Help Dropped the Incredible in the Toilet...

[nyyankeegirl]

It was in there for half a second and the water damage stickers turned pink. Phone was working, and now it's not.

Silly question, but is there any loophole for getting out of the $89 deductible? Anything I can say to the CSR to make it get covered under warranty aka coughlyingcough?

 

[sabrewings]

Take out the battery and don't try turning it on any more. Put it in a bowl of 90% isopropyl alcohol for six hours at least. Take it out, let it dry for 12 hours at least. Should be good to go.

Don't bother trying to get it warrantied. If the stickers are pink that's it. Done. With the method I listed above the phone should be fine, but you could still claim it with Asurion. The alcohol will displace all the water and evaporate quickly.

 

[crimton]

use the bag of rice technique, put it in a plastic bag or tupperware cont. full of rice. never tried it but heard it works.

 

[cuban11182]

I almost dropped mine in. It fell from my hand and i tried to grab it out of the air. I made it divert its path, but made it accelerate. Luckily for me I have a Rugged case. It came out unscathed.

Best of Luck.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

Take out the battery and don't try turning it on any more. Put it in a bowl of 90% isopropyl alcohol for six hours at least. Take it out, let it dry for 12 hours at least. Should be good to go.

Don't bother trying to get it warrantied. If the stickers are pink that's it. Done. With the method I listed above the phone should be fine, but you could still claim it with Asurion. The alcohol will displace all the water and evaporate quickly.

My boyfriend also has the Incredible. Do you think I could swap stickers with him? They wouldn't outright take my phone away from me, right (this way I can give him back the correct stickers)?

 

[crazyg0od33]

My boyfriend also has the Incredible. Do you think I could swap stickers with him? They wouldn't outright take my phone away from me, right (this way I can give him back the correct stickers)?

I think on most phones (at least my enV3) they have a sticker on both the battery and the phone so you cannot do this. But try removing the battery and if there is no sticker go for it.
When they replaced my enV3, they give you 10 days to send the phone back.

 

[behrooz]

First Sorry but VZW will know if the sticker has been tampered with, but you really should try the Rice in the bag for at least 6 hrs give or take

 

[drdoom]

I thought the Asurion insurance covered water damage.

 

[lafester]

I thought the Asurion insurance covered water damage.

read post #1

I say scrape together the deductible and be more careful nex time.

 

[Diabl0]

You could just say you lost it...


Depends on your morals, but that's what I would do. Either way you'll have to pay the deductible.

 

[ckali7]

Dab of bleach on the stickers fixes them right back up.

 

[pday1]

Dab of bleach on the stickers fixes them right back up.

had a friend just do that with an ipod touch and they replaced it no problem.

 

[jrmckins]

stick it in a bag of rice for 2-3 days with the battery out.

 

[yojoe600]

i heard the bleach works so try that on the stickers

 

[mdonova33]

Dab of bleach on the stickers fixes them right back up.

That's pretty cool!

 

[euph_22]

Yeah...you're really out of luck. Even if you manage to get them to warranty it, in the first 5 minutes they have the phone, they'll figure out it's water damaged. Even if you change the moisture indicator, it'll be pretty obvious. They WILL charge you full price for a replacement. They might even press charges (they won't, but they could. But again, they won't)

You can try the rice, or isopropyl alocohol trick (I'd go with the rice, but at this point you have a brick. Not much more damage you can do). Maybe you can bring it back to get a little more use out of it.

 

[euph_22]

Dab of bleach on the stickers fixes them right back up.

Does it work when the water indicator isn't pure white?

 

[uber_mike]

Does it work when the water indicator isn't pure white?

I don't think it would... the ones on the inc have pink X'es. Of course if you just try to play dumb after bleaching it, it may work.

 

[DeaconBoogie]

Take out the battery and don't try turning it on any more. Put it in a bowl of 90% isopropyl alcohol for six hours at least. Take it out, let it dry for 12 hours at least. Should be good to go.

Don't bother trying to get it warrantied. If the stickers are pink that's it. Done. With the method I listed above the phone should be fine, but you could still claim it with Asurion. The alcohol will displace all the water and evaporate quickly.

I am surprised nobody commented on this...

The reason water ruins devices is not because of the water itself, but because of the minerals in the water which conduct electricity, thus creating a short. Soaking the device in isopropyl should break up the mineral deposits which are left behind after the water has dried (alcohol is a solvent).

There's a similar trick that auto detailers use on paint (especially black or other dark colors) with water spots. The process uses vinegar instead of alcohol (see my comment about solvents). Vinegar breaks up the minerals that have latched themselves into the paint. Once rinsed and dried, the paint will be free of water spots.

 

[Lefort1]

You should try the rice trick!

 

[Nick The Great]

My sister took a swim with her phone. (Some LG something . . . ) But she did the rice trick and didn't turn it on for a day or two. Seems to be working okay.

And if I could, I'd give you a demerit for wanting to be dishonest. You clearly dropped it in the water.

 

[fortesquieu]

Was the toilet clean? =P

Just kidding, good luck.

 

[yojoe600]

^i guess thats why they need a isopropyl to break down the "solids" inside the phone

 

[SynisterWolf]

I am surprised nobody commented on this...

The reason water ruins devices is not because of the water itself, but because of the minerals in the water which conduct electricity, thus creating a short. Soaking the device in isopropyl should break up the mineral deposits which are left behind after the water has dried (alcohol is a solvent).

There's a similar trick that auto detailers use on paint (especially black or other dark colors) with water spots. The process uses vinegar instead of alcohol (see my comment about solvents). Vinegar breaks up the minerals that have latched themselves into the paint. Once rinsed and dried, the paint will be free of water spots.

THIS WORKS!! well and the rice but only if it still wet or water behind the glass of the screen. but i had to do it to my storm after being pushed into a pool.

 

[OwaN]

I don't think i'd soak the phone in isopropyl alcohol for too long. As mentioned above, the IPA is a solvent and soaking a phone in it might have unintended consequences in terms of things dissolving internally. Maybe a quick dunk, but 6 hours? you must be crazy.

Rice is the better option either way since it acts as a dessicant. never turn your phone on after its been submerged until its dry