When you drop your electronics in water

Seeing the theme on a number of posts, I'd just like to share what I usually do - I've sent cell phones through the washing machine, cameras into the drink, etc. etc. There's one procedure that
works most of the time, that all us alky stove freaks will have handy.

1) do *not* turn it on, open it up as much as possible, remove batteries, sim cards, covers, etc. etc.

2) Immerse the whole thing in a bowl or container of methyl hydrate - I.e. methanol. I.E. Stove
fuel. the alcohol cleans and takes away the water, before stuff can corrode. I often leave it for a
few hours or so, and give it a good swishing around. make sure it gets thorughly immersed.

3) remove from the alcohol. (pour alky back in your stove fuel bottles) leave it set out disassembled in the sun or someplace dry till it's nice and dry.

4) Reassemble, cross fingers and toes, sacrifice a chicken, and press the power on button. Most of the time you are golden.

Good advise! The alcohol dip works well for things that don't have optics. The doublets in optics can come uncemented with alcohol.
Another way to dry out electronics, especially things with optics is with a food dehydrator. Don't let the heat get above 120 deg. F. Also by an air duct from your air conditioner. You are looking for really dry air. Of course if you happen to have a bell jar and vacuum pump, that's yet another way. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

wow thanks for the advice, I will definitely try that out the next time I drop things in the water.

Any particular chicken? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

I think it's relatively nonspecific - any chicken will do. It's just like the chicken you have to sacrifice when working with SCSI devices on computers...

When you drop your electronics in water- they don't float.

Another way too remove the moisture is to put the device in a container of uncooked rice overnight. The rice will draw out the moisture. Like Phat said , don't turn it on untill it's dry or all bets are off.

Every time I see this thread, all I see is "re: when you drop your ele..." and I keep wondering why someone started a thread on elephant packing...

MNS

Another remedy is to submerge it in a bag of rice for a while. Rice absorbs moisture. Never tried it myself, but I've heard it really works.

Might as well just go the full monty and buy a container of dessicant, and place the drowned item in a box just big enough to contain it, and pour in the dessicant until it's buried. then do like phat said, go pray and have 'sacrifice chicken' for dinner <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Might as well try the alcohol and sunshine (AND rice) routine, ESPECIALLY. for cell phones. They have a water sensitive coloring inside that changes color to warn the phone company that you've had it in water, thus voiding the garantee.

My electronic backpacking gear is now all waterproof, to a few feet at least. And some actually float.
i.e.
Garmin Colorado GPS
SteriPen (natch)
Canon digital camera

Eric

I noticed in a marine store the other day they have dessicant in bulk cans for use on boats for closets and such. Might buy some to have on hand. Just place item in correct sized ziploc bag then pour in dessicant and zip. shake it up and let sit for a few days.

Ok, I'm gonna get all scientific on ya here - it won't work as good as the alcohol.

the dessicant will only pick up the water as it evaporates - the alky displaces it immediately. the goal
being to get rid of the water before in the process of evaporating it corrodes the contacts. The alcohol
displaces the water and dries without leaving corrosion

dessicant after the fact won't hurt. but won't do you as good as methyl hydrate will.

thanks phat i did not know this, but i was sure that there'd be glue inside some electronics that the alky would dissolve or ruin the bond of no? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

YES! (see my earlier response to phat when this thread started). The cement used to glue optical elements will craze when in contact with a solvent. Most electronics, no, nothing in there that can be hurt. Cameras and things with screens that are sealed with a glue can be a big problem.

Another fix that Earthling learned a couple years ago....mail the broken electronics to Texas! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> yeah, somehow there is a 'Force Field' down yonder in Texas; and it gives new life to all things electronic <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> It's centered around Paul's home address, yeah, I think that is the location of the Texas Electronic Fixing Vortex <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />