Flappy charging port cover - Galaxy S 4 Active General

I'm not sure if anyone is aware, but the flappy charging port cover is just dust protection cover, it provides no waterproofing. I cut mine off months ago it's very annoying. It does not affect the phone's ability to survive 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.
My phone see's water daily in the shower or going wakesurfing. Still working like brand new since day 1!

I don't know that I'd be willing to risk it. How can something possibly prevent water from entering, but allow dust in? Even if the port is sealed off from the rest of the device (like the headphone port), you have to consider that you are introducing electricity into the environment. Any amount of residual water can and will cause a short.

my-blue-snog-box said:
I don't know that I'd be willing to risk it. How can something possibly prevent water from entering, but allow dust in? Even if the port is sealed off from the rest of the device (like the headphone port), you have to consider that you are introducing electricity into the environment. Any amount of residual water can and will cause a short.
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It makes sense. Sealing it off to prevent water intrusion w/o the flap seems pretty easy, but to make the port dust proof you'd need the flap (the innards of the phone would be water/dust proof behind the connection port, the flap would be to keep the dust out of the port only)
I won't try it but if you're saying it works for you I'll feel a little better when the wife's port cover rips off...

That's good to know, mine's been getting looser and looser and I've been more worried to go near water since it isn't feeling so tight anymore!

Keep in mind that if you have at&t, this should be covered under the 1 year warranty. You may have to argue a bit with the rep, but I got mine replaced when it pulled off.

As a fixer, I decided to test this theory. My friend's two year old ripped her charge port cover off and wanted me to fix it. I've been looking for the past day, and haven't found anything that is a direct replacement, just filler pieces for generic micro-USB or for the S3 ports (same thing, really).
So I took the phone apart so I could see the inside, and I, using electrical contact cleaner spray so I don't break the phone, barely pulled the trigger so it would dribble down into the port instead of blast everywhere. Well, I saw contact cleaner on the inside of the phone within like 2 seconds.
Conclusion: the charge port is not sealed. It might handle a splash if you let the port dry out, but forget about dunking it.
As a tip, search eBay for "6pcs Micro USB Port Dust Cap Cover for Samsung Galaxy S III S3 GT-I9300 (Black)". That is the title of the listing where I found 6 filler pieces for $5 USD, while the popular link provided in these forums for TOPI Covers (topicovers .com/products/micro-usb-port-cover) sells them at $2 each.

I contacted the support center for the store (Elkjp, a norwegian national store owned the Dixon Group) where I bought my Galaxy S4 Active about the cover for the USB-connector, and got this reply (translated into English):
"According to the manufacturer the USB-connector itself is waterproof without the rubber cover. The robber cover is only for dust protection. Normally the warranty does not cover water damage, but with some products, like you Galaxy S4 Active, we will approve your warranty request if water have penetrated into the phone, as long as it has no other visual damages."
Unsure who the store's support supervisor has contacted for this informastion, might be just a wild quess by the supervisor or Samsung in Norway. The manufacturer warranty in Norway is 2 year for Samsung mobile phones, and national customer warranty/complaints are 5 years for mobile phones, according to Norwegian law.

Clarence_C said:
As a fixer, I decided to test this theory. My friend's two year old ripped her charge port cover off and wanted me to fix it. I've been looking for the past day, and haven't found anything that is a direct replacement, just filler pieces for generic micro-USB or for the S3 ports (same thing, really).
So I took the phone apart so I could see the inside, and I, using electrical contact cleaner spray so I don't break the phone, barely pulled the trigger so it would dribble down into the port instead of blast everywhere. Well, I saw contact cleaner on the inside of the phone within like 2 seconds.
Conclusion: the charge port is not sealed. It might handle a splash if you let the port dry out, but forget about dunking it.
As a tip, search eBay for "6pcs Micro USB Port Dust Cap Cover for Samsung Galaxy S III S3 GT-I9300 (Black)". That is the title of the listing where I found 6 filler pieces for $5 USD, while the popular link provided in these forums for TOPI Covers (topicovers .com/products/micro-usb-port-cover) sells them at $2 each.
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No offense, but you sound less than scientific and I see numerous holes in your testing. If the device is rated by the manufacturer to be waterproof without the USB flap then it seems unreasonable to question without definitive evidence that it is not, which thus far you have failed to provide.
Sent from my GT-I9295 using XDA Premium HD app

i agree. dont mock if you are no expert!!

The IP67 rating is based upon 1 meter of water depth for 30 minutes without water intrusion. This requires positive sealing methods like the silicone gasket on the cover with snap clips holding it down with pressure. A little flappy cover that just sets in place provides no sealing what so ever at 1.4psi.

pyro254750 said:
No offense, but you sound less than scientific and I see numerous holes in your testing. If the device is rated by the manufacturer to be waterproof without the USB flap then it seems unreasonable to question without definitive evidence that it is not, which thus far you have failed to provide.
Sent from my GT-I9295 using XDA Premium HD app
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I checked the manual (from Samsung.com) and on page 11 says it's NOT waterproof without the USB cover correctly in place:
"Caution! Be careful not to damage or detach the multipurpose jack cover. A damaged or missing cover can result in water damage to the device."
It may be a CYA note, or maybe it's not water-resistant without the cover. As far as I can find this is the only 'official' word on whether or not it's water-resistant without the flap (which its supposedly not). I'm not doubting the OP by any means, if his phone works without the cover that's great, but I'm not going to rip mine off on purpose to test it out.

