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Possibly water damaged Captivate half-working

I may have possibly water damaged my Captivate last night. It was in my pocket when water spilled on my lap, and I didn't immediately take it out. Very stupid of me. The USB port was open so I'm thinking liquid may have gotten into there... Also, there were water beads on the inside of the camera lens.
My recourse was to take it apart and try to let it dry out. Initially it wouldn't do anything upon being plugged in to the charger, so naturally I thought it was bricked. I've let it sit all day on a dry window sill next to the radiator. After putting the battery back in and plugging it in a little bit ago, the phone surprisingly booted up. Here's where I'm at now:
The phone boots normally, however if I plug it in to the charger I get an error stating Battery Temperature too high or something, so charging is paused. Does anybody know what this indicates?
Secondly, after being on for a minute or so, the screen gets screwy. Dark transparent overlays start flashing over everything and it gets unresponsive... I haven't left it on like this long b/c I was afraid something worse would happen - I usually rip the battery out of the back to shut it off.
My phones currently pulled apart and drying in the window sill. Whatever water got on/in it is not visibly there, however I understand some parts might still be wet.
Any advice? Also, I believe the water indicator on the battery and near the pins where the battery dock in the phone are both fine. They're white squares and haven't changed color. Any chance there are other indicators?
The phone isn't insured and I bought it back in August. Would warranty possibly cover this or will they know about the water damage?

jmusso said:
I may have possibly water damaged my Captivate last night. It was in my pocket when water spilled on my lap, and I didn't immediately take it out. Very stupid of me. The USB port was open so I'm thinking liquid may have gotten into there... Also, there were water beads on the inside of the camera lens.
My recourse was to take it apart and try to let it dry out. Initially it wouldn't do anything upon being plugged in to the charger, so naturally I thought it was bricked. I've let it sit all day on a dry window sill next to the radiator. After putting the battery back in and plugging it in a little bit ago, the phone surprisingly booted up. Here's where I'm at now:
The phone boots normally, however if I plug it in to the charger I get an error stating Battery Temperature too high or something, so charging is paused. Does anybody know what this indicates?
Secondly, after being on for a minute or so, the screen gets screwy. Dark transparent overlays start flashing over everything and it gets unresponsive... I haven't left it on like this long b/c I was afraid something worse would happen - I usually rip the battery out of the back to shut it off.
My phones currently pulled apart and drying in the window sill. Whatever water got on/in it is not visibly there, however I understand some parts might still be wet.
Any advice? Also, I believe the water indicator on the battery and near the pins where the battery dock in the phone are both fine. They're white squares and haven't changed color. Any chance there are other indicators?
The phone isn't insured and I bought it back in August. Would warranty possibly cover this or will they know about the water damage?
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well you want to put in rice, so that the moisture is gone

rice it for sure. but warranty WILL not cover it UNLESS the tabs on the battery and phone are white (It might not have gotten wet if it was in your pocket)
if they are still white, or if your phone is white and battery red (then buy another battery) and get to the store and tell them you don't know what is wrong with it. The only indication that it is water damaged is if it is red and those tags are notoriously faulty so you could always argue your way through it if you have an account in good standing.
best of luck.
I know someone who "claimed' that insurance was supposed to be added to the phone when he got it and noticed that the person didn't do it properly (the guy was new so it helped his cause) and the manager of the cor store told him that they'd do a courtesy replacement and charged him the 125$ for a new device.
you could go that route should you need too...

I don't have access to rice at the moment... Would it do any good even if I absolutely can see no water anywhere in/on the phone?
Am I doing my phone any harm/potential harm by trying to turn it on every once in a while, or should I just let it be for a few days?

Take the phone apart and focus the strongest fan you have on it over night. It's probably best to not turn it on for awhile. Maybe if you focus a blow drier on it for perhaps several hours, air will find flow through the small openings within the case.
You may not be able to dry some parts of it unless you do a complete dismantle, but that may require special tools
Consider shipping it to get repaired only as a last resort, as I've read some bad reports about that.

Rice or some other dessicant is the way to go - it will pull moisture out. Also, turning it on (even putting the battery in) is bad - you are powering circuits and possibly creating shorts where water is present. You may have already done permanent damage.
If you get electronics wet, the best course of action is to remove the battery and put it in a bag of rice for a few days.

