My S3 is on life support, after being submerged in pool

**ccmiked** · 08-11-2012, 09:10 PM

So, last week, I went on a vacation with my family and had my s3 submerged in pool water for one hour... how did this happen? My two year old was so excited to go in the pool that I totally forgot it was in my bathing suit; jumped in with him and an hour later came out with a weight in my right pocket... only to find it was my precious s3. Before I get comments such as "WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH THE PHONE IN YOUR BATHING SUIT POCKET???", I have done it for years and now is the only time it happened. So, when I came out of the pool, the phone was now off, and I decided to dry it out... put it in bag of rice... (patience) and turned it on about two days later. To my surprise, it did turn on but now I have no sound and camera does not work. Internet and data network is working well though.
My question... anyone think I should take the chance and try to fix it? Buy a replacement camera and speaker (for both music and earpiece). Or is it a lost cause???
Just an FYI... i did open it and cleaned out the chlorine as best as possible with a damp q-tip... and unfortunately, did not get insurance

.
Thanks in advance!

**steveh552** · 08-11-2012, 09:21 PM

Time for a new device. I do not see it being saved

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**Lambo172** · 08-11-2012, 09:34 PM

Well, I had a DROID Eris that I swam with for 10 minutes. I did the rice, tried turning it on (I know, stupid), but it didn't work. So, one of my dad's friends took it and put it in an industrial vacum at his work, and it worked completely fine after! Maybe try that? I forget what machine he used.

**tech_head** · 08-11-2012, 11:22 PM

One hour in chlorinated water.... Dead phone. Get an insurance replacement.

**jimbo1mcm** · 08-12-2012, 03:29 AM

Prepare a proper burial service.

**Rackness** · 08-12-2012, 07:44 AM

An insurance replacement would be far less expensive than trying to replace or repair the damaged components you listed. Accidents happen that is why i carry the insurance.

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**WhoMe** · 08-12-2012, 08:30 AM

Thats really amazing that it powered up at all. I suppose if I were in your shoes Id try to figure out how much the parts cost. However, Id be really worried that even if I could find the parts...soldering or whatever at that scale would be impossible for me.

Look for one of those component tear downs on ifixit or whatever and see if you can make out how its pieced together. Maybe from that you could determine weather it would even be possible.

All that being said I wonder if the broken functionality has to do with the actual speaker and camera or some sort of controller chip on the main board?? Lots of variables here unfortunately. Good luck.

**xliderider** · 08-12-2012, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by tech_head

One hour in chlorinated water.... Dead phone. Get an insurance replacement.

This^^^ (except, you already said you don't have insurance)..

Chlorine is extremely corrosive, even if things work now, you can pretty much count on more damage to the electronic circuits later.

A replacement is definitely in your future. Don't waste any money trying to save this one.

**ccmiked** · 08-13-2012, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Lambo172

Well, I had a DROID Eris that I swam with for 10 minutes. I did the rice, tried turning it on (I know, stupid), but it didn't work. So, one of my dad's friends took it and put it in an industrial vacum at his work, and it worked completely fine after! Maybe try that? I forget what machine he used.

Thanks. I might try this. Appreciate the recommendation!

**ccmiked** · 08-13-2012, 11:25 AM

Thanks all. I really couldn't believe it even turned on after being in the water so long. If I had the insurance, the replacement would have already been ordered. I was loving the phone and now I am back to the Galaxy Nexus... not a bad backup but I can notice the differences easily... Maybe I will have the glorious S3 in the future again... I can only hope!

**Wytnite** · 08-13-2012, 11:44 AM

Similar story. Took my older Galaxy wakeboarding ..literally. Emabarrasingly, most of the time was in the water rather than on the wakeboard. As I was climbing back into the boat about 30 minutes later I realized I forgot to take my phone out of my pocket. I was at a remote lake with no access to the suggested items - rice, gel pack, etc. So the only thing I could do was take out the battery and hope.

It still was inoperable after driving home the next day. This occured 4 days before the GS3 release. During that 4 day period I left the water-damaged Galaxy in my car and, as we know, it's been incredibly hot (95+ degrees here). As I was driving to Verizon on the GS3 release day I put the battery back in the old phone and turned it on. Imagine my suprise when it turned on!!! Absolutely everything works.

Don't get me wrong. Still bought the GS3.

**davidnc** · 08-13-2012, 12:11 PM

I would have a tough time having alot of dependence of a phone that has been submerged in a pool,lake or ocean.Even after trying to dry it back out though all the tips and tricks ,it just seems like its just a matter of time before something fries out from some sort of corrosion.

While I have never had taken my smartphone for a dip in the pool .A few years back a friend did drop my dumbphone I had at the time in the toliet while using it.It was fried instantly.

**dmcman73** · 08-13-2012, 03:10 PM

Even if you get it repaired, the inside circuit boards need to be cleaned with a special PCB cleaner to remove all of the chemicals from the leads (Chlorine, Alkaline, Water hardness, etc) these will all eat away at all the metals in your phone. There are a lot of areas you will not be able to get to to properly clean either so it may be futile to do. I wouldn't trust that phone, it's a little fire ball waiting to happen, a lead could break and cause a battery short causing "Hot pants syndrome" that will make you jump into the nearest body of water with the phone.

The best thing to do is take out insurance for the phone, wait a week or so (if you are able to make calls with your phone and can wait a week) and put a claim in for a lost phone. At least you'll only wind up paying the coverage which i think it's anywhere between $50 - $150 depending on the phone, better than paying $699.