TwoStroker37 said:
The IP67 rating is based upon 1 meter of water depth for 30 minutes without water intrusion. This requires positive sealing methods like the silicone gasket on the cover with snap clips holding it down with pressure. A little flappy cover that just sets in place provides no sealing what so ever at 1.4psi.
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Click to collapse
So, a rubber stopper in a sink or bathtub will not seal because the water is only a few inches deep?
In theory, the flap will always seal if it fits well (no dirt, cracks, etc.) and the pressure outside the phone is greater than the pressure inside the phone, but not so great a difference to structurally deform or damage the seal. If the phone remains vertical with the flap at the bottom, it doesn't need the seal at all. Think of an inverted bottle without a cap. You can push it down into the water, but the air remains inside.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

Water proof cover.
If you do not like the dust cover on the phone you can try a piece of silicone ear plugs. The are designed to keep water out of your ears when swimming just don't force it into deep in the usb port. If your still not satisfied and you want to dunk the phone a simple zip lock bag works great for most phone and you can still use the touch screen though it will not be as sensitive. I have used plastic bags to keep my phone dry in the rain several times. Good luck, hope this was helpful.

Yes It is bit worry for me also and my phone is now out of warranty and I can not replace it.

Wadell said:
[/COLOR]The Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charging kit is now available directly through Samsung’s accessory store. Should you choose to make charging on your GS4 “hassle free,” be prepared to shell out $90. In order to become a wireless charging machine, the Galaxy S4 needs both a charging cover (battery cover replacement) and the charging pad (pictured above). The back cover runs $39.99, while the pad will cost $49.99. If there is one added bonus to the charging pad, it’s the fact that it should work with all Qi-certified wireless charging products, so you could get some additional use out of it.
We’ve got links to Samsung’s site below for those who are interested.
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Where did you find the original samsung wireless covers?
I cant find them anywhere?
Do you have a link?
BR

The S4 cover is different than the S4 Active for obvious reasons. It won't fit.

my-blue-snog-box said:
Keep in mind that if you have at&t, this should be covered under the 1 year warranty. You may have to argue a bit with the rep, but I got mine replaced when it pulled off.
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Did they send you the part or did you have to send your phone to them? I don't mind replacing it myself. I ripped mine as well and I also noticed that it isn't as loud with the cover off(noticed that before it ripped off). Either way, I use my phone for work, so I can't be without a phone for weeks while they fix something.

monkeyhouse said:
Did they send you the part or did you have to send your phone to them? I don't mind replacing it myself. I ripped mine as well and I also noticed that it isn't as loud with the cover off(noticed that before it ripped off). Either way, I use my phone for work, so I can't be without a phone for weeks while they fix something.
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They sent me a replacement, and only once I got that in the mail did I have to send in the defective unit.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Confirmed cover not for waterproofing
I wanted to reiterate this statement. I spoke to Samsung technical support today and they confirmed that cover is just a dust cover. It has nothing to do with keeping water out of the phone. Mine broke off and I'm not going to attempt to replace it.
TwoStroker37 said:
I'm not sure if anyone is aware, but the flappy charging port cover is just dust protection cover, it provides no waterproofing. I cut mine off months ago it's very annoying. It does not affect the phone's ability to survive 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.
My phone see's water daily in the shower or going wakesurfing. Still working like brand new since day 1!
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Im not quite sure that usb port cover flap is only to protect from dust. Then why on every video, instructions, manuals, after unplugging usb cable there is a warning to close usb cover and in camera Aqua Mode too, if not closed properly this situation water will damage phone? I havent heard of wateroroof usb. Every waterproof phone has usb cover that protect usb port. Theres only waterproof headphone jack
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Related

[Q] Most bothersome item no longer bothersome? ( USB cover flap )

S4 Active. It's been a pretty good phone and my first Android phone. I picked the Active version not because I am "active", but because I am clumsy and break rules around sensitive electronics (*grabs greasy french fry and continues typing, for instance) and because the colors of the TFT display are better in bright sunlight. I do miss the 13MP camera though...
So anyway the most annoying thing about the phone is constantly pulling open the rubber flap that covers the USB port for charging. Today, at some point, the little flap decided to take a vacation and now there is just a little rubber nub. I never pulled on it or twisted it, but I assume with it now missing my water resistance rating is completely nullified. I was hoping it would be a little more durable on par with the rubber flaps that cover the ports on my CANON EOS 20D which have been opened/closed constantly for almost 10 years and don't show a single sign of wear.
Is this part replaceable? OR is there something else I can sub to cover the port and keep at least dust out of there?
Has anyone else had this happen (yet?)
People in thread S4 Active(i9295 and i537) Replacement Parts Page deal with this kind of problems and someone there already asked about usb cover but it's still unanswered.
Thanks! Well at least I found the cover on the floor near my charger at home. I guess I'll just keep it out of the fishbowl :fingers-crossed:
I worry the same way my old samsung rugy pro the flaps felt very good but the active worrys me if it was replaceable easily I would feel bettrt

[Q] Replacing port caps, waterproof doors?