Now that You have the phone apart get an alcohol pad and gentley scrub the main board. Sometimes when liquid touches the main board you will get a white looking residue. If you see anything like that simply wipe it off. I dropped my phone into a trash can at a very popular teriyaki restaurant here in Las Vegas my phone was submerged into a deep bath of teriyaki sauce. I quickly pulled the phone from the can and wiped it down vigorously. I was excited to see that it was initially working unfortunately this was not the case by the time I got home. The phone would not turn on for a whole week, until I decided that I was going to open her up. I found a tutorial on line describing a complete break down of the captivate. Upon opening it I found I was able to see exactly where the teriyaki had interacted with the electronics due to the remnants of an oxidized white film that was present on various parts of the main board. I grabbed a alcohol pad out of my first aid kit and began wiping it down to remove all of the white stuff,put the phone back together and to my surprise it turned on. Hope this helps!

Thanks for the info guys.
How would I go about getting to the "main board"? Taking out the battery and looking inside it only reveals where the battery connects, where the SD card and sim cards can go... I'm assuming if I remove the little screws around that fixture I can get to the "main board"?
I think I can see some minor corrosion around where the sim card connects, but I think I *should* be able to clean that with some alcohol.
The phone seems to be working fine (I've yet to put my SIM back in it, though, so no idea if the corrosion around there is affecting it at all). I just booted it up and was able to get on the web (wifi), run apps, everything just fine. Didn't get the flashy screens I mentioned earlier. However, if I plug in the USB charger, it still gives me the temperature error. I didn't keep it plugged in, however it did make me realize something:
The errors I was getting before, where the screen went all wacky, only happened if the phone was plugged in to the wall. Is it possible my battery is busted, or do you think the USB charger is busted? Remember that port was open when it happened.
Any thoughts? New battery? Or do you think I won't be able to charge the phone via USB charger any more?

jmusso said:
I don't have access to rice at the moment... Would it do any good even if I absolutely can see no water anywhere in/on the phone?
Am I doing my phone any harm/potential harm by trying to turn it on every once in a while, or should I just let it be for a few days?
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yes you are, because if there is water or moisture internal, it can short circuit, also rice will help dry up the phone completely

jmusso said:
Thanks for the info guys.
How would I go about getting to the "main board"? Taking out the battery and looking inside it only reveals where the battery connects, where the SD card and sim cards can go... I'm assuming if I remove the little screws around that fixture I can get to the "main board"?
I think I can see some minor corrosion around where the sim card connects, but I think I *should* be able to clean that with some alcohol.
The phone seems to be working fine (I've yet to put my SIM back in it, though, so no idea if the corrosion around there is affecting it at all). I just booted it up and was able to get on the web (wifi), run apps, everything just fine. Didn't get the flashy screens I mentioned earlier. However, if I plug in the USB charger, it still gives me the temperature error. I didn't keep it plugged in, however it did make me realize something:
The errors I was getting before, where the screen went all wacky, only happened if the phone was plugged in to the wall. Is it possible my battery is busted, or do you think the USB charger is busted? Remember that port was open when it happened.
Any thoughts? New battery? Or do you think I won't be able to charge the phone via USB charger any more?
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If you've never taken apart a smart phone before, and reading your first question, I'm going to assume that's the case, then I strongly advise you not attempt it unless you are willing to either A) buy a replacement after you break it or B) invest time/money into repairing mistakes you've made. This phone is not as difficult to disassemble as some, but I wouldn't want to break that $150 amoled screen.
No, removing the screws will not simply get you to the mainboard. It's more complicated and nuanced than that.

I'm a new user so I can't post the link but if you google Tech Republic Captivate tear down [/B]there is a website that will show you step by step how take the phone apart. There are two screws under the clip you pull down to take the back cover off. Be careful when pulling it back to expose the screws. I tugged on it pretty hard with no problems, but I imagine it could be broken if you pull too hard. Good Luck! It's actually really easy to take apart and the various ribbon connectors on the main board are really easy to unplug and plug back in after cleaning it.

So what do you guys think I should do if I'm still getting the battery error with the thermometer and yellow caution sign? Buy a new battery? Or do you think its the USB jack? Has anybody seen this before - the battery was working fine as long as it was not charging.
I'm trying to decide between a) buying a new battery, or b) buying a wall-mounted battery charger since the USB won't charge the phone.
Anybody have any experience?

