Essential PH-1 phone not lighting up properly after moisture damage.

[Android Central Question]

I know this will sound weird and all, but while working in a high moisture area, it got into my phone. I know that's not weird, but that's yet to come. I did the normal thing, left it sitting in rice for 72-ish hours and it worked, until the screen went black. Couldn't for the life of me figure out why, but then I noticed the finger scanner was still working even though the phone should be "off". So I took my flashlight and I was actually able to light up the screen with it, and still be able to 100% use my phone, however the screen just has 0 brightness without an external source. Weird right? Anyone have an idea on what I can do? Would it be worth replacing the screen, or would that be a waste of time because the issue is in the phone itself. Please help.

 

[SpookDroid]

Not weird at all, not with Water Damage anyway. Also the 'rice trick' isn't fool proof and the fact that you had it on while wet might have damaged internal components.

So, for this, it seems that only the backlight part of the screen is acting up (unfortunately, this is seldom a part sold separately and only as an unit with the display layer and, sometimes, even the digitizer). You can take it to a repair shop and have it evaluated, but it could be either a damaged panel (not likely since, apparently, it works OK while plugged in) or just a sensor/connector that needs to be replaced.

Also, make sure that changing the brightness setting doesn't fix it while on battery.

 

[Omar Barreto]

So I have a similar issue, except that my phone works unplugged as well. I even changed the digitizer and still have the same issue. In Sun light I can see everything as if the brightness is turned all the way off. But the screen won't light up.