1. BBLove93's Avatar
    Long story short: My Z10, with a case (the Poetic Atmosphere, which covers pretty nicely), has "some" water damage. It took a few second-swim in a sink of cool, running water. The phone was completely submerged for only a few seconds. I pulled it out immediately, took off the case, whipped out the battery, SD card, and SIM card. I wiped the phone down and tried blowing into the small holes and ports to attempt getting any water out of the device. Within 15 minutes I was able to get the phone in a zip-lock bag full of rice, along with the battery. The phone rested for 2 days, I tested it, and it wasn't powering on. I added fresh rice to the bag then and put the phone and battery in for another 3 days and the phone still has not been able to power on. (Other than the water damage indicator being pinkish/red, there is no other physical damage to the phone either; the screen looks fine as it had a protector on it, as well.)

    I did not connect the phone to a power source as I'm afraid that if there is any water deep inside that it might completely fry itself. Additionally, I did buy a spare LS1 battery in case I feel I did everything I could before risking putting in a new one and trying then.

    With all this being said, would it be a good idea to disassemble the phone and let it air dry for a few days before considering connecting it to the charger, and if at that point it doesn't turn on, assuming it dead? To me it seems impossible that it won't turn on even for the few seconds it was submerged with a tight case and screen protector on it.

    Any feedback from any of you would be gladly appreciated!
    06-21-13 02:20 PM
  2. YYZ_AKS's Avatar
    The ziplock bag when u had it in there for 2 days, was it air tight?
    06-21-13 02:45 PM
  3. DaFoxGrey's Avatar
    You do not want to put the rice into an airtight container, unless you have a sever humidity problem.
    Put the rice into a brown paper bag or bowl with a vented top and store in a dry and warm place.
    The rice will pull the moisture out of the phone, but the rice needs to breath to rid itself of the moisture also.
    06-21-13 02:49 PM
  4. BBLove93's Avatar
    The bag of rice was closed entirely. :|
    I'm guessing I shall try a brown paper bag now and see what happens over the weekend. I will update this thread afterwards.
    Thank you for the help!
    06-21-13 02:57 PM
  5. anon(5624621)'s Avatar
    Could try adding silica packets to your rice, if you've got any kicking around. It's a better dessicant.
    R Field and BBLove93 like this.
    06-21-13 02:58 PM
  6. lactose's Avatar
    Would it help to place it near a light bulb so it gets warm (not hot) ? Phones get hot during normal operation anyway. Letting it sit on a laptop might be a thought, mine gets warm.
    06-21-13 03:29 PM
  7. BBLove93's Avatar
    Would it help to place it near a light bulb so it gets warm (not hot) ? Phones get hot during normal operation anyway. Letting it sit on a laptop might be a thought, mine gets warm.
    This also seems like a good idea with some supervision. Will try as well.
    06-21-13 03:37 PM
  8. DaFoxGrey's Avatar
    Not directing this at the OP or others in this thread, but just a general info:

    Do not use cooked or spiced rice

    Dry, uncooked, white rice, only.


    We do not want to make Blackberry Sushi
    06-21-13 03:57 PM
  9. ZombieNinjaJudo's Avatar
    I'm new to blackberry but by no means new to phones, honestly if it didn't work after you waited a couple days I'd say go get the phone looked at. Try the other battery or if anything just plug the phone into the computer but with out a better and see if the red light flashes. Might give you an idea of what your looking at. Saying that if that didn't work that port could possibly be fried and charge the battery else where. I've had my BlackBerry for about a week and the battery doesn't last the longest. Hope that helped.

    Posted via CB10
    06-21-13 04:29 PM
  10. bubbbab's Avatar
    You're not going to drop any piece of electronics into water even for a couple seconds, without doing permanent damage. Even if rice helps dry it out, even if it works for a while, inevitably there will be a failure due to the water damage. Metal electronics get water on them, oxidation will always follow. A friend wanted to get his 9860 repaired and the shop wouldn't even take it once they saw the red dot. I have to think that something on the circuit board shorted. Best of luck but I'm not optimistic that the unit will ever turn on again.

