Watery Mod

[sonicbomb]

I briefly dropped my sigelei 30W into some water. I quicky dried it it, but some water has penetrated the top secrtion where the electronics are, and there is now condensation on the inside of the screen. I'm not sure if I should try to disasemble it and remove the condensation, though I cannot find any information on how to do this. I thought perhaps I could gently heat it to evaporate the condensation, but I would imagine that this might just migrate the water to somewhere worse inside. It's been 24 hours now and the device is still working, it's getting hard to make out the text on the display. I have contacted Silelei and they have not been able to give me any useful advice.
Can anyone offer any advice on how to disasemble the top section as I think this is the best course of action? I have searched and I cannot find any information on how to do this.

 

[astronomicals]

never heard of the phone in rice method? should e self explanatory.. id turn that thing off before it fails. put it in a bag of rice for a couple days.

 

[EvlSmrk]

I'm going to second that...at least for the time being. Couldn't hurt and might even solve the problem. While you're letting it sit, perhaps someone here can answer back with the information you're hoping for...in the mean time, don't watch it...that would be torture. Just throw the whole thing in a bag of rice, as broken down as you can get it, and put it in a drawer somewhere. Come back in a few days and take a peak.

 

[Tmg666]

I had that happen to my lavatube mod, Try the rice it helped me out as lavatube cant be disassembled. If the sig 30w is the same try rice method, you may have a blury display but if the sigelei 30w is able to be disassembled, you can always clean that off later.
edit. Better a blury display then a paperweight

 

[Thrasher]

Another trick that works very well for electronics...

Put them in the fridge. The fridge is a zero humidity chamber and will dry things out well

 

[sonicbomb]

Thanks for the advice so far. I have it buried in rice and my fingers crossed. I'm hoping that someone can still advise me on how to open the thing up. The bulk of the water is on the inside of the screen, otherwise it would have shorted already. It makes sense to me to remove it from there before it can go anywhere more important. For the rice to absorb the water it will have to move from the inside to the outside, quite possibly via the electronics I'm trying protect.

I'm so sure about the freezer trick, surely this will freeze the water on the screen in place?

 

[Alien Traveler]

Another trick that works very well for electronics...

Put them in the fridge. The fridge is a zero humidity chamber and will dry things out well

There will be a lot of condensation after it goes out of frige.

 

[Thrasher]

Was just a suggestion...

Used it many times
even saved a remote for the tv that didnt even turn on after hitting the bottom of the aquarium

And def not the freezer lol

 

[Vatigu]

Thanks for the advice so far. I have it buried in rice and my fingers crossed. I'm hoping that someone can still advise me on how to open the thing up. The bulk of the water is on the inside of the screen, otherwise it would have shorted already. It makes sense to me to remove it from there before it can go anywhere more important. For the rice to absorb the water it will have to move from the inside to the outside, quite possibly via the electronics I'm trying protect.

I'm so sure about the freezer trick, surely this will freeze the water on the screen in place?

If it's off water won't affect the electronics unless it evaporates and leaves a residue. Turn it off leave it in rice wait a few days. Can the battery be removed? (safest bet)

 

[englishmick]

I've got a Sig 20 which is pretty much the same as yours. I'm sure I've seen a thread somewhere on ECF with pictures on how to disassemble it. No idea where but you should be able to search for it. Or search on Youtube.

Best as I can recall the section above the screen is just pressure fit. I'm sure that's the case because I dropped mine on the floor and it came part way off on one side. I just pushed it back in place. Once you get that section off you can see down into the gap between the display and the screen, and pull the board out if you wanted to. Don't quite remember what technique they used to pull the top section off. I vaguely recall something like screwing an old PT mini tank onto the top to give you leverage and wiggling it from side to side. Whatever I saw the problem was with juice that had got into the same area. Juice doesn't evaporate so they had no choice but to clean it out.

Good luck with it.

 

[sonicbomb]

I found threads on ECF giving more detail on the press fitted top cap. I attached a cartomizer and started levering on it but to no avail. Firstly forcing it worried me, and also I'm concerned that once I've removed it, it will be loose, in itself a problem.
24 hours in rice and the screen was clear. But after an hours use it started to cloud again so back in rice it goes for a few more days. I think the slow method with the rice will do the trick in the end.
Thanks kindly for the help.

 

[Robino1]

Glad the rice seems to be working for you. I've been following the thread
I like when people come back to update!
Drives me nuts when we get left hanging....I know....Many would say "short drive"

 

[sonicbomb]

Only the rudest of individuals would accept the help of strangers, and not show some gratitude.