Electronics and water

[red]

Okay, into each life, some rain may fall . . .       and the more expensive the toy, the more likely it can end up in the drink, somewhere.      
(A cell phone that you lose in a deep lake may get you a free replacement, but it will not be replaced, if you ran over it with the car.)

For anything electronic, once it hits the water, or gets rained on, you should know some basic first-aid for these gadgets.
DO NOT turn it ON.  If it is ON, turn it OFF.
Immediately remove the batteries, if possible, and leave the battery compartment open.  Shake the water out as best you can, and get a small container full of dry, uncooked rice.  Insert the gadget completely into the rice, and put the lid on.  After 12~24 hours or so, dump out the old rice, and repeat with more dry rice.  The dry rice grains will suck out any water and moisture, but it may take a day or three.

Even better than rice, is this crystal stuff, which can be re-newed repeatedly in a hot oven:
http://tinyurl.com/brh5shm

This crystal desiccant changes color when damp, so you will know when to re-new it.  You can make up "anti-moisture" packs for all dry-stored stuff (cameras, fine watches, et c.) with this desiccant.  Fold up "envelopes" made from fine metal screen, fill with the desiccant crystals, and staple them closed.  To restore any damp desiccant packs, just bake them in the oven, and they will be as good as new again.

Cheers,
Red

[Arnie]

Great advise, Red.

I'd add that if you drop an electronic bit into SALTwater (ie ocean or some swimming pools),
then after removing the batteries you should re-dunk it in fresh water (distilled is best).
Leave it in there for about the same time it was in the saltwater before shaking it out.
Then following the rest of your procedure.
Learning to pray, or burning incense, or making ritual sacrifices won't hurt either, but probably won't make any real difference to the likeliehood of the device working again.

Arnie
     

[aviationfred]

(A disclaimer for the members that understand electricity) Bare in mind the members that don't.

A lot of people think that anything that runs on electricity, or that has electronic parts, and getting the item wet creates an instant failure. Not so. You can take a 40" Plasma TV, unplug it, submerge it in a bathtub filled with water, pull it out, sufficiantly dry it out, plug it back in and it will work. The no brainer is getting an item wet and trying to operate it, The water conducts the electricity to places that are not suppose to get electricity at that given time. Instant failure and letting the magic smoke out.

Fred

[rktmanfj]

(A disclaimer for the members that understand electricity) Bare in mind the members that don't.

A lot of people think that anything that runs on electricity, or that has electronic parts, and getting the item wet creates an instant failure. Not so. You can take a 40" Plasma TV, unplug it, submerge it in a bathtub filled with water, pull it out, sufficiantly dry it out, plug it back in and it will work. The no brainer is getting an item wet and trying to operate it, The water conducts the electricity to places that are not suppose to get electricity at that given time. Instant failure and letting the magic smoke out.

Fred

Very true.

I used to work for an electronics repair facility, and the particularly nasty TV chassis were actually hosed down and dried out before they were sent over to us.

[Dan Filetti]

...burning incense, or making ritual sacrifices...

Arnie
     

You sir, know how to party...



Dan

[Travis398]

Rice is so old school..................
Apple iPhone 4 Water Test With LIQUIPEL

[X-Ray]

The no brainer is getting an item wet and trying to operate it, The water conducts the electricity to places that are not suppose to get electricity at that given time. Instant failure and letting the magic smoke out.
Fred

Which is exactly what happened to my company Iphone on our lovely wet Aussie rally earlier this year. I've now got a totally waterproof case for the replacement phone, (they sure as heck will make me pay for the next one!)