Wet Cell Phone :P - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ChasingAmy · 04-18-2004, 09:14 AM

Well I was at a hot tub party last night and got my cell phone wet and it doesnt want to power on. Is my phone hooched or what? I have warranty on it still do you think I can get it replaced? :P I am an asshat for getting it wet but whats done it done.

Anyone else do this and get the phone to work?

TIA,

Later.

Scorpion23 · 04-18-2004, 10:14 AM

The best thing to do is take the battery out as soon as possible.

After drying the battery break the phone down as far as it will go. Take off the covers, etc. Then rinse all the parts in distilled water and let air dry in a warm spot. When everything is bone dry put it back together and see if it works.

Electronics are a lot more durable than most people think. Especially with low voltage applications like cellphones, gps receivers, etc. The largest point of damage is the battery, so dry it as soon as possible. But never with direct heat! Air dry only for all components.

BTW, yes I have done this before and it did work afterward.

ChasingAmy · 04-18-2004, 10:40 AM

Danke! Will try.

AngelicVampire · 04-18-2004, 11:30 AM

Otherwise it is messed up, and no manufacturer or company will give you a replacement... however if you whine enough and complain then talk to their customer services department then they are kind of likely to give you a replacement...

ChasingAmy · 04-18-2004, 05:16 PM

The phone works, I think the battery is messed up though. Wont hold a charge. The phone works when plug into the charger, and the phone says it charges in like 1 min lol. But take it off the base and it stops working.

oh well, at least its only the battery.

Thanks guys!

ChasingAmy · 04-22-2004, 04:29 PM

*Update*

Phone works! Lucky bastid I am! Later Guys.

Cycler · 04-26-2004, 08:45 PM

Been there done that twice. I found that the drier really does them in. My last on survived the washing machine with no ill effects after it was dried.

tater227 · 01-10-2007, 07:32 PM

yaah so my boyfriend and i were messin around and his mountain dew spilt allll over my kyocera slider remix i just got in october! at first it went crazy and was acting like i pushed a whole bunch of buttons then everything worked but the 'end' button.. now it will shut off and since i can't use the 'end' button i have to take out the battery and when i put it back in it turns on then off again. i'm very sad and if anyone knows what to do help me out!

later.

noodle · 01-13-2007, 08:40 AM

I dropped one in the toilet at Pier 39 in San Francisco and pulled the entire thing apart (sim card, key pad, and all). Let it dry for about 4 hours, put it back together and it worked fine. Yes, the toilet was empty and clean, it was around 9 am and the water was still blue.

Gave it to my boyfriend and he used it for another 6 months.

A year later he went entirely into the hot tub at a party with his razor and after just letting it dry with the battery out, it still shuts off occasionally with no warning when it's just sitting there.

My advice... pull the WHOLE thing apart, every single piece you can get separated, let it dry in open air (Don't use heat or a blowdryer... it screws up the electronics), and wait a few hours until it is completely dry, then turn on and charge fully. That's the only way I've gotten them to survive. Yay for TMobile!

pig · 01-13-2007, 08:56 AM

well, maybe el pigglet is just one lucky bastard, but about a year ago i was stumbling around, [i]allegedly[/b] drunk at the time, when i dropped my cell phone into the toilet. i just took the whole thing, sans battery, and put it in the oven at low temp. let stand for a few hours, turned 'er on, and it worked for another year. i've also had it on top of an oven that was left on at 250 over night. it wasn't in the oven, but was quite warm the next morning.

actinic · 01-17-2007, 02:18 PM

I've dropped many a cell phone in freshwater aquariums/ponds and they come out fine 75% of the time. In marine aquariums...20% after FW rince followed by rubbing alcohol and lots of fanning...LMAO.

clavus · 01-17-2007, 03:02 PM

tater - take it apart, and try air drying it as discussed above. If it still doesn't work, you know what I'd try? Remove the battery and soak the phone in distilled water. Seriously. Disolve all that sugar and crap that may be gumming it up. What do you have to lose?

But leave the battery out of the water.

My mom inadvertantly laundered her phone. I think it was the spin cycle that did it in.

Sharon · 01-20-2007, 07:57 PM

Very useful info, will remember if this ever happens to me.

Supple Cow · 01-20-2007, 08:20 PM

I read a wiki how-to article about this and all this advice about the distilled water and air-drying is true, but you should let it dry for a couple of days, not just hours. The reason ChasingAmy's probably didn't work properly at first was because it wasn't utterly devoid of moisture yet. That seems to be key.

I dumped half a bottle of water right into my laptop once... the screen looked like lava was pouring down it as it made this scary meltdown sound and died. I just unplugged it and turned that puppy upside down over a towel for 3 days. Plugged her back in and she was good as new.

Sharon · 01-20-2007, 08:22 PM

A dehumidifier may be a good investment if you are a regular offender!

emoevo · 06-13-2011, 07:01 PM

I work with the alcohol cleaning of the "drowned" phones the time. Salt water is the real enemy, along with sticky pop type drinks. As long and you can clean it off AND it dries out you can usually save them. If not, get a new battery before you go to the expense of a new phone!

