help on water damaged kindle

[zcopper]

I accidentally spilled a cup of hot water on the kindle paperwhite. I quickly wiped it dry but now the screen is not sensing correctly especially the bottom right. This means something permanently broken or you guys have experienced similar thing before and know a way to save it? I only have it for couple of weeks, :-(

[eschwartz]

For water-damaged electronics, you often hear the advice to leave it in a bag of uncooked rice, supposedly it draws the water out.

I know a few people who swear it fixed their phones.


Alternatively, you can try returning it to Amazon and getting a replacement under warranty.

[zcopper]

thanks a lot, eschwartz! I will buy some rice and try it!

[robko]

Originally Posted by zcopper

I accidentally spilled a cup of hot water on the kindle paperwhite. I quickly wiped it dry but now the screen is not sensing correctly especially the bottom right. This means something permanently broken or you guys have experienced similar thing before and know a way to save it? I only have it for couple of weeks, :-(

Rice is your best bet as mentioned above. I wonder (depending on how hot the water was) if it could have damaged the touch sensitive layer on the screen or removed it or something? Let us know how it turns out!

[HarryT]

The touch sensitive layer is a chemical coating on the screen, so it's certainly possible that the water has damaged the coating.

I'd contact Kindle CS. They will more than likely simply send you a replacement free of charge.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The touch sensitive layer is a chemical coating on the screen, so it's certainly possible that the water has damaged the coating.

I'd contact Kindle CS. They will more than likely simply send you a replacement free of charge.

Shame you can't get your money back and buy a Kobo H2O

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by meeera

Shame you can't get your money back and buy a Kobo H2O

Having had one, I wouldn't want another. But this may well be a reason that the H2O uses an IR rather than a capacitive touchscreen.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

For water-damaged electronics, you often hear the advice to leave it in a bag of uncooked rice, supposedly it draws the water out.

And then discard the rice. Or save until the next time you spill water over a device. The point is not to eat it.

Mike

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Mike L

And then discard the rice. Or save until the next time you spill water over a device. The point is not to eat it.

Ergot poisoning: no fun at all!

[HarryT]

It's probably an obvious point, but you need to put it in a SEALED bag with your rice. Eg, a ziploc bag.

[Mike L]

Actually, the very first thing you should do is to remove the battery - assuming that's possible.

Mike

[bonacker]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

For water-damaged electronics, you often hear the advice to leave it in a bag of uncooked rice, supposedly it draws the water out.

Alternatively, you can try returning it to Amazon and getting a replacement under warranty.

Although rice can usually be found in everyone's house and is therefore free and instantly available, I have read that it is far from the best dessicant to use.

Much more potent are silica gel beads that are sometimes included in packages one receives when it's important that the item being shipped be kept mositure free. There are probably other substances besides silica gel available at stores that sell packing materials, but silica gel is the only one I can recall now.

As far as returning a water damaged electronic device, I remember reading that Apple puts a small paper strip in its devices that turns color when it gets wet. This enables Apple to refuse replacement of a device they would otherwise be willing to replace, since they have proof that the device was mistreated, albeit unintentionally, by the owner.

I have no idea if Amazon uses these strips. My guess is that they don't, because Kindles etc. are so much less expensive than Apple's and are important (primarily?) sales machines for Amazon Store products. But you never know. At least, I don't.