Meguro2006 said:
I'm a new user so I can't post the link but if you google Tech Republic Captivate tear down [/B]there is a website that will show you step by step how take the phone apart. There are two screws under the clip you pull down to take the back cover off. Be careful when pulling it back to expose the screws. I tugged on it pretty hard with no problems, but I imagine it could be broken if you pull too hard. Good Luck! It's actually really easy to take apart and the various ribbon connectors on the main board are really easy to unplug and plug back in after cleaning it.
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I think you need to be careful about who you encourage to dissect their device. This guy asked how to get to the mainboard. Clearly, he hasn't opened a smart phone before. Telling him it's "actually really easy" is disingenuous at best. Performing smart phone repairs properly requires experience. I'm certainly not suggesting that noobs not try to fix their phones, only that they are made fully aware of the risks.

My Captivate was fully submerged in dirty water. I followed some instructions online and it's been working fine for over a month now. If your water-detection stickers are already red anyway, and rice isn't working, I recommend it:
1) Remove battery, SIM card, SD card
2) Submerge in a bowl of distilled water and gently agitate. This helps clean the insides. Distilled water (not spring water) does not conduct electricity.
3) Next, submerge in a bowl of high-quality rubbing alcohol (~95% pure) and gently agitate. Rubbing alcohol displaces water, removes corrosion, and evaporates quickly. (It's also flammable, so have good ventilation and no open flames nearby)
4) Leave it out to dry for two days or until it no longer smells of alcohol.
BTW I wouldn't dry it too close to a radiator, the heat may damage it.

jatkins09 said:
If you've never taken apart a smart phone before, and reading your first question, I'm going to assume that's the case, then I strongly advise you not attempt it unless you are willing to either A) buy a replacement after you break it or B) invest time/money into repairing mistakes you've made. This phone is not as difficult to disassemble as some, but I wouldn't want to break that $150 amoled screen.
No, removing the screws will not simply get you to the mainboard. It's more complicated and nuanced than that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not really. Once the screws are removed..including the two hidden by the battery cover lock slider...you can carefully pry the cover apart using your fingernail to get to the the internals. I have done it several times and am no expert by any means. Just don't yank like you are opening a present on Christmas morning.
Although I am mystified by the op stating they have no access to rice?! That should always be the second thing one does after a moisture incident...right after pulling the battery and sim. I guess in this case a trip to the store with a couple bucks may have pushed that to step three though..
sent from my captivate disguised as an i9000 running cyanogen

[Q] Spilled water on phone. Now "Unable to start wifi" message

Guys, been hanging out here long time now. First incident with about 6 month old captivate. I dropped a glass of water on my captivate yesterday. I immediately removed and took out the battery and wiped it dry. Did not see much of seeped in water so did not do the rice method. Turned on Wi-fi this morning and it says "unable to start wifi". Same with bluetooth.
Call,sms, camera everything works fine. At work, so blew dry the phone and also have kept it next to a warm laptop exhaust. Should I dismantle the phone and try to dry the swb23 chip (wifi/bt) ?
Please help guys !
stock and unrooted captivate

thelastjedi said:
Guys, been hanging out here long time now. First incident with about 6 month old captivate. I dropped a glass of water on my captivate yesterday. I immediately removed and took out the battery and wiped it dry. Did not see much of seeped in water so did not do the rice method. Turned on Wi-fi this morning and it says "unable to start wifi". Same with bluetooth.
Call,sms, camera everything works fine. At work, so blew dry the phone and also have kept it next to a warm laptop exhaust. Should I dismantle the phone and try to dry the swb23 chip (wifi/bt) ?
Please help guys !
stock and unrooted captivate
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You can't see the water that got inside. Would have been better to do the rice method before switching it back on but you should do it now nonetheless. Just be warned, you may have cooked the WiFi chip already.
Are the moisture indicators clear? If so, you should send it for warranty replacement. If not, then you can resort to opening it up, wiping the traces, etc.

