[Q] Question about water damage - T-Mobile, Samsung Galaxy SIII

So my GS3 fell into the toilet last night at about 3am (totally freaked out) and immediately broke it down and put it in rice. Took it out after about 6 hours and it turns on, but the screen doesn't really work. It'll flicker and I couldn't answer a call. Anyways, I'm wondering if T-MO's insurance (Asurion) will cover it? The store isn't open yet and I wanna know like, now lol. If not, does Samsung have a manufacturers warranty or something? If they both cover it, which will cost me less and get me another phone faster?

Well you going to have to pay around 130 if you got insurance. But dropping your phone is totally your fault so ain't no way around paying that money
Sent from T mobile galaxy s3 (24mbs down) 4g network

Rice doesn't work btw. Use 90 percent or more rubbing alcohol as that drives out water. My brother went swimming with his one phone and I put it in rubbing alcohol for like 30 minutes and dried it using a hair dryer and it worked perfectly. Rubbing alcohol is non conductive so it doesn't short anything out plus it dries insanely fast.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

elesbb said:
Rice doesn't work btw. Use 90 percent or more rubbing alcohol as that drives out water. My brother went swimming with his one phone and I put it in rubbing alcohol for like 30 minutes and dried it using a hair dryer and it worked perfectly. Rubbing alcohol is non conductive so it doesn't short anything out plus it dries insanely fast.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had a lot of luck with both, but when I use rice I don't take it out after only six hours.. it's more of a twelve hour deal.

I used rice every time once swimming and once after the phone went into the washer with my pants.
And to clear up the blow dryer best not to put on any heat cause that may cause damage to the phone... so I've read.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

mt3g said:
I used rice every time once swimming and once after the phone went into the washer with my pants.
And to clear up the blow dryer best not to put on any heat cause that may cause damage to the phone... so I've read.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, if you are using a blow dryer use "low" or "cool" as the setting.

I put in a claim and paid $130 for a replacement. Should arrive today. I put it back in the rice for another 12 hours or so and it works. It's not perfect, but it works pretty well. So far I've had a couple random reboots, the sounds chops up every once in a while (only notifications so far, not video/music/calls) and the flash usually flashes real quick when opening the camera app and sometimes instagram. If anyone is interested in buying it, let me know. T-Mo, blue, 16gb

beanboi said:
I put in a claim and paid $130 for a replacement. Should arrive today. I put it back in the rice for another 12 hours or so and it works. It's not perfect, but it works pretty well. So far I've had a couple random reboots, the sounds chops up every once in a while (only notifications so far, not video/music/calls) and the flash usually flashes real quick when opening the camera app and sometimes instagram. If anyone is interested in buying it, let me know. T-Mo, blue, 16gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will be blacklisted since you filed a claim.
Sent from my SGH-T999

You could part it out though. Digitizer, glass, Motherboard/USB, battery back for that guy the other day complaining about his.
Easily get back your $130 just by selling digitizer and glass.
Also, I've used distilled H2O as it is less corrosive. But since you got the new one, this is for anyone in the future that reads.

Woodrube said:
You could part it out though. Digitizer, glass, Motherboard/USB, battery back for that guy the other day complaining about his.
Easily get back your $130 just by selling digitizer and glass.
Also, I've used distilled H2O as it is less corrosive. But since you got the new one, this is for anyone in the future that reads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is also true. Most people are not aware you can separate the digitizer and the glass, so you can undercut everyone on eBay and still make a decent profit.
Sent from my SGH-T999

Woodrube said:
You could part it out though. Digitizer, glass, Motherboard/USB, battery back for that guy the other day complaining about his.
Easily get back your $130 just by selling digitizer and glass.
Also, I've used distilled H2O as it is less corrosive. But since you got the new one, this is for anyone in the future that reads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
joshnichols189 said:
This is also true. Most people are not aware you can separate the digitizer and the glass, so you can undercut everyone on eBay and still make a decent profit.
Sent from my SGH-T999
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet. How would I go about separating everything? Also, how much would each piece go for? And does anybody know of anyone that wants to buy these parts?

