Help....My Droid got wet

[Droid DOES!!]

I just wanted to say that I do not agree with the alcohol method stated in the OP for the thread "How to Deal with a Droid thats Gotten Wet–THE RIGHT WAY".

My Droid got wet recently and after using 99% alcohol to "displace" the water, the alcohol permanently damaged the screen's display when the water did not affect it. I also suspect the alcohol damaged the sensitivity of my Droid's power button, volume-up button, and headphone jack.

The aforementioned thread is blocked for replies, so I'm posting this information here in hopes of saving some other poor Droid owner. Instead of using alcohol, just remove the battery cover, battery, and micro SD card, and let the phone sit on its own for a few days with some silica gel packs to dry out. Do not use alcohol!

I'd say do it the honest way and tell Verizon the truth. When the phone is shipped back, it is literally torn down (spare parts, Certified Like New Replacements, etc.) and if they see the hidden indicators are discolored, they CAN charge your account the full retail price of the phone. Asurion also has the authority to persue legal action if you're dishonest. You can only file 2 claims in 12 months so just be extra careful from now on.

[KiCK]

It must've gotten pretty wet. I left my Droid in the rain recently and I've had no problems since then.

[767pilot]

Follow up-
I took it to Verizon yesterday and they looked it over, starting with the moisture indicators and scratched their heads a bit before issuing me a new phone. Thanks all!

[767pilot]

It must've gotten pretty wet. I left my Droid in the rain recently and I've had no problems since then.

Actually, it didn't. A few days before my wife accidently gave it a pretty good splashing and nothing happened. I guess it just depends on luck and timing. From now on, no phones out while waterskiing!

[QuickSilver98]

insurance?

[767pilot]

insurance?

I have the insurance but I've already used it once this year for a lost phone. After two claims in a year they drop you so I want to keep that one in my back pocket if I can. I also have 89 bucks that I would like to keep in my back pocket a little longer

[Dusty]

Just as a note.

You may have heard the adage of using rice to dry out your tech if it gets wet. It may work for some people but there is a much better way. The grains of rice are covered with a lot of residue (rice-dust I guess you could call it) which can coat the interior of your gadget. This could cause problems with the circuit board and reduce the chances of you saving your device.

First off... It's a good idea to go to your local gun shop and pick up a small bucket of silica gel to keep handy. You know the stuff... that's what's in the packets in a shoebox when you buy shoes. For around $15 it's used to keep humidity levels low for weapon storage. It is also GREAT for drying out a wet device and not leaving contaminants behind.

REMEMBER: The first thing you want to do when your item gets wet is to pop out the battery IMMEDIATELY. This may avoid shorting your device, which is an instant death sentence.

I saved a travel phone when it got soaked on a boat ride last year. I popped out the battery immediately. When I got home I dunked the phone in high purity isopropyl alcohol and swished it around for a few minutes. I dunked the phone in an alcohol rinse because it was soaked with salt-water which is very corrosive, and it'll ruin the metallic components inside the phone. Then I disassembled the phone as far as I could and left it for a week in a dry, warm (NOT HOT) area. Every day or so I shook it firmly it to dislodge the un-evaporated alcohol. Patience, patience, patience. You have to control the urge to put in your battery and test the device. Like I said earlier, power surging through a wet device is a KILLER. Wait until you are fairly certain that the device is dry... then wait some more. A week is a good starting point. For me, a week later and I was pulling contacts from the phone.

Getting an electronic device wet is bad news right off the bat. These techniques aren't guaranteed. Your device's chances of survival are extremely low to begin with. So don't blame me if it still doesn't work.

Just a tip for anyone who has has ever gotten their gear wet... or will.