    Presented by Dr. Emmett Brown on BlackBerry Z41
    06-21-13 06:21 PM
  11. BBLove93's Avatar
    You're not going to drop any piece of electronics into water even for a couple seconds, without doing permanent damage. Even if rice helps dry it out, even if it works for a while, inevitably there will be a failure due to the water damage. Metal electronics get water on them, oxidation will always follow. A friend wanted to get his 9860 repaired and the shop wouldn't even take it once they saw the red dot. I have to think that something on the circuit board shorted. Best of luck but I'm not optimistic that the unit will ever turn on again.

    Presented by Dr. Emmett Brown on BlackBerry Z41
    I do realize this as my previous and now current 9930 had water damage and isn't running as it used to, but it functions well enough. I believe that there is little to be done if the device hadn't turned on by now, but I needed to ask to make sure if there was anything else that I could do. I'll give it a few more days before I give up. Thank you anyhow.
    06-21-13 06:41 PM
  12. SRVwannab's Avatar
    For Christmas one year my wife got each of the kids these bags that you put your electronics and when they get wet.

    If I remember right I think they are called beastie bags or something close to that. We have had to use them twice and both times they successfully dried out our phones. I realize that that is just our anecdotal experience, but it worked for us. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sorry your phone got wet.
    06-21-13 08:22 PM
  13. baseballpeej's Avatar
    I've read that you should dunk the water submerged phone in rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will clean and displace the water residue and will dry clean without any damage.

    I've never tried this, but I figured its worth passing on. If nothing is working anyways, what are you risking?

    Posted via CB10
    06-21-13 08:56 PM
  14. scrannel's Avatar
    I've read that you should dunk the water submerged phone in rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will clean and displace the water residue and will dry clean without any damage.

    I've never tried this, but I figured its worth passing on. If nothing is working anyways, what are you risking?

    Posted via CB10
    There is a commercial product you can buy, "QD" for this purpose. I use it a lot.

    05101 -- QD� Electronic Cleaner, 4.5 Wt Oz
    06-21-13 10:25 PM
  15. Martin Green's Avatar
    Forget the rice and go to a craft store for a bag of silica gel. They use it for drying flowers, and it is a much better dessicant than rice. Or you could save up all those little bags that come with all new electronics. Just be sure to pop them in a 200F oven for 30 minutes before trying to use them to dry out your phone. Left alone silica gel will saturate itself from humidity in the air so you need to bake the moisture out before using.

    I dropped an 8700 in a muddy pond while fishing a few years back. Took it apart to bare board. Rinsed everything carefully with fresh water then left it to dry for several days. Tried it but no go. Left it another week. This time it started up fine and worked without trouble for another year or two till I got my curve.

    Update: as someone else pointed out, distilled water is best for cleaning dirty water off phone innards before drying.

    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by Martin Green; 06-22-13 at 01:55 PM.
    BBLove93 likes this.
    06-22-13 12:07 AM
  16. nineinchnail1024's Avatar
    I accidentally took my z10 for a swim yesterday. I immediately pulled the battery, sim and SD card. Then I grabbed 4 of those little silica packets that come in bacon bits and beef jerky packs. I dried them on the hood of a black truck in the blazing sun for about four hours. I then filled a bowl halfway with fresh, dry rice. I put two of the silica packs under the phone and two on top. Then I filled the bowl the rest of the way with rice. After letting the phone sit four 24 hours, I put the battery back in. Then, I contacted Asurion (my total replacement coverage warranty holder) and forked over the $99 deductible to get a new phone. Sucks.
    06-22-13 12:22 AM
  17. Benjamin Black's Avatar
    get calcium chloride from a pool supply store it's often sold as a water hardness increase and it is the strongest desiccant commercially available. then get a steel bbq grill grate or something similar open the bucket and place the great across the opening then place your phone on top of the grate. every drop of water anywhere near it will be gone within an hour.