04-18-2004, 09:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
ChasingAmy Single :) FFA Location: Prince George, British Columbia	Wet Cell Phone :P Well I was at a hot tub party last night and got my cell phone wet and it doesnt want to power on. Is my phone hooched or what? I have warranty on it still do you think I can get it replaced? :P I am an asshat for getting it wet but whats done it done. Anyone else do this and get the phone to work? TIA, Later. __________________ Don't you know about the bird?

04-18-2004, 10:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	The best thing to do is take the battery out as soon as possible. After drying the battery break the phone down as far as it will go. Take off the covers, etc. Then rinse all the parts in distilled water and let air dry in a warm spot. When everything is bone dry put it back together and see if it works. Electronics are a lot more durable than most people think. Especially with low voltage applications like cellphones, gps receivers, etc. The largest point of damage is the battery, so dry it as soon as possible. But never with direct heat! Air dry only for all components. BTW, yes I have done this before and it did work afterward. __________________ "Empirically observed covariation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for causality" - Edward Tufte

04-18-2004, 10:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
ChasingAmy Single :) FFA Location: Prince George, British Columbia	Danke! Will try. __________________ Don't you know about the bird?

04-18-2004, 05:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
ChasingAmy Single :) FFA Location: Prince George, British Columbia	The phone works, I think the battery is messed up though. Wont hold a charge. The phone works when plug into the charger, and the phone says it charges in like 1 min lol. But take it off the base and it stops working. oh well, at least its only the battery. Thanks guys! __________________ Don't you know about the bird?

04-22-2004, 04:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
ChasingAmy Single :) FFA Location: Prince George, British Columbia	Update Phone works! Lucky bastid I am! Later Guys. __________________ Don't you know about the bird?

04-18-2004, 11:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
AngelicVampire Insane	Otherwise it is messed up, and no manufacturer or company will give you a replacement... however if you whine enough and complain then talk to their customer services department then they are kind of likely to give you a replacement...

04-26-2004, 08:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Cycler Float on.... Alright Location: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains, i.e. Oklahoma	Been there done that twice. I found that the drier really does them in. My last on survived the washing machine with no ill effects after it was dried. __________________ "I'm not even supposed to be here today." "I assure you we're open."

01-10-2007, 07:32 PM	#8 (permalink)
tater227 Upright	spilled dew on my phone :( yaah so my boyfriend and i were messin around and his mountain dew spilt allll over my kyocera slider remix i just got in october! at first it went crazy and was acting like i pushed a whole bunch of buttons then everything worked but the 'end' button.. now it will shut off and since i can't use the 'end' button i have to take out the battery and when i put it back in it turns on then off again. i'm very sad and if anyone knows what to do help me out! later.

01-13-2007, 08:56 AM	#10 (permalink)
pig pigglet pigglet Location: Locash	well, maybe el pigglet is just one lucky bastard, but about a year ago i was stumbling around, [i]allegedly[/b] drunk at the time, when i dropped my cell phone into the toilet. i just took the whole thing, sans battery, and put it in the oven at low temp. let stand for a few hours, turned 'er on, and it worked for another year. i've also had it on top of an oven that was left on at 250 over night. it wasn't in the oven, but was quite warm the next morning. __________________ You don't love me, you just love my piggy style

01-17-2007, 02:18 PM	#11 (permalink)
actinic Crazy Location: Toronto, ON	I've dropped many a cell phone in freshwater aquariums/ponds and they come out fine 75% of the time. In marine aquariums...20% after FW rince followed by rubbing alcohol and lots of fanning...LMAO.

01-17-2007, 03:02 PM	#12 (permalink)
clavus pow! Location: NorCal	tater - take it apart, and try air drying it as discussed above. If it still doesn't work, you know what I'd try? Remove the battery and soak the phone in distilled water. Seriously. Disolve all that sugar and crap that may be gumming it up. What do you have to lose? But leave the battery out of the water. My mom inadvertantly laundered her phone. I think it was the spin cycle that did it in. __________________ Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free.

01-20-2007, 07:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
Sharon Coy, sultry and... naughty! Location: Across the way	Very useful info, will remember if this ever happens to me.

01-20-2007, 08:20 PM	#14 (permalink)
Supple Cow Americow, the Beautiful Location: Washington, D.C.	I read a wiki how-to article about this and all this advice about the distilled water and air-drying is true, but you should let it dry for a couple of days, not just hours. The reason ChasingAmy's probably didn't work properly at first was because it wasn't utterly devoid of moisture yet. That seems to be key. I dumped half a bottle of water right into my laptop once... the screen looked like lava was pouring down it as it made this scary meltdown sound and died. I just unplugged it and turned that puppy upside down over a towel for 3 days. Plugged her back in and she was good as new. __________________ "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." (Michael Jordan)

01-20-2007, 08:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
Sharon Coy, sultry and... naughty! Location: Across the way	A dehumidifier may be a good investment if you are a regular offender!

06-13-2011, 07:01 PM	#16 (permalink)
emoevo Upright	I work with the alcohol cleaning of the "drowned" phones the time. Salt water is the real enemy, along with sticky pop type drinks. As long and you can clean it off AND it dries out you can usually save them. If not, get a new battery before you go to the expense of a new phone! __________________ One day our cell tilted forum projects will be charged automatically with sound waves. Or is that even possible?