I have managed to somehow dent the micro sim cap/door, does the device need dis-assembly to replace?
I have found a place that stocks genuine parts, however after contacting Sony service center they want me to send the device away interstate, which seems ridiculous. Sony stated though "in order to keep waterproof integrity it is necessary to get the job done by technician".
Any thoughts or tips on replacing the door, is it just a matter of squeezing the rubbery ball through a slot(no pun intended)or is it more involved?
Regards
I wouldn't take a risk but that's just me. Especially if you're gonna be utilizing the waterproof part of the phone =)
Sent from my GT-N5100 using Tapatalk
I know, however, I dont want to send it away, the last time I sent away brand new device it returned to me with scratches and was obviously mishandled . We have quite a few Sony stores but none will deal directly with repairs, perhaps I have to make warranty claim. I have babied this device I dont even use it with sim card yet, it is my mp3 player only at night after work.
I can just see them charging me heaps for doing f-all more than swapping out a simple part. Surely this can be done without dis-assembly?
I dropped mine a couple of weeks ago, it landed on the micro sim flap as well and the dent was pretty bad.
It was, if I remember correctly, the xperia z ports could be pulled out and the replacement pushed back in. I've not see a breakdown of the z1 yet so I may be totally wrong this time around.
no the Z1 needsw to be pulled apart, I work at a mobile shop, the Xperias Z1 is a hell mission to pull apart, the flaps on the Z1, will break if you put them in without opening it
Ps:// http://www.xperiablog.net/2013/09/15/xperia-z1-disassembly-guide/
I just removed and replaced the door without disassembley it comes out very easily and goes back in very easily, problem solved. Save me $100 since shipping device is $20 and door replacement by tech is $80, what a rip off!
Disclaimer: Try at your own risk, however, I can say nearly 100% confidence that you wont have any problems.
Where abouts did you get the sim port door from please?
Just in stock http://www.witrigs.com/oem-usb-data...rs-replacement-parts-for-sony-xperia-z1-black
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 03:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------
To be honest my cover for the usb broke off It would fit firm when I would place it back I still used it under water my problem was it wasn't attached and in between charging I had to put the flap in my pocket and yes lost it lol
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av4tar said:
Where abouts did you get the sim port door from please?
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Click to collapse
Theres a few places, here and here also.
I agree with letting the sony technicians handle it... Sure you could just easily swap the caps but the official technicians should pressure test it first for waterproofness before sending it back to you...
My daughter pulled on e of mine off the other day, it just pops back in very easily and the way it goes in means there is no need for a pressure test. The bit that keeps it attached to the device has nothing to do with the waterproofing.
I was not talking about that part of the cover... I was talking about the cover itself if it perfectly fits on the ports or if it has any dents or gaps that would compromise the waterproofness of the phone even 1/4 millimeter gap from that would really mess up your phone
gregbradley said:
My daughter pulled on e of mine off the other day, it just pops back in very easily and the way it goes in means there is no need for a pressure test. The bit that keeps it attached to the device has nothing to do with the waterproofing.
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You say it pops in easily, is it that simple Greg. Not ordered mine yet. In hospital for a few days, probably do it in next day or two.
With the ends of the port that slot into the z1, has a triangle shapped lip, is it tough, malleable and pushes in easily?
Riyal said:
I was not talking about that part of the cover... I was talking about the cover itself if it perfectly fits on the ports or if it has any dents or gaps that would compromise the waterproofness of the phone even 1/4 millimeter gap from that would really mess up your phone
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true, but don't we take those parts off every day when plugging in the charger/removing SD card etc, and don't we put them back fine ourselves....
My USB cover isn't sitting flush anymore, does anyone know of a UK supplier for a replacement flap? Anyone else who's flaps are no longer flush?!!
Cheers
Riyal said:
I agree with letting the sony technicians handle it... Sure you could just easily swap the caps but the official technicians should pressure test it first for waterproofness before sending it back to you...
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Please! send device away for way over $100(for a $2 part!) where it will be most likely be sent back with scratches, mishandled by technicians, couriers and/or postal services at no less than a large shipping and handling premium (if you dont want to risk damage, ie insurances etc)
So you're looking at around $40 insured postage, $80 for repair plus another $40 return insured postage. I doubt theres any tests in terms of water, nitro or any other! There is no pressure test nor is there any evacuation test, its impossible!
The housing and port door components are mass produced by automated computer based programs that dont leave any room for error. There is certainly no testing in terms of pressure on the mass produced market devices, only the initial prototypes are tested and perfected then sent to production.
No issues with my replacement parts, Ive showered and washed down the device many times.
Glad that it's the case then! My only worries is if we buy it from 3rd party stores it isn't OEM(as I'm pretty sure sony wouldn't sell any parts of it's phone for retail) and it's not the same machine used by sony and there could be miscalculations or errors
homer285 said:
Please! send device away for way over $100(for a $2 part!) where it will be most likely be sent back with scratches, mishandled by technicians, couriers and/or postal services at no less than a large shipping and handling premium (if you dont want to risk damage, ie insurances etc)
So you're looking at around $40 insured postage, $80 for repair plus another $40 return insured postage. I doubt theres any tests in terms of water, nitro or any other! There is no pressure test nor is there any evacuation test, its impossible!
The housing and port door components are mass produced by automated computer based programs that dont leave any room for error. There is certainly no testing in terms of pressure on the mass produced market devices, only the initial prototypes are tested and perfected then sent to production.
No issues with my replacement parts, Ive showered and washed down the device many times.
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Have you removed back cover, and still maintained the water proof ability?
VTSSDUDE said:
Have you removed back cover, and still maintained the water proof ability?
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I will not do that! I saw screen light when I pull out my sd and usb cover caps and I am sure if the doors are open you will damage you phone. Fore sure the caps doors make the phone waterproof.
VTSSDUDE said:
Have you removed back cover, and still maintained the water proof ability?
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Absolutely no need to remove the back housing, I can confirm the doors/caps pop out so easily and go back in just as easily with no issues, I have taken mine under water at least 20 times since replacing microSIM door. I purchased my replacement from Part4repair.com and it looks and functions just as the original did. The parts are tested prior to shipping. If you waste $100+ for a simple door/cap replacement then you're being robbed blind!

