Member Avatar for coolraj003

Hey Guys

This was not me, actually happened to my work colleague. SHe has a Nokia 8910i which was dropped in hot tea and was left on radiator to dry off. WHat are the chances of that phone coming back to life ever again? I was thinking that damage would be done after it fell in hot tea, now considert this that the phone is supposed to be made of some sort a metal thingy i mean the case, now after leaving it on the radiator would mean that it would absorb a lot of heat without being able to dissipate it out. Phone is black in color which would mean it ll be able to hold on to the heat for a while as well. Now it would have been on the radiator for a while but I dont think it would ever work. DO you??? I'd say the internal circuitry would be melted by now.

Anything that anyone out there could suggest to either get it to work or get the data off it.

Thanks

Raj

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Brief expert note: given ’s description (live handset, immersion in hot tea, then left on a radiator), the situation is one of the tougher water-damage cases. Hot beverages leave mineral/sugar residue that starts corrosive processes immediately, and sustained heat can bake that residue onto traces, flexes and connectors. Recovery is possible in some cases, but success depends on how soon the phone was opened and cleaned and whether it was powered again after the spill.

Practical recovery steps (in order of priority):

  • Do not power or charge the phone again until the board and battery are inspected.
  • Remove battery, SIM and any removable memory and keep them separate. Treat SIM/memory as primary data sources—attempt to read those on another device or card reader.
  • If competent with small electronics, open the case and inspect for residue/corrosion. Sticky or tea-colored deposits should be removed with high-purity isopropyl alcohol (70–99%) and a soft brush; distilled water can be used first to dissolve sugars, then follow with alcohol to displace water and help drying. Do not use tap water.
  • Dry parts slowly using airflow and desiccants (silica gel packets) in a sealed container for 48–72+ hours. Avoid direct heat sources (radiators, ovens, hair dryers) — heat can warp parts and further fix residues. (As hinted, drying helps, but purpose-made desiccants are better than improvised methods.)
  • If there is heavy corrosion, visible burn marks, or the phone won’t respond after cleaning and replacing the battery, seek a technician who does board-level cleaning/repair or professional data-recovery (chip-off services for internal memory).

Cautions and expectations: a battery that was wet and heated should be replaced rather than recharged. Sliding mechanisms, displays and keypad membranes commonly stick or fail after sugary spills. Recovery of user data is most likely from SIM or removable cards; internal flash recovery is possible but costly. ’s joke about color aside, the core issue is duration of power plus baked residues, not the case color.

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Member Avatar for itdupuis

Was the phone turned on when it took a bath? If not, there might be some hope, but it also depends on how bad the phone took the splash.........My sister dropped a blackjack2 in the sink with a little water, but it was off. We also let it completely dry. We put the phone in a plastic baggie, then stuck the baggie (while open) in a bowl with an airtight lid. We filled the bowl with rice (to draw the moisure out of the phone) and her phone works fine now. So I think it all depends on how wet the phone got....of course the radiator method probably did not help the phone..Good luck!

Member Avatar for coolraj003

well it was on when it took the plunge, guess women do mange to accomplish such astonishing stuff....lol. I got no hope for it but i ll see if the repair guy could get it anywhere.

ALthough the rice method was good but given that it was hot tea that it went into not just water. Hot tea even after drying would leave sticky stains on the components inside which for sure wont be very healthy for the phone itself.

Raj

Member Avatar for manan5409

Uhh... won't black radiate heat out faster? :)

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