Remove The Phone From The Water The first step is to
remove the phone from the water as soon as possible. The less time the
phone spends submerged, the greater chance it has of being saved. The
plastic covers that come with cell phones do provide some protection,
but it takes a mere twenty seconds or less for water to get through
these barriers and start causing damage to your phone.
Once you
pull the phone from the water, remove the battery immediately. Cutting
power is a crucial step when attempting to save a wet cell phone. There
are many circuits inside cell phones that can survive getting wet, but
only if they are not attached to a power source.
If your cell
phone comes with a SIM card, remove it promptly. Do not heat the card,
simply pat it dry with a soft towel, and put it aside until the rest of
your phone is dry and back to working order. The good news is that SIM
cards recover well from water damage. If for some reason, your phone
doesn't survive the accident but the SIM card does, there are plenty of
places that
sell unlocked cell phones. Simply place your SIM chip into the new phone and go.
Salt Water Accident Please
take note; if your phone was submerged in salt water, you must rinse it
in fresh water before the drying process begins. Even after the phone
is dry, crystals can form and continue to cause damage and erosion.
Let Your Phone Dry The next step you must take to
save a wet cell phone is to allow the phone to dry. A great method in
providing an optimum drying environment is to set the phone on the vent
found on the back of a television set or cable box. The low heat emitted
will gently dry your cell phone. Another trick to help speed drying is
to place the phone in a bowl of dry rice. This will help draw out the
moisture. You can also try placing the phone in a plastic baggie with a
few silica packs that come in purchases such as shoes and electronics.
Silica, like rice, absorbs moisture.
The important part of the
drying process is to place the phone uncovered, in a warm, dry place and
allow the moisture to evaporate completely. Another alternative is to
place the phone on an air conditioner. The cold air will not damage the
phone and the air from an air conditioner is very dry allowing the water
to evaporate quickly.
Drying should take approximately three
days at which time you can check to make sure the phone is clean and
dry. It is at this time that you can re attach the battery and check if
the phone works. If it doesn't, wait a few more days and try again. If
the phone still doesn't work, take it to your local dealer, they may be
able to repair it. Be prepared; getting a cell phone wet will void your
warranty and most cell phones are equipped with a water damage indicator
so the dealer will know the phone has been H2O compromised.
Alternative Drying Methods There
is an alternative way to save a wet cell phone that includes an alcohol
soak. Alcohol is hygroscopic which means that it attracts water.
Soaking your phone in denatured alcohol, or a 95% alcohol solution
(regular rubbing alcohol is about 75%), soaks up all the water in the
phone. When the liquid is dumped out, only alcohol, which will
evaporate, remains. Make sure that the alcohol you use is denatured with
only methanol as the chemicals found in other types can be damaging.
This kind of alcohol can be purchased at your local hardware store. The
alcohol soak may work best for phones that have been damaged by salt
water or other liquids such as coffee.
Battery Caution When
attempting to save a wet cell phone, make sure you do not heat the
battery as it could leak or even explode. Lithium-ion batteries are
especially sensitive. In addition, many cell phones have plastic parts
that can melt. Above all, do not try to save a wet cell phone by placing
it in a microwave. You will destroy the electronic components and
possibly the microwave in the process.
The above steps will help
to save a wet cell phone, but be prepared. Often the phone will survive
but the battery will not and the purchase of a new one may be in order.
Good Luck!
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