beanboi said:
Sweet. How would I go about separating everything? Also, how much would each piece go for? And does anybody know of anyone that wants to buy these parts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought that there was a teardown floating around here but it might be on one of the other SGS3 variants. Anyways, you could probably YouTube it and find out.
Only advice I could give would be to have a single drink/smoke/chant/whatever to get your nerves calm and have a delicate touch/ The digitizer is extremely important. I once bought a Vibrant from a guy (I needed the motherboard) who was a little heavy handed and cracked it top-to-bottom with almost no effort.
Just check Ebay for prices and unfortunately you can't sell it here on in the forums, but you can sell it in the MarketPlace, if you have all the pre-reqs.
Good luck.

Related

[Q] Screen dead spots after a dunk

I dunked my phone in water but rescued it quickly and dried it out. The phone mostly works except for two dead spots where the W and S keys are in portrait mode. (When I press each of these keys, they register either or both of the letters next to them on the keyboard.) I have the same problem whether using the stock or swype keyboard.
I will dry the phone out more, between uses to see if ridding the phone of any excess moisture helps.
Any ideas on the problem and solution?
I don't have TEP. Given that the phone is rooted and probably has wet damage indications, would Sprint repair the screen or digitizer if I paid the $35? The phone is five weeks old.
If not, would self-repair with a digitizer bought off the internet likely fix the problem? Or is the problem likely to be elsewhere upstream of the digitizer?
TIA
dynamicpda said:
I don't have TEP. Given that the phone is rooted and probably has wet damage indications, would Sprint repair the screen or digitizer if I paid the $35? The phone is five weeks old.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, they won't. Once it hits liquid, the store won't touch it at all.
entropism said:
No, they won't. Once it hits liquid, the store won't touch it at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I dried it a few hours more with the dessicant and the problem seems to have fixed itself. We'll see if it stays fixed.
dynamicpda said:
Thanks for the reply. I dried it a few hours more with the dessicant and the problem seems to have fixed itself. We'll see if it stays fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, these screens don't do too well with the least bit of water/moisture on them. As long as you dried it thoroughly you should be in the clear. Glad to hear it worked out
Taking a shower and streaming pandora not a good idea then?
Out of curiosity, where is the moisture indicator sticker on the Evo?
SolsticeZero said:
Out of curiosity, where is the moisture indicator sticker on the Evo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a few of them that I know of. One is on the battery, another on the back under the battery cover and a third buried somewhere in the phone.
dynamicpda said:
Thanks for the reply. I dried it a few hours more with the dessicant and the problem seems to have fixed itself. We'll see if it stays fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually, and I mean usually, these things are dried for a couple of days. With batteries pulled.
Get access to a real desiccator with something like Drierite, have them suck all the all air out with a water aspirator, and leave it in for a few hours.
That ought to do it.
I went Jet Skiing with my EVO a while back, and got it completely soaked. The phone went completely dead, so I took out the battery and let it dry. After drying in the sun for a while, I turned it on, and it was able to boot, but my entire screen was a different color with blotches of water marks. I tried drying it out in the sun some more, putting it in rice, you name it. Nothing worked, but it ended up fixing itself after a few days. The water marks just slowly went away, now it is completely back to normal. I hope its the same case with yours. My EVO has the OLED screen, not the Super LCD.
Has nobody here learned the "bag of rice" trick? Put a handful or two of dry rice into a ziplock bag. Take your battery out of your phone, leave the cover off and put all of it in the bag of rice. Leave it for 24 hours. It's worked for everyone I know almost every time.
