat-dry and let it all air-dry for 3 days. Dont use a hairdryer or you'll end up melting some small pieces....you'll also be forcing water into small nooks-n-crannies. Just let air-dry...dont even blow a fan on it. just let it sit in the open air.

After 3 days... wipe down the circuitboard gently with a soft cloth and enough rubbing alcohol to barely get the circuitboard wet-looking.... a very thin film....not very much at all. Rubbing alcohol will find the micro-nooks-n-crannies where the water may still be hiding and will dry it out when the alcohol dries...it displaces the water.

After alcohol dries for a couple of hours... put all back together and it has a 50/50 shot of working again.

If it doesnt work after all that.... then have some fun by taking out your frustration by beating it to a pulp with a hammer. That's always fun. Us repair guys like to show who's boss by beating the living heck out of things... I know... I'm in counseling/therapy... hehehe

Good luck

 

[BGJ223]

Well I know that after some friends tried to take off with out me on a houseboat (long story), my cell phone got a little wet. All I did was pull the battery right away and let it dry out for several days. It ended up working again for me.

 

[Wiskey]

That stinks, since it is Salt water the salt will be left behind when the water evaps, soaking it in RO/DI water might get the salt out, then when the water evaps it might work again.

HTH,
Whiskey

 

[Phishnoob]

An alcohol bath will evaporate the water and rinse off the crud. It is a regular process at work. I would not soak the whole phone but you can use it liberally on the circuit board and things like the contacts for the battery.

Try and get some decent Q tips (n0t the dollar for four hundred pack with furries) or borrow a make up applicator when the fair half is not looking.

 

[Wiskey]

Good point, I work for a high speed tester board MFG, and we take our $10,000 boards and submerge them in a bath of alcohol before shipping them out. We have a special oven to evap the alcohol though.

This is done in a macheen called the Zero Ion, after all the boards are washed in DI water. The Zero Ion macheen looks for any contamination left on the boards, if it passes that the boards are clean.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

BTW all the boards are fully assembled (all components mounted) before going through this process.

Whiskey

 

[afbengochea]

yeah alcohol is the best way to displace the water on the board. I had my cell phone while I was dropping a boat down a ramp. I slid down the ramp and wet the phone. I just took the battery off and when I got home I wiped it with alcohol and it turned out fine

 

[leveldrummer]

toss it in the dryer. that sucks man, sorry, but at least you can upgrade!

 

[jenajet]

yep mine went swimming with me for about 30 minutes before realizing what happened. Took the battery off. Waited a couple of days and it worked. It got where people couldn't hear me tho so I then opened it up and used alcohol and qtip cleaned it off and it started working again.

 

[Loverotties]

Take the battery off and open it up as much as you can (even the body!)and let dry.If not they do make waterproof ones!

 

[theplatypus]

Thanks for the help everyone. I just bit the bullet and picked up a new razr. The other one was old as the hills anyway.

 

[whatevva]

Ok, so if it falls into SALT water, we CAN do a fresh water dip. How long, 60 seconds????

 

[Hardhead Cat]

I've not dropped my cellphone in the saltwater but have dropped my pager in the sw buckets at least twice. I take it apart as much as I can, put it in the oven at 100 degrees for several hours. So far, so good, it still works! But it keeps wanting to go in the reef tank (smile).....

HHC

 

[ChrisPrusha]

Can you hear me now?

 

[bucket brigade]

Thanks for the help everyone. I just bit the bullet and picked up a new razr. The other one was old as the hills anyway.

i'm bummed you didnt try my method...oh well

 

[three90s&125sump]

I was hoping this thread was about pirates.:doh:

We use a nonconductive liquid solvent to clean all of our electrical supplies with out having to turn them off here. It is called tek-u-solv 2. very good stuff. Works better than DD7.

 

[theplatypus]

i'm bummed you didnt try my method...oh well

I didn't get your pm until several hours after buying the new phone.