Should I trust the waterproofing on water-safe Kobos? - Page 2

PHughes · 12-13-2019, 10:20 PM

I have been using my H2O since 2015 or 2016, i forget now. I use it in all conditions, usually on ships, in the hot tub, bathtub, in the sun. It has been dunked, rained on and has never had an issue. It is still going strong, and I am still not afraid to dunk it. I am careful when closing the access flap though.

HolyAura · 12-14-2019, 12:20 AM

Just a question, how long should the HZO waterproofed ereader be left to dry after being submerged before it is safe to be used again?

davidfor · 12-14-2019, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolyAura

Just a question, how long should the HZO waterproofed ereader be left to dry after being submerged before it is safe to be used again?

No time at all. They are designed to be used wet. The only issue is the USB port. I wouldn't plug it in until you were confident it was dry.

HolyAura · 12-14-2019, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

No time at all. They are designed to be used wet. The only issue is the USB port. I wouldn't plug it in until you were confident it was dry.

Thanks, but how do I tell when the inside of the ereader is dry?

davidfor · 12-14-2019, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolyAura

Thanks, but how do I tell when the inside of the ereader is dry?

Why does it matter? The HZO treatment coats all the electronic parts so that they are waterproof and will operate when wet. So, except for the nuisance of water dripping out on you while reading, it doesn't matter.

The USB port does need to be dry before charging or connecting to a PC. But, you can actually look at it and see if it is wet.

Or have I misunderstood something?

HolyAura · 12-14-2019, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Why does it matter? The HZO treatment coats all the electronic parts so that they are waterproof and will operate when wet. So, except for the nuisance of water dripping out on you while reading, it doesn't matter.

The USB port does need to be dry before charging or connecting to a PC. But, you can actually look at it and see if it is wet.

Or have I misunderstood something?

Sorry, I thought that water can go all the way into the inside of the ereader so that even when it seems dry on the outside there could still be some moisture inside. Guess I'm mistaken

davidfor · 12-14-2019, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolyAura

Sorry, I thought that water can go all the way into the inside of the ereader so that even when it seems dry on the outside there could still be some moisture inside. Guess I'm mistaken

It could still be wet inside, but, that is the point of the HZO coating. Instead of completely sealing the device, like the original Aura H2O, the internals are coated to protect them. Water can get in, but, it won't affect the components. And it won't affect using the device.

Polarpenguin · 12-14-2019, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

You read in the shower?

Sorry only just seen this.

Yep sometimes, especially if doing a face/hair mask.

HolyAura · 12-14-2019, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

It could still be wet inside, but, that is the point of the HZO coating. Instead of completely sealing the device, like the original Aura H2O, the internals are coated to protect them. Water can get in, but, it won't affect the components. And it won't affect using the device.

Does that mean that even when it is wet inside its is safe to connect it to a usb?

davidfor · 12-14-2019, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HolyAura

Does that mean that even when it is wet inside its is safe to connect it to a usb?

As long as the USB port is dry, it should be safe.

HolyAura · 12-14-2019, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

As long as the USB port is dry, it should be safe.

Thanks!!

tom_y6 · 05-31-2020, 06:15 AM

Hey guys, forgive me for digging up an old topic, but I think I have something to add here.

I've had Aura One since autumn 2018. On October 2019 I've started having touch issues that made the device unusable - some touches were recognised in wrong places, some not at all. I've received a new device from Kobo as a part of the warranty. In January 2020 I started experiencing very similar issues - this time random touches on their own without even touching device myself, wrong recognition of real touches etc This time I also received a new device as a replacement.

I've seen a few comments online and a video on youtube with very similar problems. In those places, some people claim that they started experiencing the issues after the device had had contact with water. In fact, this would correlate with my own experience - in 2019, the issues started appearing a few days after Aura was used in a jacuzzi. In January 2020 the same started happening after clearing some smudges under a delicate stream of water. I guess that was a mistake.

IPX8 was a major selling point for me, and not having is a game changer. I just wonder if I have just a streak of bad luck, or it really is a problem.