Now, jetskiing with your phone might be a bit much, but it'll fix a phone dropped in a toilet and rescued fairly quickly.
The dead zone problem came back and now I have discovered it is a whole strip running up and down the length of the screen pass through the W and S keys in portrait mode; if I use the phone in landscape mode with the keyboard on that side, the whole lower strip of keys do not work. (The temp solution is the type in landscape on the other side.)
I drove to the market the moment it happened and got instant rice to dry it out in. Later I got Damp-Rid from Home Depot.
I haven't seen a real dessicator since chem lab back in college. I do have a food saver vacuum sealer.... if i could find the missing hose part I lost!
One other problem with the display is it being washed out and streaky (vertically) sometimes upon boot. This started happening BEFORE the dunk; I'm still seeing it from time to time. Rebooting once or twice usually fixes it.
Man I hope your phone recovers! Stories like this make me sad.
Sent from my Full Android using XDA App
nabbed said:
Usually, and I mean usually, these things are dried for a couple of days. With batteries pulled.
Get access to a real desiccator with something like Drierite, have them suck all the all air out with a water aspirator, and leave it in for a few hours.
That ought to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nabbed, that's brilliant. i've been using Damp-Rid, your aspirator idea led me to use the Food Saver system to speed the drying proces. I stuck the phone and damp rid dessicant in a FS food container and sucked all the air out. I'll leave it overnight and see what happens.
LearnIIBurn said:
Man I hope your phone recovers! Stories like this make me sad.
Sent from my Full Android using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use to laugh at phone who dunked their phone until it happened to me, I understood. We love our phones too much; it's a constant part of our lives.
Boundaries must be drawn!
xHausx said:
There is a few of them that I know of. One is on the battery, another on the back under the battery cover and a third buried somewhere in the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I lost the official red battery. Been using replacements. And I didn't pay attention to the moisture indicators before the accident, so I don't know any color changes. I just see several red stickers on the red plastic inside the phone. The only obvious water indicator is a slightly opaque plastic chamber that seems to have a rubber gasket around it. It's located to the right of the camera. When the phone was wet you could see water sloshing inside. Now that the phone is largely dry, you can see a few small droplets. It doesn't seem to have another purpose other than to hold water.
That small chamber your talking about is the speaker. If you play music and put your finger over it, you'll lose almost all sound.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Why dont you have insurance? You a retail $450 phone rooted and no insurance.
entropism said:
No, they won't. Once it hits liquid, the store won't touch it at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is only if you don't have TES.
Also, to buy a new screen it costs $100, even if you have TES or not. Sucks major balls.
letshaveDEX said:
That is only if you don't have TES.
Also, to buy a new screen it costs $100, even if you have TES or not. Sucks major balls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you mean TEP, and no it is not $100 for a replacement screen. For a non liquid damaged phone it is Free with any ESRP or TEP on the account.
IF, any customer has not been paying the $4 for ESRP or the $7 for TEP the repair fee is $35 for screen repair with the option to add TEP after repair...but again...not for liquid damage. Liquid damage is something we do not repair around or for, we consider the phone Damaged Beyond repair and set you up with the # and website for Asurion insurance for the replacement.
The plans changed around 4 months back.
letshaveDEX said:
That is only if you don't have TES.
Also, to buy a new screen it costs $100, even if you have TES or not. Sucks major balls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, let me clarify: Like I said before, if you have TEP or not, the STORE will not touch a liquid damaged phone. You can order a replacement phone through Asurion for $100 if you do have TEP, you're ****ed if you don't.