    Posted via CB10
    06-22-13 02:43 AM
  18. Smilyniiiz's Avatar
    I was at work and I dropped my Z10 in water. It was only for a few seconds but I grabbed it and pulled the battery (but not the cards)out to dry it off and then I put it back in and turned it on. It came all the way on and then it turned off. I turned it on again, and it made some sizzling noises and went dark. I went to the Internet and found I did everything wrong. The little white tab inside the battery area had turned pink to indicate it had been wet. I ran to Verizon and they pointed to the pink spot and declared it done. So I bought some rice and went back to the office and poured it into a covered plastic take-out bowl that I had in my desk. I found 1 desiccant packet and I put it in with the phone, the battery, the Sim card, and the memory card. My company ordered me a new Z10 which arrived the next day. The next day I tried the wet phone again and it wouldn't work. I took the new Z10 and went on vacation, and when I returned 6 days later I tried again. It worked! I waited a few days to see if the wet Z10 was OK, then I sent the new phone back because the entire time I was on vacation it kept rebooting - day and night. I kept the original Z10 because it never rebooted on me and it had excellent battery life. To make things worse,a couple weeks later, I knocked the phone in water again!! This time, between hitting myself in the head for being so stupid, I did everything right. I was at home and I had a zip top refill bag of Damp Rid that I dropped the phone, battery, and cards into for about 8 hours. I was impatient and I couldn't wait the recommended 24 hours. When I turned the phone on, it worked again. That was about a month ago, and it's still going strong! I'm running 10.1-2354 and it operates smoothly with no problems. I LOVE MY Z10! I love it enough to keep it away from water from now on!
    Kadri Walcott likes this.
    06-22-13 06:25 AM
  19. UnlimitedEra's Avatar
    Not directing this at the OP or others in this thread, but just a general info:

    Do not use cooked or spiced rice

    Dry, uncooked, white rice, only.


    We do not want to make Blackberry Sushi
    No sh*t?! You don't say =)) =D


    Sent from my awesome BlackBerry using the epic app Tapatalk!
    DaFoxGrey likes this.
    06-22-13 06:38 AM
  20. prplhze2000's Avatar
    Didn't wash it in distilled water, did you?

    Posted via CB10
    06-22-13 06:41 AM
  21. jaunty_mellifluous's Avatar
    try putting the battery in and charge it with a power source to see if it wakes up.

    I hope ur phones works.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900
    06-22-13 06:44 AM
  22. prplhze2000's Avatar
    If you use alcohol, it needs to be 99% or higher. Popular mechanics has a good article on this

    Posted via CB10
    BBLove93 likes this.
    06-22-13 06:44 AM
  23. whatsever's Avatar
    It must stay at least 3 days in the rice

    Posted via CB10
    06-22-13 10:32 AM
  24. Zack Schmiesing's Avatar
    Here's a tip: don't dunk your phone.

    Posted via CB10 on BlackBerry Z10
    06-22-13 11:49 AM
  25. Martin Green's Avatar
    I was at work and I dropped my Z10 in water. It was only for a few seconds but I grabbed it and pulled the battery (but not the cards)out to dry it off and then I put it back in and turned it on. It came all the way on and then it turned off. I turned it on again, and it made some sizzling noises and went dark. I went to the Internet and found I did everything wrong. The little white tab inside the battery area had turned pink to indicate it had been wet. I ran to Verizon and they pointed to the pink spot and declared it done. So I bought some rice and went back to the office and poured it into a covered plastic take-out bowl that I had in my desk. I found 1 desiccant packet and I put it in with the phone, the battery, the Sim card, and the memory card. My company ordered me a new Z10 which arrived the next day. The next day I tried the wet phone again and it wouldn't work. I took the new Z10 and went on vacation, and when I returned 6 days later I tried again. It worked! I waited a few days to see if the wet Z10 was OK, then I sent the new phone back because the entire time I was on vacation it kept rebooting - day and night. I kept the original Z10 because it never rebooted on me and it had excellent battery life. To make things worse,a couple weeks later, I knocked the phone in water again!! This time, between hitting myself in the head for being so stupid, I did everything right. I was at home and I had a zip top refill bag of Damp Rid that I dropped the phone, battery, and cards into for about 8 hours. I was impatient and I couldn't wait the recommended 24 hours. When I turned the phone on, it worked again. That was about a month ago, and it's still going strong! I'm running 10.1-2354 and it operates smoothly with no problems. I LOVE MY Z10! I love it enough to keep it away from water from now on!
    Yep, as in my case, patience was key since it took about a week before everything was dry enough for my old 8700 to work again after a dunking. I still have that phone as a backup, alongside my old Curve.

    Posted via CB10
    06-22-13 01:57 PM
43 12

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