[Q] Dropped My Galaxy S4 in Water. What next? - T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4

First off, I'd like to apologize for my first post to the forums being a stupid situation such as this one, but you know, it's noob friendly :laugh: Secondly, I'm in a pretty bad spot right now. Of course me being the idiot I am took my phone to the bathroom with me, I went to grab my shorts and little did I know, I left my phone sitting on them. When I pulled the shorts out the phone fell straight into the toilet (guess you could say my situation is pretty "crappy"). It was in the water for no longer than 10 seconds and I removed the battery and SIM card from the phone in no longer than a minute. The phone was not completely submerged, but it did fall top first. After my phone had been in the rice for an hour, my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to see what would happen if I put the battery back in my device. When I tried to, I head a sizzling noise. Does this mean my phone or battery is "fried?" The red LED was still on the front of my phone so I'm led to believe that the phone is still working, but I'm not sure. Any tips will help. Thanks in advance!

You probably blew it up by putting the battery in.
You may get lucky if you dismantle the entire phone and let it sit in front of a small fan OVERNIGHT to dry properly.
Reassemble in the morning, good luck.
Pp.

PanchoPlanet said:
You probably blew it up by putting the battery in.
You may get lucky if you dismantle the entire phone and let it sit in front of a small fan OVERNIGHT to dry properly.
Reassemble in the morning, good luck.
Pp.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was fearing that PanchoPlanet, I did what you said and just left it in the rice over night. This morning I went to put the battery back in and I no longer heard the sizzling noise, but the device would not power on. The LED on the front would alternate between purple, red, and blue. Not sure if this means anything.

Rice is not the best medium for total dehumidification, having all components out in stream of air is the only way to get rid of moisture.
This is coming from experience, salvaged my wife's phone and my nephews phone this way (Samsung S2 and S4). I may be worth giving it another try. Also make sure battery has a full charge, check it with a test meter.
Pp.

The battery in the phones today are internally fused, so if there is a heavy current demand above the fusing level, the fuse will open and the battery is then worthless. You might have had that happen and if you can, try having a friend or your carrier's store put the battery in a known working device and see if it powers that device up. You might have to get a new battery if it won't, however it does not mean that it was the only failure..... I'd dry the heck out of the phone and only then insert it into the phone. I used to dry devices that water entered like phones, watches, etc by leaving the device over a small wattage lamp, or have the device lifted a little above the bulb so that it won't melt anything and did that for a couple of days before trying to check if the device still worked. (I'm an elex tech) Good Luck! and hope that the electronic gods smile upon you!
Aloha!

I concur with bobolinko.
Pp.

UPDATE
Hey PanchoPlanet, bobolinko., thanks for the recommendations, I left the phone in rice and this morning I plugged it in to give it a last ditch effort, it powered on and is currently charging. I tried to boot it and it stayed on the "Samsung Galaxy S4" so I'm guessing that that has something to do with the battery. Regardless, I'm glad that the device powered on.

Related

Dropped in water

Yes, i know, stupid move.
Got it out right away and dried it up with paper.
When i try to turn it on it gets past the T-mobile white screen to the green windows mobile one and then the screen shuts down but the keyboard is still light-up.
Does anyone know what i should do in this case? This happened 5 minutes ago and it's still drying up. Anyone have any tips?
What are the chances that it's bricked? Should i be looking for a new cell?
Take out the batter asap and leave it out for around 3 days. Next, put the phone in some sunlight or some rice to dry the water out. After that you can try putting the battery back in and hope it's back alive.
cool thanks. I guess it was a bad idea of me taking the battery in and out and turning it on and off to see if it's still working.
I got it under my lamp right now which emits a reasonable amount of heat.
I'll leave it here and hope for the best.
Ok well i had it dry up in a bowl of rice with the lamp over it.
Everything seems to be working fine... except,
it shows as if the cellphone is plugged in and charging when it's not.
Battery went from 89% to 100% with the cell just sitting on my table...
Anyone has any hypothesis on how that might have happened?
noooooop said:
Ok well i had it dry up in a bowl of rice with the lamp over it.
Everything seems to be working fine... except,
it shows as if the cellphone is plugged in and charging when it's not.
Battery went from 89% to 100% with the cell just sitting on my table...
Anyone has any hypothesis on how that might have happened?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well electricity and water are never a good mix, i droped my first pay and go "Nokia Ringo" down a toilet "not my toilet even worse" and dried it, it was under guarantee so just phoned up Nokia didn't tell them what i had done just stated it wasn't working, sent it away and got a replacement.
I have to say I think you should have been a little more patient. I know its hard but this has happened to me twice, once with a Magician and once with an iPaq. The first time I panicked and turned the device back on to see if it was working. It spluttered to life and then died - never to work again. The second time I removed the battery, left the case open, etc for two full days and when it came back on everything was fine.
I know its so hard to leave your device off when you are panicking. But if this only happened last night you should really consider giving it at least another 24 hours. Even though it may appear to be dry now there is obviously still some small problem with power discharge - and if that problem is due to even a tiny bit of moisture near the battery it could rapidly turn from a minor glitch into a full scale breakdown.
Actually the fact I am so damn clumsy probably explains why my first post to this forum concerned backing up my phone! LOL
I hope it all works out for you.
GS
I know i should i have been more patient but it's just so hard...
I got a replacement for now tho, so it'll stay in there for at least another day.
Thanks for the advice guys.