Disassembling the EPIC 4G?

Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?
I remember a thread like this being made a while ago...if you're on a computer, just search and you should find it. I can't post a link, but I think the guy in that thread replaced it succesfully.
There was also alotta chatter about insurance covering it
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Here's a tear down of the Epic 4G:
http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/recent-teardowns/2010/09/teardown-of-the-samsung-epic-4g-smart-phone/
Try asking a repair technician. The truth is, body repairs can be quite pricey - to the point where you might as well be getting a new phone in many cases.
I watched someone else take mine apart. There are an awful lot of little screws, but you can definitely seperate the case, the screen, and the actual guts in about 10 or 15 minutes.
DiGi760 said:
I watched someone else take mine apart. There are an awful lot of little screws, but you can definitely seperate the case, the screen, and the actual guts in about 10 or 15 minutes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The question then is can you get it back together ;-)
Sent from my ext4 Epic 4G running Bonsai4all 1.1.3!
sauron0101 said:
Here's a tear down of the Epic 4G:
http://www.chipworks.com/en/technic.../teardown-of-the-samsung-epic-4g-smart-phone/
Try asking a repair technician. The truth is, body repairs can be quite pricey - to the point where you might as well be getting a new phone in many cases.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had TEP with my BB curve and I smashed it [was REALLLLLLY angry at my gf...she wasn't worth the BB :'( ] and I took it to a corporate store, and he fixed the screen in front of my face and I walked right out lol but that was a couple years ago
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
The phone still works, I just wouldn't want to look at pictures or watch videos on it since the color is all messed up. It's been about 2 weeks since the accident and it's still going! I just want to study this just for reference just in case it does go out. The replacement cost $60 on ebay, so I'd definitely do that, especially when I don't have insurance with Sprint (I think it still costs more than DIY) and I don't think Samsung fixes water damage through its warranty.
Oh well.
Thanks for the link! I'll check it out!
being a technician at an indirect sprint store, its a pain in the ass to separate the LED screen and the glass itself. the very best way to do it is either go to a 3rd party sprint store that has a full service(repair) center and either have them do an exchange if the tech is a nice guy (considering its water damage) or replace the part (which would be free as long as you have TEP). PM me with more questions if you have them
kzn said:
Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I've done it at least 20-30 times now. It's EXTREMELY difficult to get the lcd out and you'll more than likely end up breaking your phone.
br//0k3/n said:
Yeah, I've done it at least 20-30 times now. It's EXTREMELY difficult to get the lcd out and you'll more than likely end up breaking your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, you're definitely right about the LED itself. It's close to paper thin and made of a glass type material. it will break if you try to get it out. it's glued pretty good.
flawlessbmxr said:
Yea, you're definitely right about the LED itself. It's close to paper thin and made of a glass type material. it will break if you try to get it out. it's glued pretty good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took mine apart, lots of screws. Honestly the hardest part was removing the back cover that goes over the motherboard. I used a very small flathead to pry up underneath where the little notches are on the side. There's a lot of clip points and 2 of them at the battery are very hard to get off. Once that's off, the rest is cake. Separating the screen was a non-issue, as mine was already broken/cracked.
just to chim,e in on this ancient thread. i used a guitar pick instead of a flat head. i thought a metal screwdriver would scuff and mar up the plastic cover over the board.
Another protip: the notches on the second to last plastic cover serve a purpose -getting that back half to snap onto the phone is a huge pain in the ass, - i put a flathead into the slits and pushed down and snap snap snap snap motherboard cover was back in and my battery case didn't bulge.
kzn said:
Has anyone done it before? There is a video on youtube, but it only goes as far as the keyboard. I'm looking to get to the LCD to fix/replace it because of discoloration from water damage. Anyone thinks it's possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've replaced my LED screen before by myself, took a few hours. This video helped me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeO89VGAPuU
zvonkorp said:
I took mine apart, lots of screws. Honestly the hardest part was removing the back cover that goes over the motherboard. I used a very small flathead to pry up underneath where the little notches are on the side. There's a lot of clip points and 2 of them at the battery are very hard to get off. Once that's off, the rest is cake. Separating the screen was a non-issue, as mine was already broken/cracked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a water sensor inside the phone, I've always wondered if the battery was the only place
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

HELP! My wife drops EVO into a cup of soda!

