Wet mogul problem

[ajent]

Today I dropped my mogul in a cup of iced tea, and immediately pulled it out, took out the battery, and shook the phone. Once I placed the battery back in, it showed the multicolor boot screen, and then slowly faded to black.

Now a few hours later, every time I place my battery in the phone, or plug it in to charge (without battery), the Caps, and FN led light up, then will fade out/pulse. The white watermark is still completely white, so I might get away with getting a refurbished replacement, (again).

Anyone ever experience this? I cannot open it all the way up, since I don't have the tools, just wondering if over night maybe it will dry and i'll be able to turn it back on.

thanks.

Edit: Actually I just tried to turn it on again after posting this, the 2 LEDs still light up, but this time the phone did turn on and display the normal sprint screen, and then screen went back to black.

[anurbanlegend]

Put it in a bag of uncooked white rice for the night. =)

[nelly48237]

Originally Posted by ajent

I cannot open it all the way up, since I don't have the tools,

i have opened up one before. the tool can be bought at any homedepot or lowes hardware store. i believe its a number 5 star allen bit. but it's important that you open it up and dry it out. otherwise when they get it and open it up, they will see that it was wet because the water will turn the wires and metal green. it doesn't matter if it doesn't come on or work. just as long as there isn't any signs of water damage inside the phone

[Eturnulrs704]

Originally Posted by nelly48237

i have opened up one before. the tool can be bought at any homedepot or lowes hardware store. i believe its a number 5 star allen bit. but it's important that you open it up and dry it out. otherwise when they get it and open it up, they will see that it was wet because the water will turn the wires and metal green. it doesn't matter if it doesn't come on or work. just as long as there isn't any signs of water damage inside the phone

Not true, theres a small sticker in the phone that turns colors when wet. And u cant avoid it once it gets wet.. Thats how they know if it has water damage.. so best bet is to try and clean it out urself of call it in to insurance.. But try and open it clean it out the let it dry in the windowor something.. But on the plus side if it comes back on it'll be faster than ever due to a caffein boost..

Originally Posted by Eturnulrs704

Not true, theres a small sticker in the phone that turns colors when wet. And u cant avoid it once it gets wet.. Thats how they know if it has water damage.. so best bet is to try and clean it out urself of call it in to insurance.. But try and open it clean it out the let it dry in the windowor something.. But on the plus side if it comes back on it'll be faster than ever due to a caffein boost..

You are both right. Wires and parts of the board corrode (turn green) and there is a liquid indicator inside the phone that turns red when it gets wet. The service techs are not supposed to purely go on the indicator to determine water damage, if they cant find any other signs of liquid damage they will usually replace it. So open it up, clean it up and take it in to get it swapped out.

[subhumanderelict]

The best thing I heard you can do is to leave it in some dry rice overnight (like anurbanlegand suggested) or, if you have enough of those silica gel packets, use those. Don't use a hair dryer or anything that can force moisture further into the phone.

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Wet-Cell-Phone

[fred_dj]

I got away with the white sticker turning red by touching it with a cottom swab embebbed in bleach one time, it turns white right away. they gave me a new phonem it worked!. lol

[Rangerdave]

Originally Posted by fred_dj

I got away with the white sticker turning red by touching it with a cottom swab embebbed in bleach one time, it turns white right away. they gave me a new phonem it worked!. lol

DOH!!!

[Keir333]

Originally Posted by nelly48237

i have opened up one before. the tool can be bought at any homedepot or lowes hardware store. i believe its a number 5 star allen bit. but it's important that you open it up and dry it out. otherwise when they get it and open it up, they will see that it was wet because the water will turn the wires and metal green. it doesn't matter if it doesn't come on or work. just as long as there isn't any signs of water damage inside the phone

It's a Number 5 Torx bit/driver that you need, not an Allen bit/wrench

Originally Posted by subhumanderelict

The best thing I heard you can do is to leave it in some dry rice overnight (like anurbanlegand suggested) or, if you have enough of those silica gel packets, use those. Don't use a hair dryer or anything that can force moisture further into the phone.

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Wet-Cell-Phone

Both the dry rice and silica gel packs will dry out the insides by pulling the moisture out and absorbing it.


I would recommend the rice/silica overnight and then opening it up after that to make sure that there isn't any other signs that water/iced tea has been inside of it.

Originally Posted by fred_dj

I got away with the white sticker turning red by touching it with a cottom swab embebbed in bleach one time, it turns white right away. they gave me a new phonem it worked!. lol

I like the idea of the bleach on the cotton swab, but if they smell the bleach, and/or have some way of knowing that it was bleached, it could cause you further problems cuz they might think that you're trying to pull one over on them.

Originally Posted by lwrdrchvy2

You are both right. Wires and parts of the board corrode (turn green) and there is a liquid indicator inside the phone that turns red when it gets wet. The service techs are not supposed to purely go on the indicator to determine water damage, if they cant find any other signs of liquid damage they will usually replace it. So open it up, clean it up and take it in to get it swapped out.

My thoughts exactly.

I have had the liquid indicator on two different phones of mine turn red simply from being in my sweaty pocket over the course of the summer. This is the reason that they will open it up and look for additional evidence that there has been water damage. If you open it and clean it up enough that there isn't obvious signs of water damage, they may replace it without any additional charges.

Just my thoughts on the matter...

-Keir-

EDIT: This was my hundreth post, I'm a senior member now....Wooo Hooo!

[RicoRich196]

Chances are you didn't wait long enough before putting the battery back in and fried one thing or another. Also Sugar is definitely cause a lot of problems, if you dropped it in water it'd be different, I suggest getting it replaced.