Saving Liquid Damaged Devices

Here's what to do when your phone has come in contact with liquid.

• Turn off your device immediately and remove battery. DO NOT connect your device to a charger. Stay calm. Do some deep breathing now if your adrenalin is getting the better of you.
• If your phone has been submerged in salt or chlorinated water, rinse thoroughly with fresh water. This reduces the significant corrosion caused by these liquid types. Please note that saltwater is particularly destructive to mobile phone circuitry and boards, and rapidly eats through phone components once crystalised. Stop reading this. Go rinse your phone now!
• Remove all accessories from the device. This includes SIM and memory cards, cases, lanyards, battery cover etc. All openings and inputs on the phone need to be clear to allow for the best possible drainage. Try smiling. It helps your body relax.
• Tip the phone in several directions to drain excess water. DO NOT shake the phone. This is a typical nervous reaction that occurs in damaged phone situations that can lead to the liquid being pushed deeper into the phone to areas where it is much harder to drain.
• Use a medium powered suction vacuum to extract excess water by firstly removing the floor attachment. Aim the nozzle at all handset openings vacuuming for no less than 2 minutes. Be careful of small or loose parts. DO NOT use a hairdryer to dry out your phone. Vacuum your phone in private to avoid being the next pub joke.
• Place phone in a zip lock bag or plastic container with silica gel packets if available* OR uncooked rice. Squeeze out excess air to ensure container is airtight as oxygen promotes corrosion. If using rice, replace after three (3) hours ensuring maximum moisture absorption. Switch to silica gel packets as soon as possible. Memorise above for maximum impact with possible love interest in wrecked phone situation.
• If possible, within six hours of liquid damage visit your closest Fone King store.

Silica gel is a highly effective drying agent. Gel packets are available from hardware stores, supermarkets and camera stores. Put your phone in an airtight container surrounding it with silica gel packets to greatly enhance your handset’s chance of survival.

Fone King has an excellent success rate repairing phones with water damage especially if these instructions have been followed carefully.

Our expert technicians will conduct the next phases of repair which can include isolating corrosion, full chemical clean, ultrasonic wash, component replacement, re-soldering, board drying and any further parts replacement required.