Nerd/Boffin Technical corner. Page 51

Think my analogue has been switched over now, will definitely try an indoor digital one for now, fingers crossed, thanks.

So I got my phone wet last week, I don't think it submerged into water but some found it's way in through the power socket. The battery water mark has turned pink, so I don't think my warranty will be any good? It looked dead...

Anyway, yesterday it turned back on. Much to my joy! It stays on from anywhere between 10 secs to 10 minutes, even longer sometimes. Everything seems to work, although it may take a fraction of a second longer to boot up and load apps but it's not an issue.

Anyone think they can tell me whether it's a hardware or software issue that is making it reset?

Some of the symptoms include:

- random resets (it boots itself up again)

- random power offs (just shuts off completely)

- occasionally after it has reset the clock has reset (is there a smaller internal battery in phones?)

- the phone doesn't power up when plugged in without the battery IN.

- sometimes I have to remove and reattach the battery before it powers on.

- it can crash when using certain heavy apps

When the phone isn't crashing, it works fine. Everything works, calls, screen, sound, everything. But something happens that causes it to crash. I've tried running a crash/report/log thing, but I can't see anything.

I did a factory reset, didn't help much.

Any ideas?

Sounds like the battery might be screwed to me. Maybe try another if you can.

I know that iPhones are plagued by corrosion after they get wet. It causes them to act erratically so perhaps that's your problem.

Is it an iPhone?

No, it's an Android. Even if the battery is screwed. How does it explain that it only powers up when the battery is in? Surely it should be able to do it through USB alone?

But it does sound like it's loosing power briefly. And maybe a connection inside somewhere is corroding? It would be nice to pinpoint the problem so I can figure out whether I'm binning the phone or not.

Quote: Lee @ April 15 2012, 3:23 PM BST

No, it's an Android. Even if the battery is screwed. How does it explain that it only powers up when the battery is in? Surely it should be able to do it through USB alone?

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It may not be complete screwed and it sounds like the battery is needed to complete the charge/power on circuit.

Thanks Super Nil. I planned to buy a second battery anyway, so I might as well do that now and see what happens.

Quote: Lee @ April 15 2012, 3:23 PM BST

But it does sound like it's loosing power briefly. And maybe a connection inside somewhere is corroding? It would be nice to pinpoint the problem so I can figure out whether I'm binning the phone or not.

View original

My phone switches itself off (but not on) now and again and it's down to the battery becoming lose and, temporally, losing connection to the terminals inside the phone.

You could try cleaning the contacts on the battery and those it connects to on the phone, see if that helps.

Quote: Lee @ April 15 2012, 3:26 PM BST

Thanks Super Nil. I planned to buy a second battery anyway, so I might as well do that now and see what happens.

View original

Give the contacts a clean first.

Will do! With anything in particular?

No liquids.

Something to rough it up/scratch any crud off. A pair of tweezers or something. Don't go mad though you don't want to damage the contacts.

Are you able to open it?

I forgot to advise, since it seemed to late anyway, but as soon as you get anything wet, while waiting for it to dry, you should take any batteries out.

Otherwise the electricity will electrolyse the internal wiring, etching away some copper from one & plating it onto another.

If you can open it, while you are electrically grounded, gently brush away any corroded looking areas with a tooth brush. This will hopefully remove any short-circuits which may have developed, but there is a danger of brushing away a plated copper wire that has become detached from the circuit board.

Sometimes the sound disappears from my PC. Yesterday, for no obvious reason, it was back again; but today it's gone. There are kids here who might contribute to the effect, but it's not obvious what is happening; the volumes are up, and mutes are off.

I expect next time you watch something embarrassing within earshot (Porn or Jedward) it will come back on nice and loud.

Sometimes I have the same thing with my netbook. It seems to be one of the volume aspects that is turned down in the 'Master Volume' controls. Double-click the volume icon next the clock in your menu bar. Sometimes 'Wave' or 'SW Synth' is at minimum and that seems to turn all sound off even if everything else (including the 'master' volume) is up at max.

So, if it is the same problem, that's how you fix it!

Dan