The Unauthorized Guide to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Repair (2013)

Chapter 14. Addressing Water Damage

Whenever I run, I take either my iPhone or one of my iPods with me so that I can enjoy listening to an audiobook while I exercise. Because I live in the sunny southeastern United States, the weather is typically dry, so I have no worries.

However, what about a wet, rainy day? If a few stray raindrops fall upon my iDevice, could this cause damage? What if you drop your iDevice in a puddle of rainwater? Or the kitchen sink? What if you spill a can of soda directly on top of your iPad?

The ways in which water or other liquids can enter your iDevice case are innumerable. The goal of this chapter is to describe exactly what damage water can cause an iDevice and then present invasive and non-invasive methods for addressing a waterlogged Apple mobile device.

I want to make sure you are armed with the facts concerning water damage to electronics, effective methods for addressing the problem when it occurs, and (perhaps most importantly) steps you can take to limit the possibility of water damage occurring in the first place.

The Problem of Water Damage

Water poses a very real threat to all electronic devices, not only iDevices. The danger lies in the fact that water conducts electricity. Thus, when water contacts the integrated circuits inside your iDevice, water helpfully attempts to continue any current that may be flowing.

If the iDevice is powered on at the time it gets wet (which is usually the case, sadly), the extra current flow produced by the water can cause a variety of immediate problems:

Electrical shorts and overloads, which burn out components

Erratic re-routing of electrical current, causing unpredictable iDevice behavior

Damage to the battery, which can present a chemical and/or fire hazard

Corrosion

The fourth bullet point in the previous list bears further explanation. If you don’t address a liquid incursion immediately then you create fertile ground for corrosion (rust) to take place within your iDevice. This corrosion impedes the flow of electricity and renders some or all of your iDevice inoperable.

This chapter focuses specifically on water, but the introduction of other liquids, such as soda, causes additional problems. The issue here is that these beverages contain chemicals and properties beyond simple water— think of sugar, salt, and carbonation.

When non-water liquids dry on the surface of your iDevice’s integrated circuits, they leave behind their sugary/salty residue. Impeded current flow means a “bricked” iDevice.

Okay. I think I’ve made my point that you want to do everything possible to limit the introduction of water into any of your iDevices. Next, it’s time to address the following question: Does AppleCare cover water damage?

Warranty Ramifications of Water Damage

Do either the Apple Hardware Warranty or AppleCare cover water damage? Yes, but only if you bought AppleCare+.

There is no provision for water damage coverage in either the Apple Hardware Warranty or the traditional AppleCare Protection Plan. However, if you are fortunate enough to have AppleCare+ coverage for your iDevice then, yes, you can receive a replacement device (subject to the service fee, naturally). Here is the relevant line from the AppleCare+ Terms and Conditions document for the iPhone (http://is.gd/0CppGy). I added the bold for emphasis:

Accidental Damage and Handling (ADH) coverage only applies to an operational or mechanical failure caused by an accident from handling that is the result of an unexpected and unintentional external event (e.g., drops and liquid contact) that arises from your normal daily usage of the Covered iPhone as intended for such Covered iPhone.

Liquid Contact Indicators (LCIs) and You

All iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches built after 2006 contain several Liquid Contact Indicators (LCIs) that alert Apple Store personnel if the iDevice has experienced liquid contact.

The LCIs are white paper dots that turn red in the presence of liquid. See Figure 14.1 for an example.

FIGURE 14.1 LCIs in an iPhone 3GS.

Generally speaking, you can look for LCIs in the following locations on an iDevice:

Inside the headphone jack (shine a flashlight directly down the jack)

Within the Dock connector

Above the logic board on an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield

An Apple Store Genius can quickly assess an iDevice for water damage by checking two exterior LCIs and then popping off the rear case and examining the interior LCIs.

Much has been written online about how to “game” Apple Store personnel by attempting to replace or reset the LCIs. I suggest you avoid these parlor tricks.

The following non-invasive methods for addressing water damage are great for non-technicians (which is to say, the majority of Apple’s customer base). However, you and I are iDevice techs, so we can leverage more invasive and effective methods for drying these devices. I cover those later in this chapter.

How to Address a Waterlogged iDevice: Non-Invasive Approach

Regardless of which of the following two methods I provide you with for addressing a waterlogged iDevice, the first rule is the same for both:

Power off your iDevice completely. Do not put it to sleep—power it off.

Given our previous discussion on the hows and whys of water damage, I trust you understand why you need to remove power from your device without any delay.

You also should rotate and shake the powered-off iDevice to let any pent-up water drain from the chassis.

The Rice Method

After your device is powered off, what then? If you don’t have any dedicated tools for resolving water-damaged electronics (more on that in just a minute) then perform the following procedure:

1. Fill a bowl with uncooked rice. No, I’m not kidding. Be sure that the container has an airtight lid.

2. Dry off the exterior of your iDevice as much as you can with a towel.

3. If applicable, remove the SIM tray and SIM card.

4. Submerge your iDevice into the rice and seal the container.

5. Leave the iDevice covered up in the rice for two or three days. Periodically change the orientation of the iDevice within the rice in order to let gravity and the rice work together to draw all moisture out of the iDevice.

6. Retrieve the iDevice from the rice, remove all rice remnants from the device, power it on, and test functionality.

Dedicated Drying Tools

If you want to proactively address the possibility of iDevice water damage then you should consider purchasing a quantity of silica gel packets. You can purchase these from Amazon.com or several other online sources. As you probably know, silica gel is great at quickly removing moisture from whatever moisture containing objects it contacts.

In case you were wondering, silica gel is a far more effective desiccant (drying agent) than uncooked rice.

Another possibility is the Thirsty Bag, sold by (guess who?) iFixit. You can see one in Figure 14.2.

FIGURE 14.2 iFixit Thirsty Bag. (Photo courtesy of ifixit.com.)

Essentially, the Thirsty Bag is a paper bag that is filled with silica gel packets. Here’s how you use it:

1. Put the powered off, toweled-off iDevice into the Thirsty Bag. Seal the bag.

2. Wait 24 hours.

3. Remove and test the iDevice.

How to Address a Waterlogged iDevice: Invasive Approach

After powering off, toweling off, and shaking your waterlogged iDevice, follow these steps:

1. Open the case and disconnect the battery. This is crucial because the battery is the DC power source for the iDevice when it isn’t plugged into an AC socket or a USB port. Consult the proper disassembly chapter in this book to help you safely open your iDevice.

2. Disassemble the iDevice and carefully dry exposed components with a microfiber or other lint-free cloth.

3. To be sure that you’ve cleaned the internal components, you should obtain isopropyl alcohol in at least 90 percent concentration (check online or in your local pharmacy) and submerge the logic board and other affected parts.