Accidentaly put rhodium in washer, can it be saved?

I accidentaly put my rhodium in the washing machine (forgot to check my jeans pockets) and it was in there for a few minutes.
When I noticed I took out the battery, SD card and sim card and dryed everything with a towel. I then put it in a bowl of rice for day (read that tip online somewhere) to drain out any excess moisture.
It seems to be completely dry now from the outside, although I can't say for sure about the insides. It still won't turn on.
Any ideas? or is my brand new Rhodium dead?
you get points for positive thinking.
sorry to say, but your toy has had it.
woeds said:
Any ideas? or is my brand new Rhodium dead?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds to me like you need to make use of that insurance policy that you sensibly bought for your TP2.
I read somewhere on xda forum that sometimes wet devices would turn on after a couple of days...
If you're not in a hurry, maybe wait some time... but don't hope too much
Wow! got to be more careful next time. This is a very expensive phone. Got to take real good care of it.... "Handle with care"
I guess wait at least 72 hours before turning it on back again and not before that.... else will be RIP.
btw, if your phone is "ON" while in the washer...forget about, get a new one.
One thing to try, sometimes batteries will self destruct and save the phone. Get a replacement and see if it powers up, I know that worked with one I took into the pool a couple years ago.
A hiardryer on very low heat setting normally works quite well for removing moisture
Damn, that's a bummer...
I'd try someone elses battery, but wouldn't expect miracles to happen...
how you didnt know is beyond me! i hope you get it sorted and take more care next time i dont believe it
White rice trick
Here is a trick, take out the battery and put the phone in a bag of white rice. Make sure it's completely covered with rice!. Leave it there for at least 72 hours.
This trick worked on my wife's iPhone. It was revived after being completely dead for 3 days.
Hope it helps.
dam man! thats bad luck!
i hope you use a top brand softener with it other than that it would be sacrilege
one of my phone fell in the toilet once, i removed the battery and took it apart and the washed it with alcohol [not the drinking type] after a day drying it worked just fine.
some phones will work without the battery if connected to the charger. You could try that to see if it's the battery. If you're willing to take it apart there's a spray technicians use to remove all moisture. I've been told never to apply hear (so if you use a hairdryer use one with a cold setting), and yeah, just wait, make sure it's gotten rid of ALL the moisture, and hope for the best. If all the moisture isn't gone, you could short circuit it by trying to turn it on.
My charmer fell into the toilet one evening when I was very drunk. It went of immediately but being too drunk I took it home and left it as it was. The next morning I gave it the hairdryer treatment but it still didnt power up. I threw the phone under my bed and left it for dead. About 4 nights later I woke up at night and I saw 'the light' from under my bed, on closer look my charmer was miraculously switched on. I tried to charge it but it just showed a red light. Later that day I tried again and it started to charge.
The phone went on to serve me without any problems for about 6 more months and I eventually sold it for £80.
Moral of the story; You could get lucky (fingers crossed)
The water itself does not cause the short circuiting. You need purified water to cleans it from the salt and other particles that cause the short circuit.
Yes, water itself is not conductive. Everytime we see someone get electrocuted in the movies thanks to a mixture of water and electricity it's because of the electrolytes. But considering that almost no one has truly pure water running through their washer etc, I just simplified. But the reason why you shouldn't apply heat is due to the catalyst factor of heat. Water and metal don't mix (rust, oxidization), and applying heat can accelerate that process. The end of the story is to get it truly dry, don't apply heat, and keep your fingers, toes, and eyes crossed.
solsearch said:
Yes, water itself is not conductive. Everytime we see someone get electrocuted in the movies thanks to a mixture of water and electricity it's because of the electrolytes. But considering that almost no one has truly pure water running through their washer etc, I just simplified. But the reason why you shouldn't apply heat is due to the catalyst factor of heat. Water and metal don't mix (rust, oxidization), and applying heat can accelerate that process. The end of the story is to get it truly dry, don't apply heat, and keep your fingers, toes, and eyes crossed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true. While it is possible to safe an electronic device after a soaking for a while, once it has been doused in water, unfortunately, its lifespan is already shortened. If you get it working again, it might last a few months, or even a year. But eventually, corrosion WILL claim it. It might be possible to open it up, and clean every contact, every piece of solder, copper or electronic pathway. If you do that, then maybe you can keep it from corroding.
My roommate lost his phone during winter. Come to find out, he had dropped it in the snow When it melted he found it. It was dead for a few days till it dried out. Then it worked again for about 5-6 months then finally died completely due to corrosion.
Good luck.
Saved about 10 different phones, some multiply times and many other electronic devices, from pools, ocean, garden hoses, sprinklers.
Most important thing is to remove the battery, IMMEDIATELY. We are talking seconds the better, don't think, rip it out. The battery will power up the short circuits and cause the damage. Leaving the battery in for only a minute may be enough time to fcuk something.
Ok preparing
Disassemble the phone as much as possible, the more the quicker it will dry. If the water was salty or dirty , wash them under the tap trying to get into everything.( I am serious)
To dry(cook
Test you oven temp is accurate from 40c to 50c with temperature probe. Set temperature to 40c to be safe, 50c if your in a hurry, 45c would be safe, but it's an oven it may randomly jump up 10c??? hence 40 is safe. Around 50-60 some plastics start to deform, ( this I have learnt first hand).
OK spread the parts out on clean metal is best or ceramic plate/s and place the plates in the oven.
Drying time. Depends on the parts and how big they are and if water could be trapped in them.
Bare, open parts, no touching surfaces, keyboards can be pricks. 2-4hours at 50-40c.
Touching parts but nothing complex, i.e. no water stuck between the keyboard parts. 6-9 hours.
Whole phone 1-2 days.
Thanks for all the tips guys. It's still drying out now in a big bowl of rice. I'm going to try to turn it on again tomorrow. A friend of mine has one too, so if it fails to work I'm going to try his battery to see if that's the problem.
I'm using my N95 now, and it sucks :/
Use DISTILLED water to rinse it out, NOT tap water
IT'S ALIVE!
There is water behind the screen though (or between the casing and the screen). Do you think that'll just dry out over time, or do I need to take it apart to wipe it off?

