Water Damage ......Help!

12-10-2006 5:00pm #1

I wasn't sure where this belonged so here goes

I spilled a bottle of water in my handbag this morning on the way to work
And luckily I didn’t have my mobile or mp3 player in it, but I did have my digital camera in it
It’s a fujifim z2 and a gorgeous one at that, 3 months old so I'd like to salvage it, it was flickering in my bag when it happened, and it wasn't submerged in water just splashed but still...
I took the battery out and have been leaving it to "dry" all day
When i put the battery in just threr the charge light was on but nothing else.
Anybody recommend any tips on how to bring it back to normal
This happened before to a mobile (It got dropped into a pint) and it came back to life after a few days in the hot press so I'm going to try that

If anyone has any suggestion's or anything let me know
Also I’d appreciate if any comment's such "Ah hate that" were left out!
Thanks

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 12-10-2006 5:01pm

Also I’d appreciate if any comment's such "Ah hate that" were left out!

as would just about everybody who posts on Ah asking about something. We dissapoint them all.

Wishbone Ash · 12-10-2006 5:03pm

coolsmileygirl wrote:

any suggestion's

Photography Forum may be better!

Ruu_Old · 12-10-2006 5:06pm

Moved from AH. Where have you been letting it dry? I would wrap it up and put in a hot press or something. People with photography use cameras (suprisingly) and know the issues problems such as your own can cause and how to fix them.

12-10-2006 5:06pm

I dont need help with photography,
I suppose you could call it an electronics problem as It could easily be a phone or something like that
I just need general advice about water damage to thing's like this

layke · 12-10-2006 5:09pm

Depends what was actually damaged CSG, your prolly going to have to take it to a specialist to replace a component. If you have water damage on any circuit board you may as well bin it. Sometimes it's cheaper to replace the camera.

12-10-2006 5:13pm

theres light still coming to the screen and its flickering again so I dont think it would be the circuit board!
I'll let ya's know what happenes when I dry it out further In the bolier press!

12-10-2006 5:39pm

It's mostly only water and power that do the damage ,try and leave it without power for a few days. Don't rap it up though because condensation might build up inside it.
Anytime I have to replace a waterdamaged PCB ,I try a hairdryer first and sometimes it gets it going .

Alun · 12-10-2006 5:47pm

Generally the advice in cases like this is to leave it to dry properly somewhere nice and warm and dry, for a good day or two if possible, without switching it on in the meantime. Open up any doors, flaps etc. if possible and remove any battery. It's an awful temptation just to switch it on and see before the time's up, but it's really the best way.

Oriel · 12-10-2006 7:21pm

Get this ****e moved out of this forum!

440Hz · 12-10-2006 8:07pm

sinecurea wrote:

Get this ****e moved out of this forum!

:P hehe!

what kept ya

rymus · 12-10-2006 8:21pm

simple enough solution. If it was turned on when it got wet, it's probably screwed. If in a few days time it doesnt turn on, send it back to Fuji.

If the other regulars around here can't offer anything constructive (which it's hugely likely) I'll move this to the water damaged electronics forum. You might get a better response there.

On the other hand, if it was only a splash and it was a fairly new camera you could be alright. Basic sealing in modern cameras will survive the odd splash of water (or Murphys)

leche solara · 12-10-2006 8:28pm

sinecurea wrote:

Get this ****e moved out of this forum!

I see the mild mannered tolerant posters still reign in this forum.
This must be why its so popular with passers-by, and why so many people want to post here!

440Hz · 12-10-2006 9:00pm

rymus wrote:

On the other hand, if it was only a splash and it was a fairly new camera you could be alright. Basic sealing in modern cameras will survive the odd splash of water (or Murphys)

you'd think that wouldnt you!! anyone wanna try out the theory themselves??

people thought the same with phones and toilet bowls... well... maybe thats just the people i know! nice bunch of folk

rymus · 12-10-2006 9:08pm

theres a bit of a difference between splashing it with water and immersing it in a toilet bowl... both in the quantity and quality of the water

I wouldnt think your average phone has the sealing that some digital cameras would either.

440Hz · 12-10-2006 9:11pm

just a tiny splash of me being sarcasmic there!! about the same size splash that would be safe for a digicam i reckon, so no need to worry there folks!!

now... anyone got any other worries we can help with!

440Hz · 12-10-2006 9:15pm

oh ... actually... on a serious note. i wouldnt put it in the hot press!! what with all the wet inside and the warm outside and the old condensation on the lcd or even more vital parts of the camera! wet+warm=not a good mix for ye olde electronics!