Rusty100 · 06-01-2020, 08:34 PM

For what it's worth - I dropped my Aura HD (non-waterproof) in a bucket of clean water. The device sort of flew towards the bucket.

Anyway I pulled it out and immersed it in meths, shaking out the meths-water mixture - 5 cycles of that.

Then I sprayed in a generic water dispersant and shook it out - again about 5 cycles.

I put it in the sun to dry out for a couple of hours.

Then I turned on the Aura HD and it did not work. So I plugged it in to recharge and it immediately turned on.

It was a bit irregular for the next hour or so, but since then it has run perfectly - at least 6 months to date.

I did the same with an electronic device (Blushield) that went through a warm wash in a front loader. That turned out fine too.

shalym · 06-04-2020, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty100

For what it's worth - I dropped my Aura HD (non-waterproof) in a bucket of clean water. The device sort of flew towards the bucket.

Anyway I pulled it out and immersed it in meths, shaking out the meths-water mixture - 5 cycles of that.

Then I sprayed in a generic water dispersant and shook it out - again about 5 cycles.

I put it in the sun to dry out for a couple of hours.

Then I turned on the Aura HD and it did not work. So I plugged it in to recharge and it immediately turned on.

It was a bit irregular for the next hour or so, but since then it has run perfectly - at least 6 months to date.

I did the same with an electronic device (Blushield) that went through a warm wash in a front loader. That turned out fine too.

What is "meths"?

Shari

twowheels · 06-04-2020, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shalym

What is "meths"?

methylated spirits -- looks like it's a term used in NZ for the ethanol version (as opposed to isopropyl) of what we'd call rubbing alcohol in the US, also called denatured alcohol in the US.

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12-13-2019, 10:20 PM	#16
PHughes Enthusiast Posts: 43 Karma: 2139376 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: PRS-300 PRS-350 Kobo H2O Kobo Clara HD Kobo Clara BW	I have been using my H2O since 2015 or 2016, i forget now. I use it in all conditions, usually on ships, in the hot tub, bathtub, in the sun. It has been dunked, rained on and has never had an issue. It is still going strong, and I am still not afraid to dunk it. I am careful when closing the access flap though.

12-14-2019, 12:20 AM	#17
HolyAura Groupie Posts: 195 Karma: 201170 Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Singapore Device: Kobo Clara HD	Just a question, how long should the HZO waterproofed ereader be left to dry after being submerged before it is safe to be used again?

05-31-2020, 06:15 AM	#27
tom_y6 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2020 Device: Koba Aura One	Hey guys, forgive me for digging up an old topic, but I think I have something to add here. I've had Aura One since autumn 2018. On October 2019 I've started having touch issues that made the device unusable - some touches were recognised in wrong places, some not at all. I've received a new device from Kobo as a part of the warranty. In January 2020 I started experiencing very similar issues - this time random touches on their own without even touching device myself, wrong recognition of real touches etc This time I also received a new device as a replacement. I've seen a few comments online and a video on youtube with very similar problems. In those places, some people claim that they started experiencing the issues after the device had had contact with water. In fact, this would correlate with my own experience - in 2019, the issues started appearing a few days after Aura was used in a jacuzzi. In January 2020 the same started happening after clearing some smudges under a delicate stream of water. I guess that was a mistake. IPX8 was a major selling point for me, and not having is a game changer. I just wonder if I have just a streak of bad luck, or it really is a problem.

06-01-2020, 08:34 PM	#28
Rusty100 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2020 Device: Aura HD	For what it's worth - I dropped my Aura HD (non-waterproof) in a bucket of clean water. The device sort of flew towards the bucket. Anyway I pulled it out and immersed it in meths, shaking out the meths-water mixture - 5 cycles of that. Then I sprayed in a generic water dispersant and shook it out - again about 5 cycles. I put it in the sun to dry out for a couple of hours. Then I turned on the Aura HD and it did not work. So I plugged it in to recharge and it immediately turned on. It was a bit irregular for the next hour or so, but since then it has run perfectly - at least 6 months to date. I did the same with an electronic device (Blushield) that went through a warm wash in a front loader. That turned out fine too.