Warning:Waterproofness washed away

I took my phone to the shower so that I could read a document and water seeped in from the usb port I think (the rubber flap is a bit loose these days)
Result the front camera no longer works. Has anyone else experienced this. Didnt drop the phone in a sack of rice yet.
Bought the phone less than a year back so probably still in warranty.
Any ideas what I should do...
tovarish
tovarish said:
I took my phone to the shower so that I could read a document and water seeped in from the usb port I think (the rubber flap is a bit loose these days)
Result the front camera no longer works. Has anyone else experienced this. Didnt drop the phone in a sack of rice yet.
Bought the phone less than a year back so probably still in warranty.
Any ideas what I should do...
tovarish
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't have been the flap that was caused, that's purely for dust protection, it's water-sealed without the flap being there at all. The back cover must not have been sealed correctly, either due to a faulty seal or user error - unless there is some other crack? The sack of rice is an immediate response - it isn't expected to work a few days down the track.
Also, it's water resistant, not steam proof. Steam, being a gas, can still get into your phone and then liquidate. This is in the manual and/or warranty somewhere. You should send it off if it's still covered under warranty. Say you dropped it into a cold sink and had made sure everything was sealed properly. Do not say a hot steaming shower.
Good luck.
Seriously, you read documents in the shower? I still can't figure out why anyone would even attempt to do something like that deliberately. If the phone was marketed as "crush resistant", I would not drive my car over it on purpose.
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tiskael said:
Wouldn't have been the flap that was caused, that's purely for dust protection, it's water-sealed without the flap being there at all. The back cover must not have been sealed correctly, either due to a faulty seal or user error - unless there is some other crack? The sack of rice is an immediate response - it isn't expected to work a few days down the track.
Also, it's water resistant, not steam proof. Steam, being a gas, can still get into your phone and then liquidate. This is in the manual and/or warranty somewhere. You should send it off if it's still covered under warranty. Say you dropped it into a cold sink and had made sure everything was sealed properly. Do not say a hot steaming shower.
Good luck.
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Click to collapse
you have a point, steam could easily go inside. But what you say about the charging port is wrong. If you remover the charge cover and then blow air into the charging port you can feel the air blowing into the "sealed" areas. I really made sure that the back cover was sealed correctly by pressing it all over.
dibeachdude said:
Seriously, you read documents in the shower? I still can't figure out why anyone would even attempt to do something like that deliberately. If the phone was marketed as "crush resistant", I would not drive my car over it on purpose.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am acting in a play and I find the shower the best place to practice my lines.
I guess that is one scenario that I had not considered. Hopefully, you're getting paid for the acting so that you can write the phone off as a business expense. I have been able to get out many phones (make for other people) after they have gotten wet in fresh water. Salt water is a different story. Take it apart and dry it out. There is a good chance it will work. You might have to replace the battery though. For whatever reason, the batteries do not make it sometimes. Good luck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
dibeachdude said:
I guess that is one scenario that I had not considered. Hopefully, you're getting paid for the acting so that you can write the phone off as a business expense. I have been able to get out many phones (make for other people) after they have gotten wet in fresh water. Salt water is a different story. Take it apart and dry it out. There is a good chance it will work. You might have to replace the battery though. For whatever reason, the batteries do not make it sometimes. Good luck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
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It works fine except for the front camera and proxiity sensor. I will be taking it to a samsung support centre soon. Will post an update on what they say.
tovarish said:
you have a point, steam could easily go inside. But what you say about the charging port is wrong. If you remover the charge cover and then blow air into the charging port you can feel the air blowing into the "sealed" areas.
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What I said about the port isn't wrong. It is meant to be water-sealed without the flap. If you were able to blow through it, then that is a fault with your phone. Good luck with your performance.
Usb port without flap is not waterresistant anymore. Check manual. Usb without flap is not protected
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[Q] Improving waterproofness

