Database Users

dropped my hero in the toilet.

Thankfully it was a quick dip. Took it out and blow dried it. After some Initial problems everything seems to be working. Was doing some weird things at first. Think I can expect any issues down the road?

How long did you wait before you put the battery in? It may seem dry, but there may have been moisture on the inside..

Honestly I didn't wait too long because I was expecting a really important call and there was no moisture under the screen. I think the case helped protect it a bit. I'm replying to this thread with my phone so sofar so good. *fingers crossed*

Was there piss and poo in the toilet? That will corrode it. However, I do plan on throwing my Hero in the toilet as soon as the Nexus One comes out for Sprint

mbell75 said:
Was there piss and poo in the toilet? That will corrode it. However, I do plan on throwing my Hero in the toilet as soon as the Nexus One comes out for Sprint
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ill buy it for $50 or under..

Jus10o said:
Ill buy it for $50 or under..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before or after its been thrown in the toilet?

No pee or poo. I have insurance, but it seems to be fine.

You probably need to wipe it or else it'll have really sh1tty performance.

my girl was "helping" by doing the laundry and my hero made it thru the washer and half way thru the dryer i dryed it out for a few days got stuck on the boot screen ,wiped and flashed a new rom to it and it works perfect this was last month and still no problems .... knock on wood

I did the EXACT same thing. Dropped in in the toilet, snapped it out really quickly and yanked the battery out and let it dry for about 24 hours. Plugged it in and turned it on and it worked perfectly.... for about 2 weeks. After a couple weeks, it wouldn't power on. All that it would do is the orange indicator light would come on when I plugged it in. The water indicator strip on the battery and the one underneath the battery weren't even red but when I took it to a sprint store that had a tech, they showed me that there was corrosion on part of the board when they took it apart and the indicator on the board was solid red. If you can, I would recommend taking it apart further and trying to dry it out even deeper. That's what caused the ultimate demise of mine.

cmccracken said:
You probably need to wipe it or else it'll have really sh1tty performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quote of the day.

Ok, well the update is everything works except 5he phone no longer charges. What do I do? I'm rooted and the indicator shows water. The one on the battery doesn't because I was using an aftermarket battery at the time.

boredmug said:
Ok, well the update is everything works except 5he phone no longer charges. What do I do? I'm rooted and the indicator shows water. The one on the battery doesn't because I was using an aftermarket battery at the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
suck it up and pay the $100 to the insurance to get a refurb.

Yea, that's kinda what I was figuring, but do I need to put the dang thing back to stock?

cmccracken said:
You probably need to wipe it or else it'll have really sh1tty performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I see what ya did there

boredmug said:
Yea, that's kinda what I was figuring, but do I need to put the dang thing back to stock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes put it back stock before shipping.

Dude, I can't ship this thing off. It's my only phone and I have to have a phone. Can't I just take it to a corporate store?

oh shiit.. I would be pissed off..
diffinately do a anti bacteria wipe .. it will be on your face and near your mouth!!!

Rules for wet phone:
Pull Battery, don't even try turning it on (will fry components)
Put in bowl with dry rice for 24-48 hours
Take phone out and try the power
Cook/Eat rice
I really thought this was common knowledge by now...

tstack77 said:
Rules for wet phone:
Pull Battery, don't even try turning it on (will fry components)
Put in bowl with dry rice for 24-48 hours
Take phone out and try the power
Cook/Eat rice
I really thought this was common knowledge by now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would do this after completely dissasembling every layer of the phone and carefully drying it all out with a blow dryer.
All it takes is 1 drop of moisture, in one of the many layers of these complicated devices, to cause a short and cripple the phone.

[Q] dropped vibrant into the toilet...

i was at a bar i didn't even want to be at in a small town in colorado.
at first i just stared at it for 10 seconds thinking "at this point i should just leave it there because the damage is done"
then all of a sudden it started goign crazy with lights and "samsung vibrant" flashing everywhere on the screen, so i decided to dive in and save it. then i violently washed it with hotwater under the sink and only after washing my hands did i finally open it and take out the battery (at this point, the screen shown brightly with "samsung vibrant).
3 hours later, hoping it had dried completely, i put the battery in and again it came to life with the samsung vibrant text. i quickly took the battery out.
i jsut tried it again and it wont turn on at all. is it over?

maeglutz said:
3 hours later, hoping it had dried completely, i put the battery in and again it came to life with the samsung vibrant text. i quickly took the battery out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't have done that, the phone was still wet. When you did that you fried your phone. If you would have put your phone in a bag of rice or let it dry out for a few days then it might have been ok. Hope you have insurance.

