Unfortunately, every day there are many phones end up submerged in water, either in a pool, in the sea or just in a toilet, which in most cases (except with some resistance) results in a terminal it stops working properly or permanently becomes a paperweight at the time or within days.
And surely, many of you who are reading this have heard of the most common to try to remove moisture from a mobile solution soak it for hours on rice. But the fact is that rice is not the only alternative , so then we will review the good practice when trying to get a mobile survive a dip, in addition to any repairs or effects on warranty terminal.
Lifeguard myth rice
On countless occasions we have read or someone has told us to put the freshly dipped in rice and leave it that way for 48 hours the device has saved a final goodbye phone. Rice is known to be absorbent, in fact wet use to save phone seems a remedy that through word of mouth transmitted.
If we look at the network, the first to speak of rice as a solution to recover wet phone was a reporter for the Washington Post, who had back in 2007 how he got his BlackBerry reliving after a bath (accidental) have been given. The same year, in the forums of MacRumors was already advising the use of rice to recover wet devices, although the palm takes a user of Yahoo Answers and in 2000 recommended to another user put rice a Nokia 5130 for save after a dip.
Image Source: Google Image
Now, if the myth of rice has come this far is because it is simply absorbing more hand we have in case of an accident (mobile freshly wet). The sand cat (of silica beads), oatmeal or silica gel (those bags that are in many cases) are also strong absorbent, which we may well sink a phone wet to try to revive, but like having rice by hand is more common, the cereal is what has been title.
There are some studies that have attempted to shed more light on the effectiveness of rice or other options. For example, in the case of Gazelle they tried to put wet sponges in different materials and the result was that in addition to not deliver results rice, left outdoors sponge was more effective than any material. Likewise, we doubt exactly the same thing happened in the case of wet phone, since a sponge is certainly not what most resembles a mobile.
Another study conducted by DTJ Consulting would also call into question the effectiveness of rice. Using a simulation came to the conclusion that it had reached Gazelle, to leave the mobile air drying was even more effective than the use of rice, although none of the options was very effective. Of course, this study was funded by TekDry, a company that is dedicated precisely to recover wet phones using their own machines.
Similarly, all absorbers have a limited effect at the time of a possible resurrection of a wet phone. If immersion is too long or in salt water, the occurrence of corrosion is more than likely, and that no absorbent fix it. Anyway, it never hurts to try reviving a wet phone, following the steps described below.
So what I can do if I have wet mobile?
Once a non – water – resistant smartphone has touched it, it is very important to follow a series of steps to prevent further damage and try that accident does not become the final farewell of our device. The first thing is obviously out of the water as soon as the phone because the longer you remain submerged, the farther the water and the greater the damage.
After that, the bottom line is off the mobile, to avoid short circuits that worsen the situation. Because of possible damage, sometimes use the conventional way to turn it off it may be impossible, so the simplest thing is to resort to remove the battery (if it is removable) or press and hold the power button and hold for several seconds the button power and iPhones Home in order to force shutdown.
Once this is done, it’s time to separate all possible pieces of phone (batteries, cards, trays …) to facilitate easier drying. Once exploded, touch dry all components to the fullest. For this we use a towel but never a dryer, because what we can achieve with it is that the water is further introduced inside the phone.
Here we must make a very important point: if the mobile is dropped in salt water, the salt will make a corrosive effect immediately if not eliminated properly. To this end, it is appropriate to clean all components of the mobile with a brush dipped in isopropyl alcohol, which helps to remove any remaining salt.
After removal and drying the terminal comes the moment of patience. Whether in rice, sand cat, oatmeal or silica gel, we must immerse the wet phone for 48 hours in some of these options. Two days during which it is best not to fool around the phone, so that the absorbent we use to do its job.
After those two days is the time when reassembling the pieces and cross your fingers arrives. Despite having retired mobile within seconds of water and have followed all the steps above, no one can guarantee that the result is positive, as much as it Let’s dry, if corrosion has been present little we can do.
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Is there any other solution?
Beyond trying to find the solution on our own, there are several companies that claim to have different methods by which to retrieve a mobile wet. One is the Spanish Waterrevive, which sells a bag of blue liquid in which meter mobile for seven minutes to remove moisture. Still, the liquid compound is unknown and its creators admit that their “chemical product is not magic.”
Other companies have machines that promise to remove all the water from inside a phone in just 30 minutes. That is the case TekDry, although the details of how the “miracle” works are scarce. Simply ensure that through a combination of low pressure, controlled heat and grains created by them create a safe environment to remove 100% of the liquid.
Similarly, there is no solution that can work miracles. Everything depends on how long the phone has been immersed, the type of water and how long it takes us to attempt resuscitation. If there has been a short circuit or if corrosion has been present, and we can use any drying method, which we are doomed to a costly repair or directly to need a new phone.
Goodbye warranty
If after trying all you’ve accomplished that mobile survive you will face one last problem: the manufacturer’s warranty is no longer valid. All phone has inside a snitch shaped sticker that changes color if the phone is wet, and that’s the first thing you look at any official SAT smartphone to receive repair. If the informer is active no matter what the breakdown, the refuse service warranty repair.
The last option left after trying everything is pay for a repair, but most likely is that it is not profitable. If a mobile is not working properly after being wet it is usual that the same main board of the device shows corrosion or short circuits, which can only be solved with the replacement of the affected parts, the cost can get close to the price of a new mobile .
Now, we can always find price disparity in repairs, according to which service let us go, but as often, the cheap can be expensive. Besides an unofficial service it is rare that can repair the main board of a phone, if unofficial repair parts used can be facing a short – term workaround only make us lose time and money.
The only solution, prior to an accident that we take our mobile to accidental dip is to have a good insurance contract. Allow various establishments and websites in exchange for a periodic fee secure phone against liquids being repaired or replaced if the device reach the accident. Now, you should read all the fine print, because we can find cases where all liquids are not filled, which have to pay a franchise or even the fault not remain completely covered.