**48dodge** · 08-13-2012, 03:36 PM

My wife dropped her 2nd Gen iPhone into a storm drain for about 3 hours. After realizing where it might be and finally getting it out I brought it home and rinsed it in distilled water for a while. Of course I couldn't remove the battery. After rinsing it I put it in rice and popped it in the oven with the oven light on. After 2 days it was working fine. She did start having glitchy behavior about 6 or 9 months later which I'm sure had to do with corrosion. Good luck and I hope you aren't contemplating insurance fraud as others have suggested.

**glassygurl** · 08-13-2012, 05:12 PM

Sorry to say but I see no hope for your phone. it might work now but I'm pretty sure as time goes by, it's likely it'll get worse and worse. It's not just water, but chlorinated water.... man... good luck to you..

**ccmiked** · 08-15-2012, 07:35 AM

Thanks all... I turn on my S3 sometimes just to feel how smooth it is (browse the web and twitter)... unfortunately, my Nexus doesn't come close (maybe with Jelly Bean that will change)...
It is hard for me to say this but I will... One thing Apple has going for them: When my wife had water damage on her Iphone, we took it to the Apple store and they took the phone even though it wasn't covered by the warranty and provided us a new one for $199... don't think I will get the same courtesy if I call Samsung and do the same

**sparesr4sissies** · 08-15-2012, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by ccmiked

It is hard for me to say this but I will... One thing Apple has going for them: When my wife had water damage on her Iphone, we took it to the Apple store and they took the phone even though it wasn't covered by the warranty and provided us a new one for $199... don't think I will get the same courtesy if I call Samsung and do the same

It couldn't hurt to try...

**Forgetful** · 08-15-2012, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by ccmiked

Thanks all. I really couldn't believe it even turned on after being in the water so long. If I had the insurance, the replacement would have already been ordered. I was loving the phone and now I am back to the Galaxy Nexus... not a bad backup but I can notice the differences easily... Maybe I will have the glorious S3 in the future again... I can only hope!

Maybe try dunking it in 99% alcohol for a few mins.

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**GrooveRite** · 08-15-2012, 12:58 PM

ccmiked, I believe Samsung provides a 1 year warranty on their products. At least they did when I had my Epic 4g and had a problem with my vibration not working. Wouldn't hurt to call them and see what they can do at this point. Good luck!

**GrooveRite** · 08-15-2012, 01:02 PM

Hey, i just came back from Las Vegas and it was a BRUTAL 113 degrees over there this past Thursday!! Night time was between 95 to 100 degrees!! Insane!! If anyone lives there, you can def throw your water damaged device into a car in the searing heat during the day time and let that sucker dry up in no time!!

**xliderider** · 08-15-2012, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by GrooveRite

Hey, i just came back from Las Vegas and it was a BRUTAL 113 degrees over there this past Thursday!! Night time was between 95 to 100 degrees!! Insane!! If anyone lives there, you can def throw your water damaged device into a car in the searing heat during the day time and let that sucker dry up in no time!!

Extreme heat is also bad for electronics, could end up with more damage than start out with.

**ccmiked** · 08-15-2012, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Forgetful

Maybe try dunking it in 99% alcohol for a few mins.

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I have been reading that as well... I will try that if Samsung is unwilling to work with me.. Thanks!

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**xliderider** · 08-15-2012, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Forgetful

Maybe try dunking it in 99% alcohol for a few mins.

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Originally Posted by ccmiked

I have been reading that as well... I will try that if Samsung is unwilling to work with me.. Thanks!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

If you want to go this route, you would need to submerge the device in distilled water first to rinse out all the chlorine and other salt/minerals that was present and deposited on your circuits. It's been a while since your device went in the pool, so the chlorine has been dried onto the circuit tracings already. The distilled water would act as a good solvent to resuspend the chlorine and get it out. Remove battery. Dunk, and rinse, replace with fresh distilled water, then dunk and rinse, repeat, etc.

The alcohol then is used to aid in the removal of water from the device.

**dmcman73** · 08-16-2012, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by ccmiked

I have been reading that as well... I will try that if Samsung is unwilling to work with me.. Thanks!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

Alcohol is a cleaning agent and can do some funky things to adhesives and can turn them gummy or dissolve them. If the entire phone is left in it to long it may cause an issue with the double back tape that secures the digitizer screen (the part you touch on the screen) and the LCD screen (the screen that has the images on it). If you were going to try this, I would suggest taking apart the phone and just dunking the electronics only leaving the plastic housing and the screen out of it. Use a swap with alcohol to clean around the LCD/Digitizer but don't dunk it.

You are not going to be able to clean the insides of the phone well without taking it apart.

**GrooveRite** · 08-16-2012, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by dmcman73

Alcohol is a cleaning agent and can do some funky things to adhesives and can turn them gummy or dissolve them. If the entire phone is left in it to long it may cause an issue with the double back tape that secures the digitizer screen (the part you touch on the screen) and the LCD screen (the screen that has the images on it). If you were going to try this, I would suggest taking apart the phone and just dunking the electronics only leaving the plastic housing and the screen out of it. Use a swap with alcohol to clean around the LCD/Digitizer but don't dunk it.

You are not going to be able to clean the insides of the phone well without taking it apart.

He is going to need this.......