ianwood said:
You can't see the water that got inside. Would have been better to do the rice method before switching it back on but you should do it now nonetheless. Just be warned, you may have cooked the WiFi chip already.
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Yeah, pretty much ^^

uggg...may be too late. If you get a significant amount of liquid on or in your phone the worst thing you can do is turn it on.
You should have:
1. immediately removed battery and placed on a paper towel.
2. immediately place phone in a bag of rice for a minimum 24 hours if not 48 before ever powering back on.
Still its worth a try....remove battery and leave in rice for 24 hours....try again....maybe it didn't fry anything when you powered it on...but you definitely need to finish getting the moisture out of the inside via the rice absorption.
I had my old tilt in a pocket submerged in a swimming pool for a good 15 minutes before realizing my blunder. When i realizing it i didn't try to turn it back on. Left it in rice for 48 hours and everything work fine (luckily the phone was powered of when i got in the pool so that probably helped avoid anything frying).

Haha, I once accidently dropped my old Samsung Epix in a bucket of water and it still booted up and worked but most of the features are dead but screen and all still works. It looked like it was wrecked. I got it replaced under my insurance which is a good thing.

Lol.....Captain Hindsight......i love South Park.......
Sent from my pocket.

swedishcancerboi said:
Lol.....Captain Hindsight......i love South Park.......
Sent from my pocket.
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funny
but being aware that you shouldn't turn on an electronic device when it is wet hardly requires hindsight though does it? =)

Thanks guys, I have put my phone in a bowl of rice hoping it will get cured.
If not, will ATT not service my phone under warranty ? I read somewhere that replacing the wifi/bt chip costs $70 with ATT. Has anyone done this here ?
Thanks all for your quick replies ! Much appreciated. I will keep everyone updated on how this issue pans out so it will help someone in the future

Tesist the urge to take out Nd test.....leave at least 24 hours without touching
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

ianwood said:
Are the moisture indicators clear? If so, you should send it for warranty replacement. If not, then you can resort to opening it up, wiping the traces, etc.
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How do I check for the moisture indicator ? Any easy steps ?

It is the white (or not so white anymore) square in the battery compartment.

bames said:
funny
but being aware that you shouldn't turn on an electronic device when it is wet hardly requires hindsight though does it? =)
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I just felt like being ornery. I think i read a "you should have....." and it just got me laughing thinking of that episode. No disrespect intended towards anyone.

swedishcancerboi said:
I just felt like being ornery. I think i read a "you should have....." and it just got me laughing thinking of that episode. No disrespect intended towards anyone.
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i know i thought it as funny haven't seen that episode in a long time...almost as good as towlie
i am just always surprised to see the posts where someone gets there phone wet (washed in laundry, dropped in toilet, spilled significant amount of liquid on it) and the first thing they did was tried to turn it back on almost immediately.

btw if your looking at the moisture indicators for warranty purposes its quite possible you have to completely open the shell. Usually they have one visible without taking the phone apart but its not uncommon to have a secondary marker inside the phone where it would be harder for someone to tamper with. Can anyone confirm where all the cappys markers are?

Been a while since I had mine apart but I don't recall seeing one inside.

newter55 said:
Been a while since I had mine apart but I don't recall seeing one inside.
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wasn't sure....my Tilt2 had one in the battery compartment and one on the motherboard that could only be seen by opening the casing

[Q] Need Advice on my sidekick 4g water damaged

hello last night i was at a coffee house i left my sidekick 4g on the table while i went and get my drink my clumsy friend trips and spills coffee all over my cell o kinda got it dry and the screen is a bit messy inside the camera just cleared up everything seems to be workin except the sim card port my sim card does work since i have it on a back up cell but wen i put on my sidekick it wont even give me data nor show that its in the phone wat can i do or is there anything i can do

snoriega said:
hello last night i was at a coffee house i left my sidekick 4g on the table while i went and get my drink my clumsy friend trips and spills coffee all over my cell o kinda got it dry and the screen is a bit messy inside the camera just cleared up everything seems to be workin except the sim card port my sim card does work since i have it on a back up cell but wen i put on my sidekick it wont even give me data nor show that its in the phone wat can i do or is there anything i can do
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Click to collapse
is the water damage tab turned pink?

yea it did its not all pink but its pink all right

snoriega said:
yea it did its not all pink but its pink all right
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how new is the phone? maybe with some sweet talk you can get it passed a rep to get it repaired or just wait it out a little while dry it out and try again in 2 or 3 days

got it in May so its new lets hope i just been letting it sit

snoriega said:
got it in May so its new lets hope i just been letting it sit
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Click to collapse
well i hope all goes well

thank you

The best thing to do with any water damaged phone is to immedietly pull the battery out and stick it in a bowl of dry rice and cover it leave it for 24 hours the rice will draw out the moisture and hopefully phone will work again but usually its best to do this asap the longer the phone sits with liquid in it the more likely there will be damage
Sent from my SGH-T839 using XDA App

also just for next time (hopefully there is no) never power back on the device after water gets in it because you could fry something!
do what the post above said then you can power on!

