Oh noooo.......

**TurboKittie** · 14th January 12, 05:00 PM

For about 7 years now, we've had three cell phones in the house, and I have always been really good with them.

Until today. I washed my pleather motorcycle jacket, and forget my own cellphone was still in the pocket.

It's pretty soaked, with water in the screen. Looks like a water toy

I took out the battery and have all the parts resting a bowl of rice, hoping that might draw out the moisture.

Anyone else do something like this? What method(s) did you try to save it? What was the outcome? (I really like this phone, I got last year for Mother's Day and it's a fake Blackberry)

**Father Bill** · 14th January 12, 05:02 PM

hairdryer on low heat. Go for it!

**Dangerdean** · 14th January 12, 05:12 PM

I've heard excellent things about the rice treatment, but I'd stick the whole thing surrounded by rice in a sealed ziplock for a few days.

**TurboKittie** · 14th January 12, 05:21 PM

It's completely submerged in rice, with battery right next to it in the rice, but in a sealed tupperware bowl rather than a bag.

A few friends are telling me to leave it the way it is for 72 hours

**CameronCat** · 14th January 12, 05:58 PM

Good luck with it! Here are some guidelines I've learned for such occurrences:

1) If the phone was off when it hit the water, you may be OK after it dries out. If the phone was powered up when it got immersed, your chances diminish exponentially. However, newer phones are built more ruggedly so maybe, just maybe, yours will recover.

2) The key is to dry the unit completely, totally, 101%, and then some more. The slightest bit of water will cause a short and your telephone becomes a wee doorstop. 72 hours isn't even a beginning...think a week or so. The rice will absorb some, but not all of the moisture. Airflow is also helpful. Resist temptation to heat it above room temp, too.
[I had a friend who thought he could dry his fallen phone in a 200 deg oven. Trust me when I say it didn't work, either the plan (first) or the phone (later.) But the LCD display showed some wonderful colors...]

3) If the phone does come back, remember to check every function you know how to use. It may now ring, but not show the calling number. Maybe you lost all your addresses. Maybe you can talk on it but not hear. Electromagical things are funny that way and you never know what's gone for keeps until you don't find it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

**madmacs** · 14th January 12, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

hairdryer on low heat. Go for it!

When I was working in the IT industry a few years ago, my manager suggested using a hairdryer to raise the temp of servers being brought in from the cold vans for replacement. He thought it would eliminate moisture... I dont think he was happy when i suggested it might introduce static...

Of course in turbokittie's case... If it's broken you arent going to fry it... Pull the sim chip and you'll probably get lucky with it just drying... Might want to see if you can find any packets of silica dessicate too

**Cowher** · 14th January 12, 06:45 PM

I was having one of those bad weeks this last summer and when my phone alarm sounded I picked it up and put it on a 5 minute delay and put it back down. IN A GLASS OF WATER!!!! I woke up a hour later wondering why I felt so rested and realized what I had done.

Don't try to power it on put it in instant rice and leave it for a dew days. Maybe it will work. That's what I did and I'm using that phone now to type this post.
Good luck!

**TurboKittie** · 14th January 12, 06:56 PM

Phone is a virgin (teehee - got so I can say that I use virgin) hence no sim card. Which has it's good and bad points.

I might consider trying a hair dryer, but not yet.

The phone wasn't turned off when it hit the water, but it was locked and dark to conserve battery. When I was trying to pull the battery, the screen did try to light up on me, so we shall see.

**ForresterModern** · 14th January 12, 08:09 PM

I had both my personal iPhone 4 and my work Blackberry Storm in my shorts while test driving a kayak last summer, when I got swamped by the enormous and very inconsiderate wake from a passing speed boat. iPhone did fine, just shook it out a bit to get the water off the outside and no problems. Good thing it was a Saturday and I did not need my work phone til Monday, because it was down for the count. I pulled the battery and cover and set it on the window sill where it would be exposed to both the sun's warming rays and the adjacent air conditioner vent output, and when I put it all back together again Sunday night to charge it up for Monday it booted up fine, charged fine, and has worked without problem since. Just lucky I guess.
My leather wallet was a another story, however.