[Q] Dropped in water, Wont charge anymore

My friend dropped her phone into a glass of water. Stupid her just had it off over night with battery removed, but next day decided to just pop battery in and start using it. Calls me later(spare phone) and tells me details.
I go get it disassemble, rubbing alcohol, the works. Let dry for 48 hours. Everything on the phone works other than it wont charge the battery. She has 2 batteries one which is new. Besides getting an external charger for it, is there anything else I could do to fix it? Is there a part I can replace, or something software related that might fix it?
mesajoejoe said:
My friend dropped her phone into a glass of water. Stupid her just had it off over night with battery removed, but next day decided to just pop battery in and start using it. Calls me later(spare phone) and tells me details.
I go get it disassemble, rubbing alcohol, the works. Let dry for 48 hours. Everything on the phone works other than it wont charge the battery. She has 2 batteries one which is new. Besides getting an external charger for it, is there anything else I could do to fix it? Is there a part I can replace, or something software related that might fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suspect (hope) only the battery was damaged from your friend's phone. Have her go to TMO and see if they will let her test charge a display Slide battery in her phone. If it starts charging and increases by a few percentage points then perhaps only the battery was damaged. Hope the situation gets worked out.
Just dropped mine in a full sink two weeks ago ... mine hit the edge and knocked the battery out milliseconds before the device hit the water (miracle). Fully submerged. Dried it over a weak heater vent for 2 days. Works just like new. I figured the phone was ok as I snatched it out of the water very quickly. My main concern was the battery ... I thought I might have damaged it. So far everything is just fine.
We have tested it with a new battery. Phone works perfectly fine just wont charge the battery, every feature works. Can even connect to computer with usb.
What im trying to figure out is if there is something I can do i.e. fix it somehow cheaply
Your best bet is probably just using an external charger. I'm using a friends old phone that had a full glass of lemonade spill on it and sit for 5 hours in liquid, turned on. When he woke up the battery was sparking, contact was melted. The battery was partially fried from the short circuit, so I just bought a new battery. The only thing that doesn't work in the phone is the camera. The real downside to that is if any app tries to access the camera the phone completely locks up, takes about 10 seconds just to get out of the black screen.
I'm digressing, anyway, yeah, external charger is probably the best bet, if she has two batteries that should work just fine. Use one while the other is charging.
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
ultrasonic cleaning
if you disassemble to the charging circuit board or motherboard and try placing it into an alcohol solution in a u/s cleaner (also used for jewelry), this might clean the contacts and allow charging, might not do anything or damage the board. no guarantees on this method , but will sometimes work.
ps. remember that some circuit board cleaner solutions will dissolve plastic, recommend alcohol.
bill g.
The best solution I have found for a wet phone, or any device for that matter, is to take the device apart as much as possible. Then put it in a ziploc bag of rice. Seal it up good so air doesn't get in. The rice will suck all the water out. I have done this with my old G1 (twice) as well as other phones.

