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Water Damage to Samsung C225 Cell Phone

About a week ago I dropped my C225 (used in connection with a
T-Mobile account) into the sink, and I retrieved it after about 5
seconds. At the time, I didn't understand how the battery was easily
detached from the phone, so I did not detach it. However, I stood the
phone at about a 70 degree angle and let gravity dry out the phone.
Later I detached the battery and dried off a small amount of remaining
water. Since that time, I have had a couple of recurring problems that
have not affected my practical usage of the phone too much but which
cause me to worry about whether the phone will fail in the future.
First, after I shut the phone off, it will not come back on by pushing
the regular button. However, if I detach the battery and reattach it,
the phone powers on again. Second, when the phone powers on, it acts
as if it is charging (the three signal strength bars move right to
left). However after about 15 or 30 minutes, the battery charging
signal goes away and the phone acts normally. Could someone give me
any ideas about how I could possibly fix the phone and what is causing
the problem? (I've already tried a hairdryer and that didn't work)

Also, if the phone can't be repaired, are there parts that can be
inserted without messing up my T-Mobile activation. I called T-Mobile
and they wanted to charge me $130 for this $20 phone -- which I
obviously won't do. (Luckily, I have had T-Mobile for more than a
year, so I can dump them if I need to.) I am thinking that maybe I
could buy a new battery or some other part and that may fix the phone.
However, I am determined not to let T-Mobile rip me off. Any help
would be appreciated.

Thanks,


JD
 
R

Ralph Mowery

Jan 1, 1970
0
About a week ago I dropped my C225 (used in connection with a
T-Mobile account) into the sink, and I retrieved it after about 5
seconds. At the time, I didn't understand how the battery was easily
detached from the phone, so I did not detach it. However, I stood the
phone at about a 70 degree angle and let gravity dry out the phone.
Later I detached the battery and dried off a small amount of remaining
water. Since that time, I have had a couple of recurring problems that
have not affected my practical usage of the phone too much but which
cause me to worry about whether the phone will fail in the future.
First, after I shut the phone off, it will not come back on by pushing
the regular button. However, if I detach the battery and reattach it,
the phone powers on again. Second, when the phone powers on, it acts
as if it is charging (the three signal strength bars move right to
left). However after about 15 or 30 minutes, the battery charging
signal goes away and the phone acts normally. Could someone give me
any ideas about how I could possibly fix the phone and what is causing
the problem? (I've already tried a hairdryer and that didn't work)

Also, if the phone can't be repaired, are there parts that can be
inserted without messing up my T-Mobile activation. I called T-Mobile
and they wanted to charge me $130 for this $20 phone -- which I
obviously won't do. (Luckily, I have had T-Mobile for more than a
year, so I can dump them if I need to.) I am thinking that maybe I
could buy a new battery or some other part and that may fix the phone.
However, I am determined not to let T-Mobile rip me off. Any help
would be appreciated.

If you have had the contract with them long enough to cancel it out, you may
be able to talk them into a new phone if you renew the contract. Cingular
sends out a renewal leter offfering new phones with a renewal.

You may be able to buy any phone off ebay or elsewhere that is compatiable
with the T-Mobile system. There is a sim card in the phone that just pulls
out of your phone and inserts into the other phone that will activate it on
your account. Usually all your stored numbers will be in that card also.

Your phone may not have dried out all the way. Pull the covers off it as
much as you can, even if it is just leaving the battery out. Then leave it
in a hot car with the windows closed all day. That should dry it out. I
would tell you to put it in the oven with the door cracked and set it for no
more than 120 degrees for about 2 or 3 hours but it is often difficult for
people to do that without getting the oven too hot and melting the phone.
 