What should I do?
The soda was sprite with no ice so it wasn't diluted. It was sitting submitted for about ten minutes before she noticed (it was in the cup holder in the car while driving).
I'm pretty sure it's probably beyond saving but just the same I'm thinking of rinsing it in warm water to get as much of the sugar out as possible.
Then putting it into a container with rice for a couple days.
Any suggestions would be welcome but please don't say anything off color towards my wife. That won't be appreciated.
EDIT: Does Sprint insurance cover this?
I work for Verizon wireless and having a cellphone submerged in liquid for 10 mins is no Bueno mi amigo. A simple splash has been killing a bunch of phones. But I'd suggest you obviously take out battery and blow dry it and use the rice but don't attempt to turn for a little while.. Good luck bud.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Shaquiel Harris said:
I work for Verizon wireless and having a cellphone submerged in liquid for 10 mins is no Bueno mi amigo. A simple splash has been killing a bunch of phones. But I'd suggest you obviously take out battery and blow dry it and use the rice but don't attempt to turn for a little while.. Good luck bud.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think I should rinse it in warm water though. I'm thinking the sugar/syrup is worse than plain water.
There is no way that the phone will work again. Doesn't matter what type of liquid its dropped in. Sorry to hear about your loss
Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk
Your best best is to leave it in a closed contained, completely submerged in rice, with the battery removed, for a day or two.
Yeah I put in an airtight container with rice as soon as she got home.
I'm still wondering if rinsing it might be a good idea.
Any clue as to whether Sprint insurance covers this?
Do you have insurance on the device? And if so, talk to them if last resort.
PointDexter's Flipped EVO
rocknblogger said:
Yeah I put in an airtight container with rice as soon as she got home.
I'm still wondering if rinsing it might be a good idea.
Any clue as to whether Sprint insurance covers this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They won't, as its considered water damage, which isn't covered. I think if you have insurance and its done, the best they might give you is pay 100$ to replace it.
teh roxxorz said:
They won't, as its considered water damage, which isn't covered. I think if you have insurance and its done, the best they might give you is pay 100$ to replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay thanks. $100 for the EVO 4G I think would be too much today. If they're kind enough to put it towards something else I would be happy.
rocknblogger said:
Okay thanks. $100 for the EVO 4G I think would be too much today. If they're kind enough to put it towards something else I would be happy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea...since its officially listed as EOL...you may try to swing an Evo 3D, or perhaps another near comparable device.
I have saved a phone that was submerged in water. I took it apart almost all the way and put in the oven on the lowest setting for about an hour or so. Working perfectly!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
If you do want to rinse off the soda make sure you use distilled water only! Distilled water is non conducting
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Purest alcohol you can get leave it in for 10 to 30 mins let dry in rice for day or two
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk
Phucko said:
I have saved a phone that was submerged in water. I took it apart almost all the way and put in the oven on the lowest setting for about an hour or so. Working perfectly!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know how many components you could have fried?
Never, ever, ever do that.
Thanks all, sounds like all good advice.
Phucko said:
I have saved a phone that was submerged in water. I took it apart almost all the way and put in the oven on the lowest setting for about an hour or so. Working perfectly!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know there's something to this. I know two people who saved their video cards this way. But I think I'll leave it as an absolute last resort.
my daughter saved her old katana by putting it in rice for 2 days. it was powered up when she dropped it into a mud puddle.
On the sprint insurance... it depends on what level you have. if you have equipment repair then no if you have total equipment protection YES it will be covered with a $100 deductible. you will have to go through asureon. another not on that i have known a few people recently that made claims on evo4g and received a 3d as a replacement... not saying it will happen, but it could.
nrm5110 said:
Purest alcohol you can get leave it in for 10 to 30 mins let dry in rice for day or two
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the correct answer
teh roxxorz said:
Yea...since its officially listed as EOL...you may try to swing an Evo 3D, or perhaps another near comparable device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work for sprint and checked yesterday to see if that was an option for a customer and it is not. Still get the original with a claim.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Phucko said:
If you do want to rinse off the soda make sure you use distilled water only! Distilled water is non conducting
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As soon as you put the device in distilled water, the water will become conductive.

I'm an idiot ..