(thats why they let me teach elec engies!! cos i is so clever with all these gadget-me-bobs)

puss · 12-10-2006 9:32pm

I know somebody who did drop their mobile phone down the toilet. She just left it in her room on a desk as all the experts told her it could not be fixed. She forgot about it as she was away for a while. About 2 months later she turned it on and hey bresto its working.
Its a camera phone.

rymus · 12-10-2006 9:40pm

My ex once dropped her phone down the toilet.. Then she flushed it. But she always was a silly wagon.

440Hz · 12-10-2006 9:43pm

rymus wrote:

My ex once dropped her phone down the toilet.. Then she flushed it. But she always was a silly wagon.

hehe!

mine did too! He didnt flush it though, not that bad.

and, of course id never call him a silly wagon, im far too nice.

punchdrunk · 12-10-2006 11:11pm

fuji won't touch that with a barge pole,camera's that get wet or any sand inside are class as uneconimical to repair,because even if they replace a part now to get them running again the moisture will cause corrosion so six months down the road the gears in the lense barrel will break

tis for the bin if ye can't dry it out yourself!

Roen · 12-10-2006 11:56pm

@CSG,
if you get the oul liquid on a camera or a phone or whatever I'd recommend not switching it on at all until it's fully dried out.
I know you succumbed to temptation and did switch it on, but hopefully it'll be ok.
So just do like the people above recommended and open all hinges and flaps and leave to dry before you try putting power through it.
If it wont work after the drying out just buy a new one. It'll be cheaper in the long run.
And welcome by the way, don't be shy about posting up pics.

440Hz · 13-10-2006 7:32am

Roen wrote:

And welcome by the way, don't be shy about posting up pics.

{csg, shy, pics}

rymus · 13-10-2006 7:55am

Roen, we'd never have seen her in the first place if Ruu didnt move the thread from AH

13-10-2006 9:17am

Ok i dried it out, and yes used a hairdryer lighty on it, and it switched and was on for a good while but there was an error message up saying error focussing and it was making the noise it makes when it's taking a photo

Then it just flickers up the fujifilm logo constantly but still wont function normally, the colour was in the logo too so i suppose thats a plus , I'l bring it back to the shop and pay to get it repaired at this stage!

440Hz · 13-10-2006 9:19am

coolsmileygirl wrote:

Ok i dried it out, and yes used a hairdryer lighty on it,

YOU WHAT?????????????

Ok... what you really should have typed there was "Ok, I just killed my camera"

Sorry but... a hairdryer!! Solution: camera+bin

I wouldnt bring it back to the shop now. They are going to make a fairly good guess at the torture your poor little camera has been through and that wont be pretty. I doubt they can fix it at this stage anyway.

New camera tbh.

13-10-2006 9:27am

nooooooo DONT SAY THAT

it dried it out it wasn't that wet to begin with, and I only used the light cool setting for a couple of min's anyway

Oriel · 13-10-2006 9:47am

Lesson learnt: don't use a camera for sexual relief.

440Hz · 13-10-2006 9:48am

sinecurea wrote:

Lesson learnt: don't use a camera for sexual relief.

..

:rolleyes:

Oriel · 13-10-2006 9:52am

Bottle of water? ;-)

Morlar · 13-10-2006 9:59am

Roen wrote:

@CSG,

And welcome by the way, don't be shy about posting up pics.

Just to second that - there was a big brouhaha here a few weeks ago about making people feel welcome and how some people were put off posting because of the nature of the replies they would get so whether the cameras fixed itself or you need a new one dont be put off posting pics either way.

440Hz · 13-10-2006 9:59am

440Hz wrote:

oh ... actually... on a serious note. i wouldnt put it in the hot press!! what with all the wet inside and the warm outside and the old condensation on the lcd or even more vital parts of the camera! wet+warm=not a good mix for ye olde electronics!

(thats why they let me teach elec engies!! cos i is so clever with all these gadget-me-bobs)

edit: I wouldnt put it in the hot press or go near it with a hairdryer

rymus · 13-10-2006 10:58am

sinecurea wrote:

Lesson learnt: don't use a camera for sexual relief.

Unless it's of an appropriate size & shape of course...

bp_me · 13-10-2006 12:12pm

coolsmileygirl wrote:

I'l bring it back to the shop and pay to get it repaired at this stage!

Where did you buy it? Depending on where, simply go in and act like you have no idea what happened (it just stopped working) and give out a little and they will simply replace it. Shops dont like scenes and tend to give in

layke · 13-10-2006 12:24pm

As people say drying it may help. However it is highly unlikely that your camera will function properly as you have damaged a circuit board/chips. I would regard drying it out as wishful thinking at best that error will NEVER go away.

Your best bet is try and claim under warrenty and pray they don't send it to a guy that opens them up. If so he will know in two seconds it's water damage.

bin it.

