Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Lebanon, NH, USA
Posts: 40

Had quite a scare today - my OVD slipped out of my pocket and into a barrel filled with water. I shook as much water out of it as possible, then completely disassembled it and carefully blew out all the trapped water with compressed air.

When I put it back together, the screen was dead. I did a hard reset, and was able to hear clicks in response to button presses and touch-screen input, but still no screen. Dejected, I left it sitting on my desk for the rest of the day, trying to build up enough courage to admit defeat and call Handspring for an RMA number.

Then, about 8 hours after the water espisode, I caught a screen flash out of the corner of my eye, and the screen came right back! I did a HotSync, and all my files were faithfully restored from this morning.

Which leads me to wonder: what component(s) in the display module could be that sensitive to water? In any case, this is hope for anyone who may have the misfortune of a similar experience.

-WaC
Wayne

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: McLean, VA USA
Posts: 216

Next time that happens (God forbid there should be a next time!!)try using a hair dryer to blow dry the unit (this works for most electrical/electronic equipment). Of course, you want to remove ANY power supplies (batteries, AC, etc) immediately! Just using compressed air to dry out the Visor, probably didn't get all of the moisture. Somewhere a connection was probably shorted by some moisture and by 8 hours later the moisture had evaporated.

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What the Heck! It's what I want!

[This message has been edited by visor empowered (edited 06-30-2000).]

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Lebanon, NH, USA
Posts: 40

Thanks for the suggestion.

A hairdryer would have been better, but all I had at work was compressed air and heat guns that will easily melt solder. We also have an industrial environmental chamber, and I did put it in there at 50C for the initial 3 hours (which I neglected to mention ).

My hairdryer at home will heat objects up to about 60C on the low setting, and as high as 80C on the high setting! Better remember to use the low setting for doing stuff like this in the future.

-WaC
Wayne

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 23

I had a similar problem with my Visor. I was at a party, standing around near a pool, and someone thought it might be funny to push me in, not even thinking I might have a cell phone, visor, or any myriad other expensive equipment that people carry with them nowadays in my pockets. Anyway, the visor was completely dead. I dried it with a hair dryer, and checked to see if just the screen was dead, but I couldn't hear any sound at all. Tried a hotsync too, but didn't get anything. I let it sit for a few days and tried fresh batteries, but I guess I got an unlucky short or something. It was a sad, sad day. I did get some satisfaction from telling the kid that he owed me $250. ;-)

~CYMagic

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: McLean, VA USA
Posts: 216

Hey, CYMagic!

Just saw your "location" on your post and had to respond. I can't believe that there is someone from Cockeysville with a Visor! I'm originally from Westminster!

See ya.

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What the Heck! It's what I want!

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 8

quote:

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Originally posted by visor empowered:
Hey, CYMagic!

I'm originally from Westminster!

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