Yeah, I always heard that half the time, if you power it off and let it dry, and make sure it's dry before trying to power it on again, you can luck out.

omg omg omg!!
when you responded, my heart dropped and then i ran over to see if it would start again one more time (i plugged it into the charger) and i pressed the on button and it showed it was charging. i'm goign to leave it alone now in a bag of rice like you said. but i dont know if i can wait 3 days.... i never learn my lesson

Hahaha I dropped a phone in the toilet once. Good luck

i know i'm getting ahead of myself, but just SAY that if i finally do get it to power on, but nothing shows up except a "samsung vibrant" screen, is there a way to reinstall the OS?

My son left his ipod nano in his pants pocket. It got washed. I dried it and did the rice thing for 2-3 days (can't remember how many). Charged it up. Just like new.
The moral of the story? If you can't wait 3 days to see if it has been salvaged, you don't deserve a new phone...

Droidicus said:
My son left his ipod nano in his pants pocket. It got washed. I dried it and did the rice thing for 2-3 days (can't remember how many). Charged it up. Just like new.
The moral of the story? If you can't wait 3 days to see if it has been salvaged, you don't deserve a new phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ugh. fine. i'll wait. but i dont know what i'l do with myself in the meantime.

maeglutz said:
i know i'm getting ahead of myself, but just SAY that if i finally do get it to power on, but nothing shows up except a "samsung vibrant" screen, is there a way to reinstall the OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh, dude, it would not be a software problem... If it doesn't boot up its a hardware problem.

Just make sure its sitting nicely covered in the dry rice....wait...you did use dry rice right? Not cooked rice??? lol kidding...

Droidicus said:
Uh, dude, it would not be a software problem... If it doesn't boot up its a hardware problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you read my question, i asked what i could do if it DID power up but only with a generic screen

I wouldn't even bother trying... It's fried man...

nearblack said:
I wouldn't even bother trying... It's fried man...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
we'll see. the green charging light gives me hope. i will definitely not pay full price for a new one. this was $99 through costco-- which is what a phone should cost.

Don't over cook the rice. Stir-fry it with some egg, carrots, scallions, peas, and barbecued pork. Everything should be okay.

maeglutz said:
we'll see. the green charging light gives me hope. i will definitely not pay full price for a new one. this was $99 through costco-- which is what a phone should cost.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why the data is so expensive in America. The companies need to get back the money they lost on the phone.
The phone might be fried since you didn't wait to turn it off. I've read the bag of rice will work. Next time wait until you phone is dry and just reroute you calls with Google Voice. I'd still try the rice too.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Did you say after you took it out the the toilet you then washed it under hot water? Seriously? You thought "oh, its wet, I shall now soak it some more?"
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Arghh..kill this nasty thread...lol
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA App

To clarify a little... when you drop the phone in water, the FIRST thing you do is take out the battery and sim card. Then you let it dry COMPLETLY, this takes days, not hours. Like said above, rice does good, you put it in a zip lock, take out the air and seal it.. leave for AT LEAST 3 days so the rice can absorb the moisture, THEN you try to turn it on for the first time. If you try turning it on when there is moisture you will fry the phone, water conducts electricity and brings power where there is not supposed to be and burns circuits, so by putting the battery and attempt to turn it on prematurely, you are killing it causing short circuits internally.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

make sure you throw the rice away after you're done or better yet, feed it to some iphone fanboy

dq13 said:
To clarify a little... when you drop the phone in water, the FIRST thing you do is take out the battery and sim card. Then you let it dry COMPLETLY, this takes days, not hours. Like said above, rice does good, you put it in a zip lock, take out the air and seal it.. leave for AT LEAST 3 days so the rice can absorb the moisture, THEN you try to turn it on for the first time. If you try turning it on when there is moisture you will fry the phone, water conducts electricity and brings power where there is not supposed to be and burns circuits, so by putting the battery and attempt to turn it on prematurely, you are killing it causing short circuits internally.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 and ty , I just read through this post and wondered when someone would point out the OP already turned it on to "check" it after being in the water.
Time to order a replacement, even if it does for some magical reason power on that phone is going to be issue city.

