[VIDEO] Samsung Galaxy S5 Dead - Water Damage

chrisngrod

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(forward to 1:16 if you just want to watch the underwater video)

The only reason I pulled this out of my thread is to make sure it is visible. The question arose whether or not an aftermarket QI receiver will cause the Galaxy S5 to leak water. The answer is in the video. You can actually hear the phone start to malfunction. I knew this was a high risk trial. It was a gamble and I lost. Well technically my wife lost. She now hates the Note 3 I have her using
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If you look at the picture above, you can see the smooth path around the inside of the device that the seal on the battery door matches up with. Sometimes you will notice air bubbles come out of the phone when you submerge it. This is probably because water is allowed to get into areas up to the seal.

Now look at the QI receiver pad's ribbon cable that protrudes on the top left. One of the QI prongs is located within the seal path. Naturally the ribbon was in seal path as well. In addition to this, the small amount of bulk added under the cover could have been just enough to affect the small seals. Perhaps you could cut the ribbon ever so slightly, and do other modifications to make the pad thinner. Who really wants to do that and re-perform this test though?

I am definitely not accusing Samsung for any failure on their part. There are articles about the S4 Active having issues and AT&T doing on time courtesy replacements for those devices (unmodified). I checked with AT&T for S&Gs to see if there were any reports of S5s with issues. They said no. Only time will tell. This is not a warranty issue anyways because I modified the device.

The setup was tested with in a bathroom tub with the device off earlier in the day. It passed. No water seeped past the door seal. I should have tested it a few times at various depths up to 12" and moved the phone around to encourage water to get in. Starting at 1 second, 5 seconds, 10 seconds etc. Small tests would have minimized the amount of water that could have entered the phone without detection.

My recommendation is to not use the device on purpose for underwater photography. Take measures if you are going to be in an environment which could potentially result in your phone getting wet. Make sure all the seals are in tact and do not press buttons while the phone is submerged. It might not be a factor but why try?

If you ever notice water getting into your phone, no matter what make or model, turn it off immediately, take out the battery, and inspect. Upon inspection, should you notice any moisture, dry the phone for 24-48 hours at a minimum. This phone DID NOT die immediately. It actually just got worse over time. I should have dried it for about half a week I'm thinking. Remember, it's not really the water that does the damage to the circuitry. It's the electricity that is running though the water and shorting out components. Water seeping into the display probably isn't good in general but just trying to make a point. Initially it was only the home button that was malfunctioning (registering as being pressed the whole time). Screen was fine and everything. Then it had problems turning on. Hours later, when it did turn on, the screen was going. Hours after that, the screen would not turn on at all.

Please like the video and subscribe so my wife doesn't kill me...

Part 2 is a staged test to reassure consumers that the device should live up to it's IP67 certification under normal conditions.


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AnnieVan

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Thanks for sharing. I was thinking about getting one that I saw on Amazon. In fact, I had one on my S4 and was disappointed it didn't fit on my S5. Now I definitely will wait for the official back from Samsung to come out.

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chrisngrod

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The only thing that is disappointing with the OEM version is the bulk it adds. It makes it hardly compatible with any cases.

If my wife liked the flip cover with integrated back, I'd go with with that probably.
 

Seeker4

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The only thing that is disappointing with the OEM version is the bulk it adds. It makes it hardly compatible with any cases.
Does anyone really know how much bulk the wireless charging back actually adds, and which cases are or are not compatible, since Samsung is not yet shipping the wireless charging back? (I have a wireless charging back on back-order with Samsung. Still waiting to hear when it might actually be available.)
 

AndyLu

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You cam get one at your local Verizon store. Well the flip cover charger at least

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chrisngrod

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Do they already have the ones with the charger built in? I looked at Samsung's site this weekend, and it said coming soon. These pictures were posted on XDA of an OEM back (poster v3rtex).

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Joe113

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I didn't even watch the video.... the first 3 seconds you say the device is waterproof... it's not WATERPOOF! God people are so ignorant...
 

chrisngrod

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I didn't even watch the video.... the first 3 seconds you say the device is waterproof... it's not WATERPOOF! God people are so ignorant...

Too bad you didn't listen to 4 seconds.

Not even diver's watches are called waterproof anymore. However, water resistant is not a common search term when something goes wrong with a device. The regular consumer will search for waterproof. Everything is water resistant... to a point.

Part 2 is a staged test to reassure consumers that the device should live up to it's IP67 certification under normal conditions.

 
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JS_racer

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Does anyone really know how much bulk the wireless charging back actually adds, and which cases are or are not compatible, since Samsung is not yet shipping the wireless charging back? (I have a wireless charging back on back-order with Samsung. Still waiting to hear when it might actually be available.)

looks like a lot, not sure any cases will fit
 

felloffthetruck

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Hendo255

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Too bad you didn't listen to 4 seconds.

Not even diver's watches are called waterproof anymore. However, water resistant is not a common search term when something goes wrong with a device. The regular consumer will search for waterproof. Everything is water resistant... to a point.

yet you title your video on youtube as "The Samsung Galaxy S5 is Not Waterproof - Shoots Underwater Video and Dies Pt 1" right.....
 

Joe113

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yet you title your video on youtube as "The Samsung Galaxy S5 is Not Waterproof - Shoots Underwater Video and Dies Pt 1" right.....

Exactly!!! lol thank you for seeing this #fail that is so very apparent.

Don't label something WATERPROOF, when it's water resistant... 2 100% totally different things..
 

chrisngrod

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Exactly!!! lol thank you for seeing this #fail that is so very apparent.

Don't label something WATERPROOF, when it's water resistant... 2 100% totally different things..

Exactly. Because no one searches for water resistant. Maybe about .00001% of the things on the market are waterproof. My Rolex is not waterproof... Most dive watches aren't waterproof. No on searches for water resistant because everything is water resistant... to a point.

I put ZAGG application fluid on the S3, S4, Droid RAZR, Epic Touch, and a handful of phones. Are those water resistant? They resisted the water and didn't die.
 

Rev2010

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Am I reading right, you used an aftermarket part and then say the phone is not waterproof? Also you suggest not using the phone for underwater photography, well the phone is only rated to a depth of three feet... who would be using it for underwater photography anyhow?
 

chrisngrod

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Completely not blaming Samsung for anything. The test stemmed from questions which of compatibility arose in an XDA thread about QI receiver pads.

Not a normal consumer here. It was done like the drop tests where the changes of ruining the device are high.

Consumer underwater photography as in using it in a pool.. Swimming around with it. Taking it to a water park and trying to capture footage on a lazy river or wave pool.

Sent from my HTC6600LVW using Tapatalk
 

steve_bham

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I thought the phone is being advertised as water resistant? ??? Not waterproof.

If I wanted to take underwater photos I'd by a "waterproof" camera.

Posted via Android Central App
 

Jon Jackson

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I thought the phone is being advertised as water resistant? ??? Not waterproof.

If I wanted to take underwater photos I'd by a "waterproof" camera.

Posted via Android Central App

Exactly, it is not meant to take underwater pictures, that's silly. Mine has gotten wet on several occasions, and it's fine. I dunk it under running water from the sink and clean it off, I used it in a water park with a bit of water spray hitting it.
 

chrisngrod

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Exactly, it is not meant to take underwater pictures, that's silly. Mine has gotten wet on several occasions, and it's fine. I dunk it under running water from the sink and clean it off, I used it in a water park with a bit of water spray hitting it.

Exactly.

The video is to raise awareness. I've dealt with customers that don't grasp most of these concepts very well. I own 5 GoPros. I know what equipment to use for different applications.

I don't think a few people are getting it.
 

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