Posted by Glenn Strickler on 12/2/09 2:34pm
Msg #312838

OT? Maybe. I'll let you judge

I did the unthinkable the other day and dropped my cell phone in water (I'll spare the details in case someone is eating lunch). Dead. Darn. Pulled the SIM, stuck it in my old phone and was back online, so no calls lost. A case for having an old phone that you can call on just in case you don't have time to get a new phone.

Then I was told about a trick of putting the wet phone, open, battery out in a bag of rice for a couple of days. Might as well give it a try. Could save some $$. Put it together just now. Works!! I'll be darn.

Told a few others about this, and got the response "Oh, yeah, it works."

So was I the last person to find out, or is there someone else out there that threw out a wet phone in the past before trying this? Thought I would pass it on.

Reply by Michelle/AL on 12/2/09 3:12pm
Msg #312841

This is definitely On Topic since our cell phones are a

critical part of our business. The whole thing about the rice is something I've heard about for about year now. Thankfully, I haven't had to try it. Yet. ; )

Reply by Doris_CO on 12/2/09 3:31pm
Msg #312842

That actually happened to me too and I had only had my phone for about a month. And my phone probably fell into the same location. Mine is Verizon so there isn't a sim card. I pulled the battery out right away and wiped as much water as I could. Then I propped it up on some books in front of a hot air heater and turned it on the lowest speed. I'd rotate the phone so all openings would have the air blowing in them. Meanwhile I searched the internet and read about the bag of rice. I had enough rice to cover the phone in a bag, and placed the bag on the window sill in the sun. (I did call Verizon and had them activate my old phone so I didn't loose any phone calls). After a week, I put the battery back in and turned it on and it works fine. I'm still using it and haven't had any problems.

Reply by John_NorCal on 12/2/09 4:04pm
Msg #312844

I actually had a Sprint phone that fell into a swimming pool. After having it fished out it worked for a day while I bought a new one. I removed the battery and put the phone in my closet and was a surprised a few months later when it worked again. I gave it my son an he used it through out his Air Force advanced training and for awhile afterwards.

So chances are a phone will work once it has taken an unplanned bath, but the rice trick probably works a lot quicker though.

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/2/09 4:56pm
Msg #312849

Have revived more than one soaked phone...

like the rice trick...will try! Because there WILL be a next time.

Reply by davidK/CA on 12/2/09 4:59pm
Msg #312850

Water and iPhone is death to the phone. n/m

Reply by davidK/CA on 12/2/09 5:21pm
Msg #312851

Re: Water and iPhone is death to the phone.

Once again OOPS.

The iPhone has a moisture sensor buried inside the microphone jack. Of course you can't cover up that hole so if the iPhone gets wet and water goes down the hole it's all over. The phone won't work ever again. It can't/won't be repaired by Apple or anyone else. You just buy a new phone, transfer your sim card and hopefully restore most of your stuff from iTunes.

I speak from experience having watch my iPhone slide into the toilet a few weeks ago.

Reply by Michelle/AL on 12/2/09 5:57pm
Msg #312853

I've come close to losing my phone down the toilet more

times than I can count. Why then do I continue to take it in the bathroom with me? Isn't it an accident just waiting to happen? SMH. Will I ever learn?

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 12/2/09 6:02pm
Msg #312854

Re: I've come close to losing my phone down the toilet more

My husband spilled something on his and tried this too sadly it did not work for him!

Reply by Notarysigner on 12/2/09 6:02pm
Msg #312855

Re: Water and iPhone is death to the phone.

please David, don't tell on all of us.......

Reply by Yowheelz on 12/2/09 7:47pm
Msg #312873

Husband dropped his blackberry in the Atlantic Ocean

I was tempted to have him rent scuba gear and look for it. Needless to say it would take a lot of rice to soak up the Atlantic.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 12/2/09 7:48pm
Msg #312874

LOL..I'd have made him jump overboard to get it

scuba gear or not!!...LOL

Reply by davidK/CA on 12/2/09 9:02pm
Msg #312885

"AppleCare" doesn't care about water damage. No coverage.

And the way they build the iPhone they can look down the mike channel and if the color of the water sensor has changed from normal the know positively the phone has been in water. All they can do for you is sell you a reconditioned phone (8G 3G) for $200 without extending your contract or a new phone at a higher price by extending your contract for 2 more years. And they take away the dead phone. You can't keep it for "parts" or whatever. Hell you don't even get a new cord or even a box, just the phone. And no "We' are sorry" either.

My biggest problem was that the computer that had iTunes had just had a hard disk crash so I lost all my apps, all my contacts beyond the minimum stuff on the sim card, my calendar, all my photos, etc. I basically started with a blank phone. Weeks later I'm still rebuilding the phone using iTunes on my new laptop. All in all it was a $900 disaster. And it happened in seconds. Superman couldn't have caught it before it hit the water.

Reply by jba/fl on 12/2/09 9:11pm
Msg #312886

Re: "AppleCare" doesn't care about water damage. No coverage.

Dave - you have severly underestimated and under calculated my hero's speed & agility. Shame on you...

Reply by Jim/AL on 12/2/09 10:19pm
Msg #312898

Agree with Julie, Superman could have saved the phone, lol. n/m