As long as the water tab is another color, they're gonna charge you for a new phone. But as others said, the rice method is your best option.
Hope all goes well, I'd hate to see a Sidekick go like that.

I do electronics repair. I mostly work on laptops, but the idea is the same for cell phones. To repair a liquid damaged laptop I fully dismantle it, wash the mainboard with distilled water and a toothbrush, then I wash it again in 99% isopropyl alcohol. After that I place the board somewhere hot to dry. Above a low wattage lightbulb, on top of a heater vent, in a car in the sun, or on the preheater of our IR reflow station have all been used in the past. After it's completely dry I re-assemble the machine.
One of the key things about spill damage is working quickly. A laptop or a cell phone with water in it will often half-work initially. Water is mildly conductive, enough to cause circuits to malfunction. But it's often not conductive enough at the low voltages consumer electronics work at to cause immediate damage. That's why your phone still seems to mostly work in the minutes or hours after a spill.
But what happens if you keep using the device, hoping that it'll get better? Well, water corrodes metals. Aluminum, copper, iron, etc are all used inside our devices, and they'll happily corrode when they get wet. And if you turn the device on, the electricity will cause the corrosion to happen much faster. This build up of corrosion is much more conductive than straight water is. So before you know it, the corrosion will grow so thick on the closely spaced pins of a component that it shorts them together. BOOM! Now it's too late to take it to a professional. It's dead.
So keep that in mind, all of you, if you spill something on your phone, laptop, etc. Pull all power out right away, dry it quickly, and don't give it power again until you're sure it's clean and dry.

BTW, if you're unable to repair the phone, I would be interested in buying the speaker out of it. Mine has a horrible crackle that makes it hard to hear what some people are saying.

[Q] Got my phone wet. Everything still works but charging is unreliable

Hey everyone,
I wish I wasn't here under these circumstances, but yesterday my phone got drenched by the faucet when I accidentally dropped it in the sink. I turned it off right away and tried to dry it by blowing out all the holes/buttons/etc. with canned air. then (maybe stupidly) I turned the phone back on and used it the rest of the day, not really noticing that it wasn't charging when I plugged it in until later when the battery got very low and I plugged it in again and noticed that the charging symbol didn't appear.
Ultimately, what I found DID work, (at least temporarily, sometimes it still stops charging) was turning the phone off, then plugging it in, then turning it back on . When I did this, usb (and wireless) charging work, as well as the USB connection for getting files off the phone on my computer.
It's a bit odd that this is what worked, but so far, it seems to. I'm just not quite sure if there's anything else I can do other than maybe send the phone to LG for repair, or find a local shop that might be cheaper...
Just looking for any suggestions or information anyone may have to help me fix this. thanks in advance!

shorty6049 said:
Hey everyone,
I wish I wasn't here under these circumstances, but yesterday my phone got drenched by the faucet when I accidentally dropped it in the sink. I turned it off right away and tried to dry it by blowing out all the holes/buttons/etc. with canned air. then (maybe stupidly) I turned the phone back on and used it the rest of the day, not really noticing that it wasn't charging when I plugged it in until later when the battery got very low and I plugged it in again and noticed that the charging symbol didn't appear.
Ultimately, what I found DID work, (at least temporarily, sometimes it still stops charging) was turning the phone off, then plugging it in, then turning it back on . When I did this, usb (and wireless) charging work, as well as the USB connection for getting files off the phone on my computer.
It's a bit odd that this is what worked, but so far, it seems to. I'm just not quite sure if there's anything else I can do other than maybe send the phone to LG for repair, or find a local shop that might be cheaper...
Just looking for any suggestions or information anyone may have to help me fix this. thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should have not used the phone but put it turned off in a bowl of uncooked rice for a few days. Optional also removed the back and the battery if possible. You will have corrossion now and maybe worse electrical damage.

