“If your smartphone is wet, never leave it in rice and put it to load later”

In EuropeBecause each time they change after more time, although this partly involves a little more when buying a new mobile. One of the main characteristics that are valued is water resistance and liquids, as it is common to lose a mobile for submerged, voluntarily or accidentally.

This situation, which is very common, You can put an end to the user in front of buying a new mobile or simply repairing yours. And there are certain actions that facilitate repair to be possible and, moreover, that it is not facing. In Spanish – Free Android, we talked to David Calvo, mobile repair technician in Mobilsolution.

This expert tells us What should we do when our mobile falls into the water, where we do not have to immerse it under any circumstance And, moreover, what to avoid in the first minutes after immersion, like trying to load it. The latter is very important if we want to minimize the loss of the mobile and, above all, data inside.

This is something that is the key to many users because, as David indicates “Most people have no information in an external backupWhether on a physical device such as a computer or in the cloud. “Therefore, when a mobile is irreparable, the stored information is also lost.

Before an incident linked to the liquid, it is preferable to have a cold head and not to perform certain actions, in addition to being aware that “Problems can occur one or two weeks laterAlthough the mobile works well in the hours that followed the immersion. “This is something that few people know, and it is not dined to see that there is no immediate damage.

What to do and what to do after an accidental immersion

The popularization of mobile phones during the first years of the 20th century led, having more, we have seen more cases of accidents linked to all kinds of causes, including liquids. It did that There have been famous solutions like putting the mobile in riceso it absorbs moisture. In fact, it is possible in some cases to see that the mobile has humidity “because it is appreciated in the lenses of the cameras, where the humidity is often located”.

Putting the mobile in rice, in theory, is not bad and can help a little, but the problem is that, as the expert “people leave them in rice for a day or two after, He puts them. It's something to do “. It's a problem because “As long as there is water or humidity, nothing of the electric current should be put On the motherboard, where the charger is connected. “”

If in doubt how David takes place, he explains that he does not really need to put it in rice, that It is best to take it to a technical service Because this is where the necessary tools are to eliminate humidity and water. It is not practical either to “find a dryer to remove the liquid, it does not work”. Even Although the phone works well, failure can be given when loaded.

How humidity is eliminated

Taking this into account, it is to take it to a technical service that can save the mobile because it is where they can Use the ultrasound machine with a special liquid that moves water inside the mobile. The strategy is to submerge the mobile in a liquid that keeps water away from the circuits.

The key is that this liquid (isopropylic alcohol or distilled water) is not able to transmit the current, it is not driver, just like water, so although there is no risk for the device. It is similar to what we have seen on Oppo's submerged servers in his plant in Shenzhen. That's why It is important to clean water as soon as possibleSo that the metallic internal elements of the smartphone do not give time.

In addition, There are cases in which there are humidity problems although the mobile has not overwhelmed. Damage may have been caused in a very humid atmosphere, such as a bathroom. This is something that technicians can detect the fixing “in the internal motion sensor of mobiles, which is black but becomes red when it has detected humidity”, as can be seen in superior photography.

Damage and arrangements

Once the problem is identified, it is sometimes possible to clean the elements and operate the mobile. EITHER, If we were very predicted, only with cleaning with the ultrasonic machine that we can solve itThis is one of the most economical repairs, as David indicates. But on other occasions, you have to take them to the laboratories.

In this case, the cost of repair is higher and can even lead to having to change certain parts. If, for example, the screen connector is damaged, “it can involve the change in the whole part, being one of the most expensive mobiles of current mobiles. In fact, many wet mobiles must change the screen.” The cost of cleaning is not high And David does not indicate it's normal “About 20 or 30 dollarsSomething that if you have to do something more, I don't even charge. Of course, the change of parts can already be much more expensive because it depends on the model, the room, but About 80 or 100 dollars can cost a repair. “And that's where you should also take into account”The data, because it is something that people do not appreciate until they loseAnd most of them have backup copies. “This shows that in these situations, it is worth paying for this cleaning and drying cycle to try to change the parts shortly after, especially if it affects the screen.

David affects us a lot that there is a lot of difference between one case and another due to the difference in use that has been given between wet and technical service. If it has been turned off and taken immediately, it is more likely to recover it for little money than if it has been tried to light uploading, or if a week has been expected. “In any case, the best thing is to” deactivate and take it as soon as possible at a repair service. “In addition, he tells us with a certain resignation that” many users try to cover improper use, saying that it was wet a few moments ago, when we already see corrosion inside, or swear that they have not tried to load it when we see in the connector that was not. The best thing is to tell the truth to the technician so that he can work as well as possible and try to recover his mobile. “”

Mobile with water resistance

Another problem that we wanted to face this technician was that of mobile phones with a resistance certified at water exposure, those who have a certain type of IP certification. In David's words, “Not all brands behave in the same way During resistance to immersion in liquids. “Samsung argues the case which, according to his professional experience” is a brand that reacts well in this type of situation. I have seen many models of this brand be wet and have resisted. “Of course, there are other brands, even more expensive, which do not give the same result, because” I also saw cases of Apple mobiles which, after a month, have already posed problems in this regard. “”

Yes indeed, It is clear that mobile use is the most important “Because people plunge them into the pool because they have resistance to water and then realize that it damaged it.” And much less it is advisable to “immerse it in the sea, because salt is extremely harmful for electrical components. Salt is the worst in these cases, it is very corrosive”. In fact, although it seems counter-intuitive “sometimes an accidental immersion is worse at home, with tap water, which in a swimming pool with chlorine”.

It is also clear that, although a mobile has water resistance, “abusive use can damage it and that, although it is possible to recover, it is important that it is never wet because it is no longer certified against this exposure to liquids.” In addition, Keep in mind that many brands do not cover liquid damage in the warrantyAlthough their mobiles are officially certified against dives, as they cannot guarantee that there are no other damage, such as blows or small cracks caused by falls, that they have canceled this certification.