as the title says, i was applying the ZAGG invisibleshield wet screen protector to my gnex, had to apply the liquid a couple of times since i didn't position it right in the first try, the phone worked ok for like 1h, after that started freezing, when i take the battery out and reboot, it gets to the enter pin screen then freezes there, sometimes i manage to get to the homescreens, but that's the far i can get , coz it freezes again, i just put it in a bag of dry rice and will leave it for a day or 2, not sure how much liquid got in and if it can be fixed anyways. does anybody have a better suggestion? or any tip i might try? i'm pretty sure the liquid got into the speaker when i was using the squeegee. damn.
Take the battery out. Put the phone in a cup of rubbing alcohol for ~5 min. Take it out. Take it apart and blow dry it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
let us know if the alcohol works. i've always been curious about this. would the alcohol get under the screen and maybe leave some particles or residue behind? esp if theres some glue or something inside the phone that would get dissolved.
neotekz said:
let us know if the alcohol works. i've always been curious about this. would the alcohol get under the screen and maybe leave some particles or residue behind? esp if theres some glue or something inside the phone that would get dissolved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well rubbing alcohol will evaporate REALLY fast. Just make sure everything gets dried before you turn it on.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
I would not dunk my phone in alcohol. Just blow dry it for a while then leave it in rice for a week.
Putting your phone in rubbing alcohol (or any alcohol really) is a bad idea. You know how it is sold in 70% or 90% purity levels? You know what that other 10-30% is? Water. I would put it in rice for a day and hope for the best, take the battery out and put it in the bag as well, along with the back cover.
Had you followed the instructions for the ZAGG invisible shield, you would have taken the battery out and left it out for the installation and another 12-24 hours after installation to avoid an issue such as this. Live and learn though. I've installed them 4 different times and have done the same each time, leaving the battery out for at least 12 hours, though usually closer to 18-20 hours and the first time, a full day.
i dont know why people use those type of screen protection. it gives orange peel feel.
any way, you can always call custom support and told them your phone keep freezing and reboot. they will send u a refurbish one. if your phone is rooted or running other rom, dont do it.
lol dunking your phone in alcohol, have you even done that yourself?
zeke1988 said:
any way, you can always call custom support and told them your phone keep freezing and reboot. they will send u a refurbish one. if your phone is rooted or running other rom, dont do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, commit fraud AFTER posting about it online. If you ever wonder why devices and insurance costs are going up (and then you complain about them), this is the reason right here.
Go to hobby lobby and buy some silica or what ever its called. The stuff that comes in new shoes to collect moisture. Put in a zip lock bag with that stuff for a couple days. It'll works better than rice.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
ddgarcia05 said:
Go to hobby lobby and buy some silica or what ever its called. The stuff that comes in new shoes to collect moisture. Put in a zip lock bag with that stuff for a couple days. It'll works better than rice.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This and rice will leave tiny particles under the screen unless u rinse it first...... which will negate the whole process anyways. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol will work. Look for the 100% stuff
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
imnuts said:
Yes, commit fraud AFTER posting about it online. If you ever wonder why devices and insurance costs are going up (and then you complain about them), this is the reason right here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phones are getting more expensive because someone returns it after it stops working, after applying a screen protector? Are you sure it's not from the advancements in technology and the increasing demands for rare minerals.
Please tell us more
Sent from my HTC One X
imnuts said:
Had you followed the instructions for the ZAGG invisible shield, you would have taken the battery out and left it out for the installation and another 12-24 hours after installation to avoid an issue such as this. Live and learn though. I've installed them 4 different times and have done the same each time, leaving the battery out for at least 12 hours, though usually closer to 18-20 hours and the first time, a full day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i turned the phone off and took out the battery for the installation, but i powered it on like 30min after that, i didn't a warning anywhere where it said to leave it for additional time off, plus all these people on youtube apply it without even turning the phone off.