So I got my new Z3C and was thinking: what if we can make flaps and audio port more waterproof?
Doing pressure sensor test I get reading around 1000 and it's increasing by about 30-40 when I press against screen with closed flaps. But it normalizes after 1-2 seconds and goes back to initial reading meaning tiny amount of air escapes. Does it mean my phone is not totally waterproof? Don't know.
Since this phone is just fresh-water proof (meaning no using in pool or sea) and I really want to use it worry-free in all kind of water that I dare to go in myself I really want to improve waterproofness.
I'm not worried about front and back since glass should be all.kind-of-things-proof. This leaves sd card and sim card covers, audio jack, mic holes and speakers.
So what I thought of was to "grease" flaps' rubber o-rings with rubber compatible oil/grease to make better contact with phone body or use some kind of silicone spread around rubber contact area before closing flaps to have semi-permanent seal and be still able to open and scrub extra stuff off without doing much damage.
For audio jack I thought to make some kind of plug - like pressy button but with a bit bigger "head" that has soft sticky rubber underneath so when pressed in it makes a seal with the edge of audio jack or even plug that is covered with silicone all the way.
Speakers and mic holes could be protected with bits of strong adhesive tape - it's easy to get sticky stuff off the glass and it'll be possible to hear some sound even with speakers covered. Not sure about mic holes because side plastic has matte finish but some strong adhesive should still stick?
So the question - has anyone tried something remotely related? Is it thinkable? Have I missed anything important? What materials (grease, silicone) should I use?
If anyone has done something similar? Probably... But no one ever posted about it on this forum. You can use the phone in the sea and swimming pool, as long as you rinse the phone afterwards. As for modifying the phone, I wouldn't do it. It might cause you to lose your warranty.
In terms of waterproofing the phone even more, I'd look at waterproof cases made for other phones with almost similar dimensions and see if you can do something about the case instead.
Sent from my D5803
Dsteppa said:
You can use the phone in the sea and swimming pool, as long as you rinse the phone afterwards. As for modifying the phone, I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plenty of stories of people going in the water, damaging their phone and fighting with sony about warranty.
It's hardly modifying, adhesive sticker on glass is easily removed and thin film of silicone should be also easily removable.
Dsteppa said:
It might cause you to lose your warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah... getting water inside causes that too.
Dsteppa said:
In terms of waterproofing the phone even more, I'd look at waterproof cases made for other phones with almost similar dimensions and see if you can do something about the case instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the option. But I haven't seen any slim waterproof case that could be comfortably used all the time.
Anyway, curiosity is strong and I'll most likely try different options.
PS. can someone test pressure sensor - is reading staying high when screen is pressed or it fades back to normal with all covers closed?
I've just used mine in pool all weekends since I bought it without any issue and even without afraid of doing that! The same with my wife's Z1!
And I'm contantly opening/closing its usb port due my xposed modules development (debugging purposes)! Maybe some unlucky day I will screw it... who knows!
Ofc we always need to be sure all ports are properly closed before going to have fun!
kalamees1 said:
Plenty of stories of people going in the water, damaging their phone and fighting with sony about warranty.
It's hardly modifying, adhesive sticker on glass is easily removed and thin film of silicone should be also easily removable.
PS. can someone test pressure sensor - is reading staying high when screen is pressed or it fades back to normal with all covers closed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I forgot about the pressure sensor part, it's normal that the numbers go back to normal after you lifted your finger, it works like that for everyone.
If my mind serves me right, I've seen Sony ads with the Z3C being thrown in a pool or something similar, so a pool really shouldn't be a problem. And yes of course people will have to fight for their cause at Sony, they won't just put any phone under warranty, else people would exploit that.
Dsteppa said:
Sorry, I forgot about the pressure sensor part, it's normal that the numbers go back to normal after you lifted your finger, it works like that for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I probably expressed myself bit vaguely. Thing is that pressure reading on my phone returns back to normal WHILE HOLDING screen under pressure. Initially pressing screen creates greater pressure inside the phone, reading rises but air escapes quite quickly (1-2seconds) and pressure reading normalises. After releasing finger screen pressure sensor shows lower readings for a second until extra air seeps inside to equalise pressure again.
Hope it's clear enough.
Also, does it mean that I got less waterproof phone that it should be?
I dunno about you but i've been using my camera in the pool for a while now and even for hours at times
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I've used mine under water as well. OP if you're really worried about it you can send it off to liquipel and have them make the phone even more waterproof

S6 Edge Has Liquid Damage...What To Do Now?