gee2012 said:
You should have not used the phone but put it turned off in a bowl of uncooked rice for a few days. Optional also removed the back and the battery if possible. You will have corrossion now and maybe worse electrical damage.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I recognize that it was a bad idea... but there's not much I can do about that now. I'm just trying to figure out what my best course of action going forward is.

shorty6049 said:
Yeah, I recognize that it was a bad idea... but there's not much I can do about that now. I'm just trying to figure out what my best course of action going forward is.
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Try to remove the back and battery and place it in a bowl of uncooked rice asap for 2-3 days, this will limit the damage. Your warranty will also be voided i`am afraid as the moisture indicators are colored now.

gee2012 said:
Try to remove the back and battery and place it in a bowl of uncooked rice asap for 2-3 days, this will limit the damage. Your warranty will also be voided i`am afraid as the moisture indicators are colored now.
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Click to collapse
what do you think the chances of the moisture indicators NOT being colored would be?
I had the phone inside a bumper case which covers the sides of the phone and the back. Some water got inside the case, but maybe not enough to wet the indicators.. I'd hate to open the phone and then realize they weren't colored. I hate opening phones if possible, but that'd be the only way to know for sure , I guess...
I'm working on getting my hands on a back up phone to use currently , but I hate to see the condition of this one get worse... (my nexus 4 that I was going to use as a backup hasn't wanted to power on in a couple months after I botched Rom flashing attempt and subsequent failure to accept a charge)

shorty6049 said:
what do you think the chances of the moisture indicators NOT being colored would be?
I had the phone inside a bumper case which covers the sides of the phone and the back. Some water got inside the case, but maybe not enough to wet the indicators.. I'd hate to open the phone and then realize they weren't colored. I hate opening phones if possible, but that'd be the only way to know for sure , I guess...
I'm working on getting my hands on a back up phone to use currently , but I hate to see the condition of this one get worse... (my nexus 4 that I was going to use as a backup hasn't wanted to power on in a couple months after I botched Rom flashing attempt and subsequent failure to accept a charge)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Water goes through the tiniest cracks and openings so i guess the indicators are colored. Only one sure way to find out and that is looking inside the phone. Look on YouTube for a Nexus 5 iFixit dissasembly video.

Opening up the phone doesn't really void the warranty. Breaking something while opening it does. You still had the headphone jack and the usb port open right? That means water got in and tripped the sensors. This is pretty much guaranteed. IMO, those sensors are too sensitive. Just using the phone in a humid place (bathroom while shower is running) trips them.

If everything works fine just try a wireless charger
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

The fact that your charging doesn't work reliably anymore probably means the moisture indicators would be coloured... I've had phones where the water didn't damage it at all and they still were
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Moisture on port?

This damn phone keeps telling me it has moisture and won't charge. Hasn't gotten wet in weeks. Really annoying having to keep cleaning the port had this happen on my s7 toward the end before i traded it in. Any one else having constant issues with this?

You don't live in a cold or humid place do you? Could be picking up moisture from condensation. Have you gotten the port wet previously?
Also you mention cleaning the port, what are you using to clean it and how well of a job are you doing? I mean are we talking about a couple minutes making sure its thoroughly clean/dust and debris free or are we talking about a 2 second blow on the charge port and you're done?

flipq88 said:
This damn phone keeps telling me it has moisture and won't charge. Hasn't gotten wet in weeks. Really annoying having to keep cleaning the port had this happen on my s7 toward the end before i traded it in. Any one else having constant issues with this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had the same issue and only a factory reset solved the problem. I used a blow dryer and it didn't help.

Best to clean your port with alcohol swabs. Gets the dirt out really well and dries up water stuck in there.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

xeathpk said:
You don't live in a cold or humid place do you? Could be picking up moisture from condensation. Have you gotten the port wet previously?
Also you mention cleaning the port, what are you using to clean it and how well of a job are you doing? I mean are we talking about a couple minutes making sure its thoroughly clean/dust and debris free or are we talking about a 2 second blow on the charge port and you're done?
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Click to collapse
I've never had issues with other phones, so i doubt it's where I live. And I've been cleaning them with some cotton and even a blow dryer. Works fine for a bit but then goes back to messing up.