Samsung FTW

So I do a lot of reading on this forum but rarely post.
Last night, my phone fell out of my hands while I was sitting outside the hottub and went right into it. It was like how something falls to the bottom of the ocean in a movie. I got it out right away dried it off, took out the battery and sd card and looked at it.
It seemed that no water got into the system at all. The phone works just as it did when before the dive. The only thing that is touchy is the charger now, but oh well.
Samsung ftw

My friend dropped his Incredible in tea. He thought the same thing, but now, the phone reboots itself when it gets warm at all, and if it gets cold, the touchscreen becomes unresponsive. It was stupid to turn it back on. You should have immediately stuck it in dry rice and never turned it on, as that can prevent damage from happening.

Yeah, regardless of manufacturer/model, never turn a dunked phone on until you're 100% sure it's as dry as you can possibly get it.
Pull the battery and SD card, then shove the whole mess into a bag of white rice for AT LEAST 24 hours, more if you can. The longer it sits in the rice with no power, the more likely it is to survive the dunking.

Nah dehumidifier is better lol
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

Anyone know of any cell phone shops that have a wet phone recovery service?
I would place the phone inside a small pressure vessel and pull a deep vacuum for 15-20 mins (or until I archived 1000µm). Then break the vacuum with dry nitrogen. Repeat 3x's.
This is the method for pulling moisture out of refrigeration systems and it does work well.
I would think a small phone shop could easily get $50 a pop to save someones phone.
Hope yours stays happy! good luck

Hair dryer.
Sent from my CM7 SCH-i500

dw77x said:
Anyone know of any cell phone shops that have a wet phone recovery service?
I would place the phone inside a small pressure vessel and pull a deep vacuum for 15-20 mins (or until I archived 1000µm). Then break the vacuum with dry nitrogen. Repeat 3x's.
This is the method for pulling moisture out of refrigeration systems and it does work well.
I would think a small phone shop could easily get $50 a pop to save someones phone.
Hope yours stays happy! good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would worry about the screen in a vacuum.
If it were my phone though, I would completely disassemble it and make sure I got all of the water out that way, maybe hit it with some 99% isypropal to help get any water out from under chips and in tight places, and let it dry for a few days in silica beads.

A hairdryer is a horrible idea. It can't pull the water out. On the contrary, it's more likely to force the water into worse places.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

xmrbonesx said:
A hairdryer is a horrible idea. It can't pull the water out. On the contrary, it's more likely to force the water into worse places.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And cook the inside components. hehe forgot the /sarcasm tag. I'm not stupid
Sent from my CM7 SCH-i500

I'm not so sure about the phones, but my samsung led tv survived a house fire... Pretty proud of that little purchase.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App

sageDieu said:
And cook the inside components. hehe forgot the /sarcasm tag. I'm not stupid
Sent from my CM7 SCH-i500
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that, but there are people that will blindly follow anything they read on these boards, and I've seen a hairdryer suggested before.

AlexDeGruven said:
Pull the battery and SD card, then shove the whole mess into a bag of white rice for AT LEAST 24 hours, more if you can. The longer it sits in the rice with no power, the more likely it is to survive the dunking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rice is a good option and works well, but the small silica packets that are used as desiccant work even better and can be purchased very cheaply.
Putting your phone in some sort of vacuum or near-vacuum is probably a bad idea because the hardware was likely not designed to withstand such conditions.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Ok guys update.
So its been what a couple of days now, and my phone is working pretty good. all the main things work. the only thing that is a little touchy is the charger, and it keeps saying usb connected, but i can live with that.

I uses to work at a sign shop and my bosses kids were terrible about throwing phones in water so he found the little pink water detector strips so I know if you do that you can put it on and trade out your phone
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App

Golgotha theskull said:
I uses to work at a sign shop and my bosses kids were terrible about throwing phones in water so he found the little pink water detector strips so I know if you do that you can put it on and trade out your phone
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably super illegal or at least in violation of like everything in the contract you sign about insurance and replacements. Lol
Sent from my CM7 SCH-i500

sageDieu said:
Probably super illegal or at least in violation of like everything in the contract you sign about insurance and replacements. Lol
Sent from my CM7 SCH-i500
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second that LOL.
Anyways, I just want to say Samsung FTW because this phone has just been amazing in so many ways. Abilities to super customize in any way, shape and form, awesome screen...I was VERY hesitant on buying an all touch screen phone. Coming from a Blackberry Tour I was very use to a real keyboard and buttons. Yes this phone has it's up's and downs, but all in all the pros really out weigh the cons.
I'm in absolute NO rush to get a new phone any time soon. I love my Fassy

My Vibrant is waterproof!