Thanks in advance for any advice offered...
Some orange juice spilled on my S6 Edge and caused liquid damage to PBA (motherboard) components. (By the way, thanks to all that called for a "cooler" looking phone...now it can't withstand a splash of liquid, but that's another post in another thread)
In my naïve nature, I assumed that Samsung would be able to repair the phone for me, albeit at a significant cost, so I sent it off to their repair center.
The ticket notes were updated after a Samsung tech looked at the phone and deemed it Beyond Economic Repair (BER) due to liquid damage to PBA components and send the broken phone in the mail without even giving me the option to pay to replace the damaged internals. After all, replacing parts of the phone should not be as expensive as purchasing the phone at full cost right?
I've done some reading online to see what options I have available to me at this point, but all seem to point to the damaged phone being a really expensive paper weight.
I just wanted to check in to see if anyone has had experience with a situation like this...or if anyone had advice on what options I have at this point.
Can the phone be repaired for less than the full retail cost of a replacement phone (approx. $900 for the model I have)?
If not, do liquid damaged phones sell for spare parts? (Screen & body of the phone are in mint condition)
You can go to Swappa.com and look in the boneyard to see if anyone is selling a busted s6 for parts. You can also sell your damaged phone in the boneyard.
It was likely more than a splash, I'm guessing a spill or full dunk if it migrated all the way through to the motherboard?
I've dropped my phone in a full sink of water (twice) and immediately grabbed it out and it was completely unharmed.
If a splash had the ability to damage it, then how did it manage to do this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBKmIlk52Q
Is there any life in the phone at all? Orange juice is very corrosive and a electrical conductor due to the ions in the juice, so it doesn't take much to short things out and reek havoc. I don't know how good you are at taking things apart and fixing them but if it were me I would tear into it and completely disassemble it. Wash all the boards thoroughly with distilled water then give it a soaking in 100% isopropal alcohol. Let it dry thoroughly, check the battery for voltage and try and fire it up. Don't wash or soak the battery by the way. I've fixed a few phone this way that had coke or dirty water in them. Had an iPhone my wife dropped in a toilet last an additional two years after doing this. I had a phone myself I dropped in a glass of diet coke go back to working after a thorough cleaning. Still works to this day and that's been years ago. Those technicians aren't going to spend the time doing this due to the cost of the labor and the off chance it may quite on you down the rd. Anyhow, hope you can revive it. Good luck!
RajCaj said:
Thanks in advance for any advice offered...
Some orange juice spilled on my S6 Edge and caused liquid damage to PBA (motherboard) components. (By the way, thanks to all that called for a "cooler" looking phone...now it can't withstand a splash of liquid, but that's another post in another thread)
In my naïve nature, I assumed that Samsung would be able to repair the phone for me, albeit at a significant cost, so I sent it off to their repair center.
The ticket notes were updated after a Samsung tech looked at the phone and deemed it Beyond Economic Repair (BER) due to liquid damage to PBA components and send the broken phone in the mail without even giving me the option to pay to replace the damaged internals. After all, replacing parts of the phone should not be as expensive as purchasing the phone at full cost right?
I've done some reading online to see what options I have available to me at this point, but all seem to point to the damaged phone being a really expensive paper weight.
I just wanted to check in to see if anyone has had experience with a situation like this...or if anyone had advice on what options I have at this point.
Can the phone be repaired for less than the full retail cost of a replacement phone (approx. $900 for the model I have)?
If not, do liquid damaged phones sell for spare parts? (Screen & body of the phone are in mint condition)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You picked the phone! you could have gotten the less flashy seemingly more durable sibling if you had wanted.
Otherwise though yeah, you could see how much Samsung would charge you to fix it, and or start looking for replacement parts.
TechSavvy2 said:
It was likely more than a splash, I'm guessing a spill or full dunk if it migrated all the way through to the motherboard?
I've dropped my phone in a full sink of water (twice) and immediately grabbed it out and it was completely unharmed.
If a splash had the ability to damage it, then how did it manage to do this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBKmIlk52Q
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was in a bag with a unsealed bottle of orange juice. When the bag was picked up, the bottle of orange juice spilled and wet the phone. It wasn't fully submerged, and was in contact with the juice for 30 seconds max.
The phone was a little wet on the outside, but was still functional. I wiped it off and the phone operated with no problem.
Few hours later it started acting up. I restarted it and could never get it to boot back up, while not plugged in, since.
As a matter of fact, I didn't shut the phone down and immediately start remediation because I assumed (from watching the videos like you linked) the phone was capable of withstanding brief exposure to liquid.
beaverslayer said:
Is there any life in the phone at all? Orange juice is very corrosive and a electrical conductor due to the ions in the juice, so it doesn't take much to short things out and reek havoc. I don't know how good you are at taking things apart and fixing them but if it were me I would tear into it and completely disassemble it. Wash all the boards thoroughly with distilled water then give it a soaking in 100% isopropal alcohol. Let it dry thoroughly, check the battery for voltage and try and fire it up. Don't wash or soak the battery by the way. I've fixed a few phone this way that had coke or dirty water in them. Had an iPhone my wife dropped in a toilet last an additional two years after doing this. I had a phone myself I dropped in a glass of diet coke go back to working after a thorough cleaning. Still works to this day and that's been years ago. Those technicians aren't going to spend the time doing this due to the cost of the labor and the off chance it may quite on you down the rd. Anyhow, hope you can revive it. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has *some* life. If I plug the phone in to a generic USB power brick, the Samsung logo will pop up & start the AT&T music and then immediately goes into a reboot loop where it starts the process over again. If I plug it into the Samsung USB brick it came with, I was able to get it to fully boot into the operating system, but crashed the first time I tried to access my pictures in the gallery, and then allowed me to pull up the pictures after a second try.