i didn't do the alcohol trick though, as my phone didn't fall into a swimming pool, i'm kinda hoping the amount of liquid the entered was not that big, plus it's not water, it's that special solution that comes with the screen protector, it usually has a bigger density and also evaporates quicker than water, so i'm hoping the corrosion won't be big. anyways, it's stilll inside a closed bag of rice, it's been in there for ~21hrs , will keep it maybe for an additional day just in case. the problem is i powered the phone on when it started freezing a couple of times, instead of putting it right away to dry.
Phones are not getting more expensive due to "insurance fraud". Load of crap.
The simplest reason is because we pay.
Good luck with your phone.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Rubbing alcohol? I presume you're trying to make sure the guy's phone dies completely so he can get a new one.
rayiskon said:
i turned the phone off and took out the battery for the installation, but i powered it on like 30min after that, i didn't a warning anywhere where it said to leave it for additional time off, plus all these people on youtube apply it without even turning the phone off.
i didn't do the alcohol trick though, as my phone didn't fall into a swimming pool, i'm kinda hoping the amount of liquid the entered was not that big, plus it's not water, it's that special solution that comes with the screen protector, it usually has a bigger density and also evaporates quicker than water, so i'm hoping the corrosion won't be big. anyways, it's stilll inside a closed bag of rice, it's been in there for ~21hrs , will keep it maybe for an additional day just in case. the problem is i powered the phone on when it started freezing a couple of times, instead of putting it right away to dry.
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Click to collapse
The "special" liquid is just water and soap...
zeke1988 said:
i dont know why people use those type of screen protection. it gives orange peel feel.
any way, you can always call custom support and told them your phone keep freezing and reboot. they will send u a refurbish one. if your phone is rooted or running other rom, dont do it.
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Click to collapse
XO screen protector here with no orange peel, and feels much smoother than a dry apply. You were saying?
The rubbing alcohol has drying properties. It evaporates very quickly and takes the water residue with it
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
justin94 said:
This and rice will leave tiny particles under the screen unless u rinse it first...... which will negate the whole process anyways. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol will work. Look for the 100% stuff
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Consumers can't buy 100% pure alcohol, even if you could, I still wouldn't use it as alcohol isn't that chemically different from water, so it would still be bad for the internals of the device.
ChongoDroid said:
Phones are getting more expensive because someone returns it after it stops working, after applying a screen protector? Are you sure it's not from the advancements in technology and the increasing demands for rare minerals.
Please tell us more
Sent from my HTC One X
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Click to collapse
UltraBoykj said:
Phones are not getting more expensive due to "insurance fraud". Load of crap.
The simplest reason is because we pay.
Good luck with your phone.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
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Click to collapse
People returning phones that they knew they had broken and voided the warranty is why companies make it that much harder to get warranty replacements now. You think that Sprint, VZW, and Asurion raised the cost of insurance plus the deductible just to make extra money? How naive are people? I also like the fact that three different people suggested returning the phone after it almost certainly had water damage. If the water set off one of the indicators in the phone, then the OP would be screwed and get charged full retail for the replacement.
i agree with the rubbing alcohol theory, it helps against possible future corrosion issues, but as my phone didn't fall into a swimming pool or washing machine i didn't want to go extreme on it, so i picked the rice method, looked all over for silica gel bags, i know i have them somewhere ,but couldn't find them, so i only ended up with the rice method. i took the phone out now, after being 25 hrs in the rice package, it powered up well, got passed the pin screen (where it used to freeze) with no problems, and so far so good, tried the speaker it worked, also tried calling myself from another phone and in-call speaker is also working. will keep an eye on it, hopefully i won't have any wifi or signal issues (like other people reported), my only fear is corrosion on the long run, but getting it to work now with no issues would satisfy me at the moment.
edit: the water indicator still looks like this , so hopefully not a lot of liquid entered..