So I took my ambian like I always do and decided I was going to take a bath cause of a lower back ache. I was surfing the web and I guess the ambian kicked in and knocked my ass out! Well got out of the tub cause the water was getting cold, got out and turned on the light. I was looking all over the place for my phone and panicked when I saw it under water in the TUB!!! I picked it up and it came on, shook it off and have had zero problems out of it, charge port was open and I have no idea how it still works, it was under water for a lonnnnnnng time!

hmmmmm tell us how well it works tommorrow

Been three days now so Im calling it good!

i find this very hard to believe haha miracles do happen sir

can you try it again?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Lol! My wife takes 20-40 mg of Ambien every night (as prescribed), in addition to other stuff for insomnia (and even all THAT doesn't always knock her out) so I know what you mean with that.
Waterproof, though, is lucky. Be very happy you lucked out.

You should have probably immediately taken the battery out and rinsed it with distilled water.
It will probably start corroding inside soon and die on you.
Also when you take Ambien you should be ALREADY in bed, not walking around or taking baths.
Interesting story though.

I have seen it before. It will corrode over time. Then it will drain battery really fast. But everything will work.

I have been worried about corrosion too but i did pull the battery out and clean everything really well. The thing that turn pink when wet is still white so somehow the water didn't get in there. Not going to try it again.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium

SamsungVibrant said:
Also when you take Ambien you should be ALREADY in bed, not walking around or taking baths.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really i had no idea, thanks for the heads up
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium

Need reassurance!!!!

So I just dropped my beloved vibrant ok the toilet and need reassurance, anyone whos done it before, will it live? So far its working ok, random color spasms and headphone port sounded distorted for a second but stopped when I paused music. It hasnt happened in about 15 minutes and the phone fell about an hour ago and dryed for about 30 minutes. I ran it over with a bike before on accident and it still worked and I love this phone so hopefully it will survive. Anyway worst damage to happen to your phone and it still worked?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App

Turn off your phone, take out the battery and put it in a bag of rice. Good as new in about 2 hours.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA App

Before you put it in rice, might want to clean the ports and anything that you can access with distilled water. This will hopefully prevent corrosion from rusty, particle ridden toilet water.

I was at an Ace Hardware where they were selling, for five or ten bucks, a plastic bag with some dessicant for wet-phone rescue. Rice or any dessicant should work fine. I would make sure no rice dust gets into phone.
If you have any kind of blower or compressed air, blowing it out gently on no heat first might be a good idea. Also, I would first take phone somewhat apart, remove battery, sim, sdcard. Dry loose parts by hand, then blow out phone, especially all ports and contacts.
Some kind of tuner-cleaner might be an option if needed.

Thanks guys I took the whole phone apart yesterday and air dryed/ blew air in to dry it out and its working great. Only issue is the volume down rocker doesnt work 100% I have to press it a couple times to make it work. Any way to fix that?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App

your phone has been through hell haha!
unfortunately there isnt much anyone here can tell you. there are certain things you can do to get as much water out as possible like the rice trick, swabbing all ports, etc. but in the long run, theres really no way of telling if any water got in deep enough to go unnoticed/uncleanable, and actually reached a point where it could cause damage <--- and if thats the case, like Woodrube said, you may experience issues somewhere down the road, even long enough to the point when youve totally forgotten about dropping it in the toilet, and youll say "how come this started happening all of a sudden?"
sucks man, gotta be careful...i went to the bathroom one night to relieve myself, after 1 or 2 drinks , and for some reason i thought that holding my phone in the same hand that was aiming wasnt the worst idea ever......yup, i ended up pissing on my blackberry

sneakysnake16 said:
Thanks guys I took the whole phone apart yesterday and air dryed/ blew air in to dry it out and its working great. Only issue is the volume down rocker doesnt work 100% I have to press it a couple times to make it work. Any way to fix that?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it was my phone, I'd get some tuner-cleaner and shoot it into the switch and hope.

TopShelf10 said:
i went to the bathroom one night to relieve myself, after 1 or 2 drinks , and for some reason i thought that holding my phone in the same hand that was aiming wasnt the worst idea ever......yup, i ended up pissing on my blackberry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. No really I laughed out loud and these ladies sitting next to me turned and looked. Brings new life to the phrase "piss on blackberry".

Woodrube said:
Lol. No really I laughed out loud and these ladies sitting next to me turned and looked. Brings new life to the phrase "piss on blackberry".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
100% true story...not my highest point haha, although it did ultimately lead to me getting my vibrant, so i guess it can be considered a win of sorts