Why I love my GS III

I went on a road trip this weekend to visit family. It was a nightmare. All my personal trials behind, when I finally arrived well behind schedule, I reached for my phone as I got out of the car and noticed it was sitting in a cup half full of melted slushy, and based on when my Sync said it disconnected from bluetooth, had probably been sitting there for at least two hours (I was more worried about driving in the mountains with a fussy baby than why my phone's bluetooth shut off, so I didn't give it a second thought). It refused to power on so I put it in some rice overnight. The next morning it still wouldn't turn on. I plugged it in and tried again and still nothing, but after a few minutes I got a consistent blinking red light. I didn't think there was much hope, and I didn't have any way to look up information as I was basically in the middle of nowhere.
When I finally got home, I took it apart and was impressed by how easy it was compared to my last several phones. My GSIII was in mint condition before this incident, so I hadn't needed to disassemble it yet, but I was surprised that there was no need to pry open taps with a credit card or anything silly like that. Everything was sticky, but I cleaned it with lots of isopropanol and made sure all of the circuitry above the screen was nice and shiny. I put it all back together and to my amazement it booted right up! It wouldn't charge because the battery overheated but I applied a little thermal paste to where the processor sits (there is a pad that looks like thermal paste there that was a bit tattered) and now I've been running Pandora for an hour and my battery temp is sitting between 19 and 25 C. I'm sure there are lingering issues, but I am so satisfied and so happy that the phone was this resilient. I'm posting this to share my joy but also to give hope to anyone else that might come under similar circumstances. The phone is apparently very well built and a little cleaning can go a long way.
Awesome! Glad it survived.
Unfortunately, I have high expectations for my GS3. I beat the hell out of my Epic and it kept on going. I am planning to be nicer to my GS3, but honestly, it's probably like a new year's resolution....

Flooded phone, working screen but not charging

Hey guys,
So i flooded my phone, dried it, left in rice for 2 days and now when i connect it to my charger the screen goes up after a minute or so but its not charging. My screen shows battery icon with a bolt inside and a zero below, or battery with a cable inside and zero below. Any idea what can i do to fix this? I can boot to bootloarder mode, but when I'm trying to boot to recovery/other modes it goes back to 'charging screen'.
Thanks in advance!
The battery is eeprom controlled so you probably damaged it when teaching the phone to swim. Flashing will do nothing for it.
Putting the phone in rice is a bad idea as it isn't as absorbent as you think. You should have left it over a radiator for a week or so to evaporate the water before even thinking about switching it on, but by then the damage was probably already done.
If it doesnt start working in week or so then expect it to be expensive to fix.
Beamed in by telepathy.
Not sure what eeprom is, but if its in the part below, then i could replace it myself with no problem. What are Your thougts? I know that more thing may be broken, but if it would go back to life i would be glad because I don't want to spend money on any new phone, maybe apart from S8/pixel but its expensive as hell.
https://e.allegroimg.com/original/0115f6/28e0dc9447338f8114880dfb6c1e
If i couldn't repair this bad boy then I would probably go with 6s, but I'm not sure if I want to make the transition to iOS.
Cheers and thanks for previous reply

Categories

Resources