If you’ve dropped your cell phone in water, or just gotten it wet, then you’ll want to make sure you follow a series of steps to ensure it will continue to operate.
Remove the phone from the water source
If you are able to quickly remove the phone from the water, then you’re likely to be able to restore it. Most phones have a tight, sealed outside layer that will help keep out water for a short period of time. The key is avoiding contact between the water and the phones electronic components while they are powered by the cell phones battery.
Begin to dry the phone and remove accessories
You should quickly work to get rid of the excess water by draining the phone and then using a towel to clean off external moisture. Resist the temptation to use a hair dryer on the internal components, as this may cause damage to the circuitry, even at a low temperature. Instead, you need to use a suction source such as a vacuum, but be careful to keep it out of direct contact, otherwise static electricity might come into play. Once you have removed the water that you can directly, you should use a dessicate to absorb water on the phone.
Allow the Phone to Dry and Test It
After you have following the aforementioned steps, allow the phone to dry naturally dry. After 24 hours you should test its operation. If it’s still not working, you should visit your cellular carrier store to see if they can help replace or restore the phone.
This guest post was written by Stanley Richardson, who is an expert on cell phones. Stanley can be reached by combining his full name and adding [at] cellphones.org
12-13-2008 14:04:39
The article alludes to the problem with batteries, but the FIRST thing you should do after towel drying is remove the battery. Without power, you can totally avoid damage if you wait for the unit to dry.
12-16-2008 18:25:42
Ok,
So to start with, this article is not how you should dry off a cell phone. He may be a cell phone expert, but he did not put a lot of thought into this when he wrote it and I’ll give the real way to do this with a chance to recover your phone.
So, why will his NOT work?
1. Do not, repeat, DO NOT try to suck water from any device with a vacuum cleaner that is not designed to suck water. What where you thinking? This could cause a fire hazard, and could electrocute you! Only use a “wet/dry vac to do this as it is designed to work with wet liquids”
2. You have to pull the battery first thing!!! Not in a few min, but the sec you pull the device from the water. This will help prevent shorting of the device.
3. Letting a phone or any other device like it sit and dry on it’s own will cause corrosion of the electronic and at that point, you should get a new one.
So, how do you recover a wet cell phone? This is your best bet. Oh, and how do I know what I’m talking about? I have re-coved high tech electronics that have been submersed in water about a hundred times and I work with R/C subs and boats modified with things like cameras and other high tech electronics that are designed to sink and be recovered, and as much as you like to try, you can’t always keep it water proof. Note: I have only lost two items I could not get to work again out of about 100 + sinks.
So on to the recovery:
1. Remove the power ASAP. Pull that Battery!!!
2. Pull the sim card “if you have one!”
3. Pour rubbing alcohol in to the device. Fill it or submerse the device in a bowl full of the alcohol and try to get out all the bubbles. Why rubbing alcohol? The alcohol displaces the water from the circuit boards.
4. Soak the phone for just a few seconds to get it all in there. Now take the device and drain the alcohol from it. Shake it a bit to get as much of the liquid out as you can. You can also use air in a can to gently blow it out.
5. Alcohol will evaporate on it’s own in a short amount of time. I often will continue to shake the item and inspect it to make sure it is dry. Note, sometimes you will have liquid in the LCD and this can be tricky trying to get it out, if the alcohol can displace it, it will help.
6. Let sit for several hours to make sure it is very dry.
7. Put the battery back in and see what happens. I have on my own recovered several phones for friends this way but this will only work, if it is done right after you pull the phone from the water. If you wait, corrosion will set in and the phone is most likely done fore.
So, will this work every time? Nope. But it is your best bet to save that phone.
Hope this helps some of you out there. Feel free to email me if you have any questions. you can reach me at rob@kg6ska.com
Rob.
3-6-2009 05:43:33
One important point (at least) has not been mentioned - What to do if the phone has been dropped in the sea.
If this has happened, wash the phone in lots of fresh water as quickly as possible. As with removing the battery, every second counts. And if you have access to distilled or de-ionised water, give it a final wash in that.
Do all the above before using rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit in the UK). Note that ethanol (ethyl alcohol) versions will be more effective at removing water than isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) versions.
Salt water has two nasty properties as far as your phone is concerned. It conducts electricity far better than fresh, (remember that even with the battery removed, there’s still a chance of residual charge in capacitors), and it corrodes metals vastly more efficiently.
Also note that even if your phone seems to be working perfectly after cleaning and drying, the various buttons are likely to have a reduced life.
Regards,
Mycroft.
4-14-2009 20:47:50
Mycroft said:
“One important point (at least) has not been mentioned - What to do if the phone has been dropped in the sea.
If this has happened, wash the phone in lots of fresh water as quickly as possible. As with removing the battery, every second counts. And if you have access to distilled or de-ionised water, give it a final wash in that.”
*** It is never a good idea to wash an electronic component in any kind of water, even if it has been submersed in water with high salt content ***
Using rubbing alcohol is a very effective way to clean electronic components due to it’s quick evapouration. However, heed caution when using rubbing alcohol as it is sold in various proportionalities (the amount of water and the amount of alcohol).
***ASTRAL TECH’S RECOMMENDATION***
Step 1. Stock 90%, 99% or if available 100% isopropyl or similar alcohol before the incident occurs
Step 2. Remove device (cell phone)from from liquid (water,juice,etc) as soon as possible.
Step 3. Disconnect the battery (nevermind turning it off if it is still on)
Step 3. Remove any type of data cards (SIM, MICRO SD, ETC)
Step 4. vigorously shake excess water out of cell phone then place cell phone (open) into alcohol bath, let stand thirty seconds.
Step 5. dip data cards and battery in bath quickly, then massage contacts with a q-tip dipped in the bath, set to air dry
Step 6. After cell phone is removed, massage battery contacts with q-tip dipped in the bath, then shake vigerously to remove excess liquid. Let stand for 60 seconds.
Step 7. Place cell phone into bath again and swish it around in the liquid vigorously for 30 seconds to insure penetration to the IC’s where water may have gotten into.
Step 8. Remove cell phone from bath and shake excess liquid out. disassemble as much of the cell phone as you feel comfortable to insure proper drying.
Step 9. Allow to completely dry. place cell phone in an open container on top of paper towel, with deccicant underneath - let stand for 24-48 hours
Step 10. Replace the battery and pray!
If you follow these steps your cell phone should work fine.
**CAUTION**
It is important that you use 90% or better due to the fact that the liquid will have only a 10% conductivity in proportion to the entire composition of the solution. Due to this fact, it is possible that some of the solution will remain inside the circuitry of the device and may cause a short circuit. Please use as close to 100% alcohol as you can as 100% alcohol (saphire water) has no conductivity.
**DISCLAIMER**
tech-faq.com (including but not limited to it’s owners, employees, affiliates, etc) nor Astral Tech (also known as, but not limited to, the poster of this comment) are not responsible for any damages that may occur while attempting to follow these instructions to save a cellphone or other electronic device. When it comes to electronics, keep them safe from liquid, heat, and other electrical components or atmospheres.
6-18-2009 15:15:02
All of the things mentioned above are ok ways and facts about drying out a cell phone that has gotten wet. One other thing that can be done and will illiminate the chance of ruining the phone altogether or a vaccum cleaner, just get you a moderate sized bowl, depending on the size of the phone, fill it with dry rice. Drop the phone in the bowl of rice and completely cover the phone. Leave it in the rice and let the rice absorb all the moisture out of it. Easy and less expensive than a new cell phone or vaccum cleaner.