440Hz · 13-10-2006 12:43pm

bp_me wrote:

Where did you buy it? Depending on where, simply go in and act like you have no idea what happened (it just stopped working) and give out a little and they will simply replace it. Shops dont like scenes and tend to give in

It SHOULD be quite obvious to anyone who knows anything about electronics what has or 'may have' happened to the camera. I would not try the 'play dumb' card, even if you are a good actress.
User damage simple as. You need to buy a new camera. SOrry for sounding harsh but no self respecting shop is going to replace a camera damaged like this. Best they will do is attempt to repair at a high price, and even then I fear your camera has had its day.

all the best!

bp_me · 13-10-2006 12:48pm

440Hz wrote:

It SHOULD be quite obvious to anyone who knows anything about electronics what has or 'may have' happened to the camera. I would not try the 'play dumb' card, even if you are a good actress.
User damage simple as. You need to buy a new camera. SOrry for sounding harsh but no self respecting shop is going to replace a camera damaged like this. Best they will do is attempt to repair at a high price, and even then I fear your camera has had its day.

all the best!

Have you ever brought anything back to argos, dixons, etc. The staff dont care. All they will do is switch it on, replicate the fault and give you a new one. Worst they can do is say no......

of course a proper camera shop may be a different story....

440Hz · 13-10-2006 1:02pm

Yeah and when the supervisor checks it out and the poor little foreign sales assistant gets in trouble for taking the thing back... who will sleep soundly then eh!!

User damage. camera dead. sad story. end of. buy new camera. do not place in bag with water.

Morlar · 13-10-2006 1:14pm

I really dont get the 2 pages of over-reaction to a simple question here is all about - I would agree with bp_me that if you bought it in a big-ish chain store like dixons, currys etc its worth a shot of bringing it back and saying that you stopped using it for a week or two and when you went back to it it was in its current state.

If they do find out its water damage and wont replace it then it'd be time to buy a new one. end of. or whatever.

13-10-2006 1:20pm

Any engineers I've worked with all do the same thing ,when it comes to water damage. They dry the board with a hairdryer first ,60% of the time it works after that.
Hands on experience with this stuff ,it has a chance of working if left to dry.
Obviously some components burn out quicker than others ,but thats the 40%.

Roen · 13-10-2006 1:28pm

I think the main problem was that it was switched on while still wet, if it had fully dried there would have been a greater chance of it still working.
Best of luck with it.

bp_me · 13-10-2006 1:33pm

440Hz wrote:

Yeah and when the supervisor checks it out and the poor little foreign sales assistant gets in trouble for taking the thing back... who will sleep soundly then eh!!

User damage. camera dead. sad story. end of. buy new camera. do not place in bag with water.

As a rule the supervisor and manager will have as little technical know how as the assistant who took the item back. As will the sales rep who calls to pick it up (assuming thats the way the company is structured). It more than likely wont be evident from the outside of the case that the item is water damaged. No staff member will get in trouble over a product they had no way of knowing was damaged as a result of user damage. The technician who examines it (probably at least a month later) will conclude water damage. The head office wont receive refund or replacement, but that will be the end of it.

Alternatively the store will simply dump the item. You would be surprised the amount of items that are simply dumped and never returned to manufacturer anyway.

Speaking as someone who spent more time than I care to remember doing returns on items.

mikeanywhere · 13-10-2006 3:05pm

coolsmileygirl wrote:

If anyone has any suggestion's or anything let me know

I used to have the same problem to a degree with all my paintball gear. I suggest you leave the camera in the airing cupboard overnight to allow the heat to remove any water/condensation etc.

Usually that does work - good luck with it !!!

16-10-2006 1:28pm

Now it wont turn on at all

I'm so freaked!

rymus · 16-10-2006 1:52pm

dont be freaked, it's just a dead camera... Chalk it down to experience and go camera shopping.

Roen · 16-10-2006 2:40pm

The perfect excuse for a shopping trip. Best o luck with it.

13-01-2007 8:27pm

Ok I was a cheeky bitch and sent it back but they were also slow ****er's in processing it so ...

I don't feel at all bad now when they are sending me this as a replacement

http://www.savastore.com/productinfo/product.aspx?catalog_name=Savastore&product_id=10294487&pid=44

So I'm thrilled to get a brand new camera instead of buying one:D

bp_me · 13-01-2007 8:28pm

All's well that ends well

Fajitas! · 13-01-2007 8:38pm

Nice one.

punchdrunk · 13-01-2007 10:11pm

how did you manage that? what shop was it? i'm quite surprised!

ARGINITE · 13-01-2007 11:38pm

No real big surprise, I did it more than once for random customers in maplin when I worked their. All they had to do was be nice or if female a cute smile always worked too. I Never got in any trouble and neither did any of the managers, etc, etc.
Enjoy your new camera.

Water Damage ......Help!

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