About a week ago I dropped my C225 (used in connection with a
T-Mobile account) into the sink, and I retrieved it after about 5
seconds. At the time, I didn't understand how the battery was easily
detached from the phone, so I did not detach it. However, I stood the
phone at about a 70 degree angle and let gravity dry out the phone.
Later I detached the battery and dried off a small amount of remaining
water. Since that time, I have had a couple of recurring problems that
have not affected my practical usage of the phone too much but which
cause me to worry about whether the phone will fail in the future.
First, after I shut the phone off, it will not come back on by pushing
the regular button. However, if I detach the battery and reattach it,
the phone powers on again. Second, when the phone powers on, it acts
as if it is charging (the three signal strength bars move right to
left). However after about 15 or 30 minutes, the battery charging
signal goes away and the phone acts normally. Could someone give me
any ideas about how I could possibly fix the phone and what is causing
the problem? (I've already tried a hairdryer and that didn't work)

Also, if the phone can't be repaired, are there parts that can be
inserted without messing up my T-Mobile activation. I called T-Mobile
and they wanted to charge me $130 for this $20 phone -- which I
obviously won't do. (Luckily, I have had T-Mobile for more than a
year, so I can dump them if I need to.) I am thinking that maybe I
could buy a new battery or some other part and that may fix the phone.
However, I am determined not to let T-Mobile rip me off. Any help
would be appreciated.

Thanks,


JD

there is no realistic chance of you repairing it. I'm afraid you made
the same mistake almost everyone makes, reconnecting power long before
its properly dried out. If you open it and let it dry properly it might
start to behave again. Properly means open up any cavities and a week
in a warm room.


NT
 
J

jakdedert

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ralph Mowery wrote:
If you have had the contract with them long enough to cancel it out, you may
be able to talk them into a new phone if you renew the contract. Cingular
sends out a renewal leter offfering new phones with a renewal.
Which reminds me of a bitch I've got with Cingular. I added a line to
my service the other day. I gave my old t226 Sony to my daughter, as I
had replaced it with a second hand phone. Somewhere in the process of
activation, the guy at the desk asked me if I wanted any accessories for
the phone...charger, case etc. I allowed as to how I probably had
everything I needed, but the phone was so old they probably didn't carry
anything specific to it anyway. He offered a universal case, which I
thought would be nice.

As he finished up the new contract, I noticed it was for two years, with
a $175 'early out' clause. Under questioning, it turned out that even
with my old phone, I had to sign at least a one year contract (still
$175 to get out early.) The $5 case he was going to 'give' me was the
justification for the extra year!

What a scammer! If I wanted to be tied up for two years, I could have
gotten a whole new phone...as he later admitted (but didn't mention
until I asked.)

In the end I went with the one year, no accessories and had to upgrade
my original service to boot. I left feeling slightly used, as I've had
continuous Cingular service since I started carrying a phone in 1993
(originally BellSouth before they merged).

It might finally be time to change carriers.....

jak
 
D

davidlaska

Jan 1, 1970
0
I had a JVC camera that got wet and had some peculiar behavior. The
problem is that it takes forever to dry out and by then there is some
slight corrosion in very thin parts. I took it apart and found that
some ribbon connections are so fine that surface tension keeps the
water in between just long enough to stop some of the ribbons contacts.
I ended up unsnapping the tiny ribbon connectors and cleaning what was
left of the very thin contacts. Naturally they dried much quicker and
the camera actually worked (who know how long it will , because
cleaning the contacts took some of it off). I don,t think modern
electronics will dry in time if not opened.
On the flip side,( no pun intended) I will take a cover off a CRT tv or
moniter and sit it in the shower for ten minutes and set it outside in
the sun to dry while turning it a few times to release any water caught
in traps. Then put the cover on and thats it. ( It has to be dirty
enough to do that, usually if the dust inside look like a magnet
dipped in metal particles, then its a go)
 
H

Homer J Simpson

Jan 1, 1970
0
davidlaska said:
I had a JVC camera that got wet and had some peculiar behavior. The
problem is that it takes forever to dry out and by then there is some
slight corrosion in very thin parts.

I had a portable CD player I dumped a cup of tea (with milk and sugar)
through. I partially stripped it, soaked it in clean water with some bicarb
dissolved in it and then let it dry out for several days. Still runs OK.
 
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