Dropped Galaxy S3 in Bathwater

Hey everyone, so my buddy recently dropped his Galaxy S3 in bath water. He ended up buying a new phone thinking the phone was dead but he turned it on a few days later and it worked. Everything works EXCEPT the touch buttons next to the home button. I bought the phone off of him for $150 thinking I can fix it but as I research video and threads online.. it seems much harder than I thought. I know that soaking the phone in 99% isopropyl alcohol can fix a lot of water damage problems but I'm not sure if I should soak the motherboard in it as it's working fine other than the touch sensor buttons. Should I dip only a part of the front frame (where the touch sensors are) in isopropyl alcohol stopping right below where the LCD screen starts?
I'd like to change the frame as well since there are some scratches here and there along with the home button. It works but the button is scratched up a bit.
Do you guys have any advice for me? The phone is currently disassembled btw if that helps.
Could always download lmt launcher and not worry about it?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Or modify your build.prop to add capacitive buttons
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Just use a ROM that has navbar settings and dont worry about the buttons. I dropped my old optimus t in water and yea it comes back to life , but the uncertainty of how long it will work is terrible. A few weeks after it happend phone screen flickering and it just died.
Best thing to have done was pull the battery and let it dry for two or three days
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Lots of ways to just bypass the buttons all together. Like thwy all said use a custom ROM and nav bar. Just let it dry and leave it be. Good luck.
Oh and give lmt launcher a shot too
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
I would definitely research cleaning it properly.
The water residue will eventually crust up and cause connection issues or shorts.
CZ Eddie said:
I would definitely research cleaning it properly.
The water residue will eventually crust up and cause connection issues or shorts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you think is a good way to clean it? Dip the main board in isopropyl alcohol?
I am a tech junky, the first thing I would do is take it 100% apart and clean every inch on the inside. Eventually the stuff inside of that phone will turn cruddy from the bath water. $150 for a SGSIII is a hella good deal, rip it apart and give it a good cleaning.
Thanks yeah I thought it was a great deal, I could've asked him to drop it less but I felt bad since he was my friend. Phone is brand spanking new and only used for 2 months.
I'm thinking about buying a new whole front piece (LCD, digitizer, frame) though.. what do you guys think? I can get it online for $230ish and not sure how much I can get for my existing front piece.
artluo100 said:
Thanks yeah I thought it was a great deal, I could've asked him to drop it less but I felt bad since he was my friend. Phone is brand spanking new and only used for 2 months.
I'm thinking about buying a new whole front piece (LCD, digitizer, frame) though.. what do you guys think? I can get it online for $230ish and not sure how much I can get for my existing front piece.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would try to fix it before going for a new front piece. Getting that new front piece + the 150$ you already paid = the price of a brand new S3 on ebay.
If it's himidity keeping them from working, leaving the phone in a seeled bag of rice for a couple days can fix it.
If you have the $$$ laying around to do it I would say go ahead. It may help the resell value down the road. I can't stand this phone naked, it feels like a big wet bar of soap in my hands. I would preserve the $$$ spent and put it in an Otterbox Commuter.
I was thinking about making back the money by selling the original piece. Not sure how much I can get for that though. The only thing holding me back is replacing the silver bezel around the LCD. You have to remove everything and swap it over including LCD, glass, buttons, etc. Sounds like a big risk for someone like who who has never done this type of work before.
artluo100 said:
I was thinking about making back the money by selling the original piece. Not sure how much I can get for that though. The only thing holding me back is replacing the silver bezel around the LCD. You have to remove everything and swap it over including LCD, glass, buttons, etc. Sounds like a big risk for someone like who who has never done this type of work before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if getting someone to do it for you doesn't cost much, could be something to look into.
Yeah currently looking for someone to do that for me. Not sure where to look... all these cell phone repair places want to replace the whole piece PLUS they keep your LCD for "recycling" which means they'll take my LCD, repair it and sell it to the next sucker for $200 something.
I'm in NYC btw.. so by any chance any of you know someone in the area who has experience doing this, please let me know. Thanks!
artluo100 said:
Yeah currently looking for someone to do that for me. Not sure where to look... all these cell phone repair places want to replace the whole piece PLUS they keep your LCD for "recycling" which means I'll take your LCD, repair it and sell it to the next sucker for $200 something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha. Well mobiletechvideos.com is well known around here, could be an option. I dunno how he proceeds though.
BWolf56 said:
I would try to fix it before going for a new front piece. Getting that new front piece + the 150$ you already paid = the price of a brand new S3 on ebay.
If it's himidity keeping them from working, leaving the phone in a seeled bag of rice for a couple days can fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Soaking it in 99% isopropyl alcohol right now. gave the mainboard a scrub down with a toothbrush about 1.5 hrs in. Also scrubbed the back of the touch screen, whichever resistors and chips I saw.
Fingers crossed.
Quick question.. how long should I let the parts dry after taking it out of the alcohol? It seems like alcohol evaporates pretty quick but the smell of it stays.

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