You say in your opening post that your phone hasnt got wet "in weeks" which leads me to believe that you did get it wet at some point? The phone is supposed to be water resistant (not waterproof) so its possible some water HAS affected your device. If not water then it might be a false positive from something else in your charge port.
Forget the dryer, try using a toothpick or some compressed (canned) air to get the port nice and cleaned out of any dust or debris.
Id say if you're still having the issue even after a good cleaning then your phone might be cooked buddy. Might be worth a shot to factory reset and see if the problems persist but other than that you might not have a choice but to get it repaired or replaced if possible.

This is defiantly a software issue, my device has never been near water and in the last week it's throwing moisture in port, a quick dey with a dryer and then rebooting and then plugging the sub lead in once it's booted works fine.
If guess the moisture sensitivity thing is either way to sensitive or does not clear after the slotted time anymore.
My port is now spotless after a good Hoover out and compressed air and a q tip soaked with IPA and around 15 mins of re drying, unplugging and re plugging a few times throws the error every single time and simply holding the device with a finger near the port can trigger the notification after a few mins.
I have been able to replicate this 2 times now and will continue to I'm also trying to find out what service throws this and if there are any tweekable variables for it if any.

Make sure your charger isn't wet. I once spilled water on my old charger connection. Luckily it was unplugged. Soaked it in alcohol and let it dry for a few days and now it works fine. Worse comes to worse, use wireless charging until you find a solution

flipq88 said:
This damn phone keeps telling me it has moisture and won't charge. Hasn't gotten wet in weeks. Really annoying having to keep cleaning the port had this happen on my s7 toward the end before i traded it in. Any one else having constant issues with this?
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I have this after my phone has been in my running arm-band for an hour.
Don't worry 'bout it.....I dodn't do anything and after 10 mins after taking it out of running arm-band, message goes away.
Matt

My phone started doing this over last few days also. Never been near water, always kept dry. Got to be a software issue, quite common issue if you search the web.
It's really annoying!

Possible solution found in my thread - https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga...ence-error-t3650910/post73271139#post73271139

matthew33 said:
I have this after my phone has been in my running arm-band for an hour.
Don't worry 'bout it.....I dodn't do anything and after 10 mins after taking it out of running arm-band, message goes away.
Matt
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Guessing you missed the part where I said it hasn't gotten wet in weeks. Ended up exchanging the phone because problem wouldn't go away

leave it under a sun lamp

I've noticed something with mine doing it and I finally connected the dots. I'll put my pinky under my phone as a support for when I am holding it and I've noticed that sensor is sensitive enough to detect the moisture from my body even though there is barely anything there. My pinky would essentially rest on the charging port covering it and I did it without thinking.
When I changed my habit all is my moisture messages went away that I thought were "random".

flipq88 said:
Guessing you missed the part where I said it hasn't gotten wet in weeks. Ended up exchanging the phone because problem wouldn't go away
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Where'd you exchange it and did they give you a new or refub?

Sailor Gerry said:
Where'd you exchange it and did they give you a new or refub?
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With tmobile. Warranty exchanges are $5. And probably a refurbed. Don't know, don't really care as long as it works

I got the same issue after exosing it to salt water, basically all I did was got some splash on the phone. I used wireless charging most of the time anyway but it's a bit annoying. Read something about salt water moisture is different so I used a syringe with tap water, sprayed on the port about 3-4x and 5 hrs laters the message disappeared. It might not work for all but at least for me this did the trick. Haven't seen the message for about a week now.

Yeah I second this... it's the dissolved salt on the interior. I cleaned it with fresh water and message went away
Sent from my SM-G955F using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Had this yesterday for a few hours without the phone getting wet at all. Rebooted and message still there, switched off the phone and plugged in the charger and it charged left it like that for a few min and switched the phone back on. The moisture message didn't come back anymore.

flipq88 said:
With tmobile. Warranty exchanges are $5. And probably a refurbed. Don't know, don't really care as long as it works
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Well, you are nuts accepting a refurb.
I got in touch with Samsung via the phone and they told me themselves, I have a 2 year warranty with Samsung as standard in the UK.....they arranged a courier to pick up my phone from my house and sent me a BRAND new one.
Warranty dude....Warranty!
Matt.