Note 3 screen won't turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

[Nguyenning]

So after fixing my water damaged Note 3 with isopropyl alcohol, I decided to press my luck a little and do another round in the alcohol and dried it with rice. I did this because a tiny portion of the screen remained purple/bruised (like when you press down on any screen). I was hoping another bath in the alcohol would help.

Well the phone still turns on and the speakers work. The LED light turns on and everything boots... except the screen does not turn on. Could I have damaged something with this 2nd bath in the isopropyl alcohol? That's strange, right? I didn't think isopropyl alcohol would damage anything as it does not conduct electricity (and it worked after the 1st bath).

I have placed it back in the rice in hopes that maybe something with the screen just didn't dry off well enough?

 

[Gator352]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

Phones aren't meant to get wet with anything. That includes alcohol....rubbing or 180 proof vodka....doesn't matter. The purplish tint you were seeing was moisture between the digitizer and screen. Most likely would have burned off in a few more days. Pouring more alcohol could have ruined the Amoled screen or digitizer rendering it useless.

Let it sit for a few days in rice....throw in a piece of bread...and try again. Not promising anything.

 

[Nguyenning]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

Phones aren't meant to get wet with anything. That includes alcohol....rubbing or 180 proof vodka....doesn't matter. The purplish tint you were seeing was moisture between the digitizer and screen. Most likely would have burned off in a few more days. Pouring more alcohol could have ruined the Amoled screen or digitizer rendering it useless.

Let it sit for a few days in rice....throw in a piece of bread...and try again. Not promising anything.

99% isopropyl alcohol hardly conducts electricity (if at all) and is perfectly fine to use... I've seen videos where people will submerge their phones in it and turn it on and mess around with it. It's perfectly safe.

You're right though, I think I just didn't give it enough time to dry completely. Ugh time to be patient again. Basically starting all over and waiting for all the alcohol to dry again... which is confusing to me since I thought alcohol dried quickly (at least quicker than water)

 

[FBA]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

Pure alcohol does dry almost instantly, when exposed to air. There may be parts of the phone not yet dried. Let it dry completely for 10-20 hours and maybe you'll get it back, again.

 

[Nguyenning]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

Here's the video of someone using their phone while submerged in isopropyl alcohol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yYsMx6XWZE#t=100

 

[FBA]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

You may have had water remnants in the phone...so video or not, you have an issue. Alcohol works as a water displacement - so if you displace water with alcohol, guess where it goes...

 

[Gator352]

Re: Note 3 screen wont turn on... but everything else works. Screen just stays black

99% isopropyl alcohol hardly conducts electricity (if at all) and is perfectly fine to use... I've seen videos where people will submerge their phones in it and turn it on and mess around with it. It's perfectly safe.

You're right though, I think I just didn't give it enough time to dry completely. Ugh time to be patient again. Basically starting all over and waiting for all the alcohol to dry again... which is confusing to me since I thought alcohol dried quickly (at least quicker than water)

But you have to understand. Just because others did it and it works fine afterward doesn't mean it will work for you. In your case though, it was the right thing to do. Remember, there is glue in there that holds things together and in place. Alcohol may be a water displacement but it also eats glue and other forms of chemicals.