If there is no power going to the phone (via USB or wireless charging) the phone does not respond at all.
I watched a video of a S6 Edge teardown and it's MUCH more difficult than the previous models (which had removable back panels). I think iFixit rated it a reparability score of 3 out of 10.
They had to use special equipment to lift the back glass up enough (just short of breaking it) to get a guitar looking pick underneath to remove the glue. Once the back glass is off, they had to also unglue the battery to get it out.
Not having much to loose at this point, I submerged it in 91% iso-rubbing alchohol for 3hrs and will let it set in a bag of rice for 2-3 days.
I think the damage has already been done though. Will removing corrosion after there's been a short on the circuit board do anything?
whoamanwtf said:
You picked the phone! you could have gotten the less flashy seemingly more durable sibling if you had wanted.
Otherwise though yeah, you could see how much Samsung would charge you to fix it, and or start looking for replacement parts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I did pick it. IR blaster is an important feature for me, so my options were HTC or Samsung. I've owned 2 galaxy phones & like the synergy with my Samsung TV so I went for the Galaxy....despite my concerns with the step backwards (in terms of water resistance & utility) from the S5.
I've talked to Samsung and they will not give me an option to repair. They say that the parts + labor to fix the phone exceeds the cost of a new phone.
When a phone with possible water damage is sent to Samsung for repair....do they actually open up the phone to verify it's liquid damage, or do they just look for the liquid indicator and call it liquid damage if it's red?
My regular S6 survived a massive downpour yesterday while hiking I have no idea how I got so lucky. I opened it up to check it too and everything was okay internally. I guess they weren't kidding when they said it can withstand some liquid damage so long as it isn't submerged.
From the Moderator
To all in this thread ........... Water damage, liquid damage .....etc
To answer a couple of these questions .......... If water infiltrates inside the back of the phone ...... there is a strip that will change properties that indicates water got in the phone. Newer devices (not just phones, cameras lenses...etc) uses more exotic materials that you cannot easily detect ..... they will show up under UV .......... so to answer that Yes the manufacturer usually can tell..... if it is not obvious, often they do not check ......
To all the Physics ..... comments .......... Water infiltrates based on the seal of the back or the front depending on how the phone is constructed air resistance within the device if sealed ...we could assume it is 14.7 psi or Sea level average atmospheric pressure. As soon as you drop something into say a pool, if it were to sink to 5-feet under the psi would increase to about 17 psi outside force pushing against the interior 14.7 psi....... Without getting into partial pressure laws and more math and physics.........
Greater Out side force is exerting against a lesser force inside the phone........ this precipitates faster infiltration ......... All aforesaid is great academics ......... The Bottom line is this
If you drop your phone into water or any water based fluid then...... Remove as quickly as possible, remove the power source (this is why I prefer a removable battery) the power source is the thing that Really speeds up the water damage.
So here is how to deal with water intrusions
1. Dry it off
2. Remove the power source asap
3. Dry it again .....
4. Immerse is Rubbing alcohol 91% (preferably Denatured reagent) if possible, the Alcohol bonds the water molecules to it for a minute or 2........ then remove and dry off with paper towels
5. Then put in Millet, Rice, Desiccant... etc
I have had to do this a number of times in my life with underwater cameras when the housing leaks ........ a real pain being 100-120 feet under and have to stop the shoot because of a housing leaks
But considering my average lens is 1000 bucks and saltwater will destroy the coatings (not to mention electronics) I have only lost 1 lens and one camera in 25 years and no phone ever due to water infiltration occurrences. But being careful and immediate response is the key ....... be Vigilant ( in this case, that means know how to open the phone and remove the power source)
Hope that helps clear some things up ..........
In South Africa we get ADH (accident and damage handling) on Samsung flagships, but they have been tightening the strings since the S5.
ADH covers screen / body damage with a free repair as part of the warranty.
Water damage on the S6 AFAIK isn't covered anymore like it was on previous Galaxy devices.
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
RajCaj said:
Thanks in advance for any advice offered...
Some orange juice spilled on my S6 Edge and caused liquid damage to PBA (motherboard) components. (By the way, thanks to all that called for a "cooler" looking phone...now it can't withstand a splash of liquid, but that's another post in another thread)
In my naïve nature, I assumed that Samsung would be able to repair the phone for me, albeit at a significant cost, so I sent it off to their repair center.
The ticket notes were updated after a Samsung tech looked at the phone and deemed it Beyond Economic Repair (BER) due to liquid damage to PBA components and send the broken phone in the mail without even giving me the option to pay to replace the damaged internals. After all, replacing parts of the phone should not be as expensive as purchasing the phone at full cost right?
I've done some reading online to see what options I have available to me at this point, but all seem to point to the damaged phone being a really expensive paper weight.
I just wanted to check in to see if anyone has had experience with a situation like this...or if anyone had advice on what options I have at this point.
Can the phone be repaired for less than the full retail cost of a replacement phone (approx. $900 for the model I have)?
If not, do liquid damaged phones sell for spare parts? (Screen & body of the phone are in mint condition)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Purchase an s6 active
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Beyond Economic repair means the cost of fixing it is more than the phones cost.
Yes, the phone that just released in the US last Friday, on AT&T only.
Had I known what I know now about the S6 Edge's ability to stand up to liquid exposure & the cost to repair liquid damaged phones, I would have foregone the Edge pre-order and waited the 2 months for Samsung to offer a waterproof version of the phone. Also, prior Active models had lesser hardware profiles and wouldn't have seemed like a good alternative for me when I was in the market for a new phone.
I really wish more manufactures built their phone with IR ports....then I wouldn't be beholden to Samsung's BS.
oka1 said:
So here is how to deal with water intrusions
1. Dry it off
2. Remove the power source asap
3. Dry it again .....
4. Immerse is Rubbing alcohol 91% (preferably Denatured reagent) if possible, the Alcohol bonds the water molecules to it for a minute or 2........ then remove and dry off with paper towels
5. Then put in Millet, Rice, Desiccant... etc
I have had to do this a number of times in my life with underwater cameras when the housing leaks ........ a real pain being 100-120 feet under and have to stop the shoot because of a housing leaks
But considering my average lens is 1000 bucks and saltwater will destroy the coatings (not to mention electronics) I have only lost 1 lens and one camera in 25 years and no phone ever due to water infiltration occurrences. But being careful and immediate response is the key ....... be Vigilant ( in this case, that means know how to open the phone and remove the power source)
Hope that helps clear some things up .........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advise....I will certainly handle things differently if this ever happens again.
Couple of quick questions, since you have experience with this stuff....
Is it possible for the 91% alcohol to further damage the device? Are there specific components that do okay in an alcohol bath vs others? IE battery, speakers, camera, etc?
Also, how long should you dry the phone in absorbent material before attempting to power it up again?
Before I sent the phone off to Samsung, I could at least get the phone to power up while plugged in.
Since I've received the phone back from Samsung, and have given it the alcohol / rice treatment, the phone won't power up at all...even plugged in.
Either way, the phone is dead I'm afraid. Since I'm not certain which components are working, and are not, I can't even sell the thing for spare parts. Most expensive paperweight I've ever owned!
RajCaj said:
Thanks for the advise....I will certainly handle things differently if this ever happens again.
Couple of quick questions, since you have experience with this stuff....
Is it possible for the 91% alcohol to further damage the device? Are there specific components that do okay in an alcohol bath vs others? IE battery, speakers, camera, etc?
Also, how long should you dry the phone in absorbent material before attempting to power it up again?
Before I sent the phone off to Samsung, I could at least get the phone to power up while plugged in.
Since I've received the phone back from Samsung, and have given it the alcohol / rice treatment, the phone won't power up at all...even plugged in.
Either way, the phone is dead I'm afraid. Since I'm not certain which components are working, and are not, I can't even sell the thing for spare parts. Most expensive paperweight I've ever owned!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cannot put in Alcohol if the battery is connected ....... Battery and any fluid = not good .... The other items really will not do anything ........ either way Go to Pandawill.com, Aliexpress.com, Dynamism.com or Chinawholesale.com one of those websites sells motherboards and other cell phone parts I think I saw them for like 80 bucks ......... worth looking into ..... Sorry the phone died...... good luck
You can buy it from aliexpress,amazon or HCQS
Just wanted to share my negative experience and may be get a piece of advise. I dropped my Galaxy S6 (not edge) into the water after which home button stopped working. Couple weeks later as home button were still not functioning I soaked my phone in 99.9% of isopropyl alcohol. Couple hours later half of screen stopped reacting to fingers, and a few hours screen become black. There were also significant damage to frond and back panel plastic base behind the glass - see photos. I still hear some notifications which gives me a hope that there are still some life in it. I also left phone in rise for 4 days with no improvement. Does anyone had such a negative experience with Alcohol soaking and what could be a solution if any?
zipper3 said:
Just wanted to share my negative experience and may be get a piece of advise. I dropped my Galaxy S6 (not edge) into the water after which home button stopped working. Couple weeks later as home button were still not functioning I soaked my phone in 99.9% of isopropyl alcohol. Couple hours later half of screen stopped reacting to fingers, and a few hours screen become black. There were also significant damage to frond and back panel plastic base behind the glass - see photos. I still hear some notifications which gives me a hope that there are still some life in it. I also left phone in rise for 4 days with no improvement. Does anyone had such a negative experience with Alcohol soaking and what could be a solution if any?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your phone is still acting like that or even died, you can open it up ( check youtube vids for dissasembly )
Take any clean alcohol..95%+ and ESD brush ( or toothbrush if you dont have any ) Take off any modules from your motherboard like microphones, cameras, usb board etc. Then gently clean everything with brush and alkohol. When you're finished - put it in electric oven if u have any for 1-2 hours in max 90 degrees temp. If not - use a hairdryer. Do same thing with usb board. Then put it back togheter and try.

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