How Apple equipment reacts to water ingress. Paper humidity indicators
Did the iPhone have close contact with water or not?
When buying an iPhone in person, you must carefully check the smartphone () for authenticity and functionality of all functions. You also need to make sure that the iPhone has not previously sunk, since contact with water in the future may simply cause the device to fail. This instruction tells you where the moisture indicator is located on various iPhone models and how to determine whether the smartphone has had prolonged contact with water.
iPhone users rarely notice the presence of a moisture indicator on their devices. The fact is that in normal condition the sensor is gray or white and does not attract attention. However, once the iPhone comes into contact with water, the indicator turns red and becomes very visible. The only thing you need to know is where to notice that indicator.
Depending on the iPhone model, the location of the liquid contact indicator varies. Fortunately, in any case you do not have to disassemble the device to gain access to the indicator. So, where are the indicators located:
As you can see, identifying a “drowned person” is very simple. Just look in the headphone jack, power jack or SIM card slot, depending on the iPhone model. If the liquid contact indicator is red, then it is better to avoid such an iPhone. At the time of purchase, all its functions may work correctly, but in the future problems with it cannot be avoided.
You have an iPhone in your hands, which you plan to purchase second-hand. The appearance is a solid A: no chips or scratches, the screen is in perfect condition, the camera is working. You are ready to buy, but don't rush! You need to make sure that the iPhone has not had direct contact with water and is not “drowned.”
What to pay attention to
So, here you have a fully functional device, and the seller claims that he did not throw it in the bath, did not swim with it in shorts, and in general, blew dust off the iPhone.
1. Carefully inspect the device body. First of all, look into the Lightning port (30-pin) and, using a flashlight, take a closer look at the contacts. Do they have noticeable oxidation of grayish-white light? This is the first signal of possible contact with water.
Ask to connect your iPhone to a charger and see if it starts charging immediately. If contact does not occur immediately, but you need to move the cable, this may be a sure signal that moisture has entered the iPhone port.
2. Play any song from the application Music and listen to the sound reproduction pattern of the speaker. Start listening at the minimum volume level and increase it to maximum. The presence of extraneous wheezing and wheezing is a guarantee that the iPhone was floating.
The earpiece is also easy to understand. If at maximum volume you still have difficulty hearing the caller on the other end of the line, there is a reason to once again listen to the seller who claims that the iPhone did not float.
3. Hardware keys may also indicate contact with liquid. And if water does not imprint on the keys of the smartphone, then ketchup, cola, wine and other drinks will certainly remain in the gaps of the hardware keys, audio port or speaker grille. Feel the key stroke. They should be moderately elastic, but, at the same time, not require excessive effort to press.
4. One of the most reliable and proven ways to make sure that your iPhone has not been sent “behind the buoys” is to check the so-called “red tags”. They are installed by Apple itself and based on them the official service center makes a decision whether to accept the device for repair.
What are the risks of buying a “drowned man”?
Even a smartphone in perfect condition can work without problems for a strictly defined period of time. A week, a month, two...
And then everything and everyone will start to collapse: it will stop catching the network, the camera will break, the sound in the speaker will disappear, the Touch ID sensor will stop working. There are dozens of options for all kinds of breakdowns. Oxidation of contacts is a certain slow and painful death of any electronic device.
And the most annoying thing is that an iPhone that has had contact with water is not subject to warranty repair, and you will have to do any replacement of components at your own expense.
A detailed inspection and attention to detail will save you time, stress and money. Remember, liquid and electronics are incompatible things.
Moisture detection labels can be described as ultra-moisture sensitive labels. Another name for this type of label is moisture control labels. Their essence is that when moisture gets in, the label changes color from white to red, the intensity of which depends on the level of moisture.
Moisture indicator material BRADY B-350 Brady Aqualert and BRADY B-354. B-350 - white glossy polyester/laminated paper (up to +90°C). When moisture hits the label, it changes color from white to red with an intensity corresponding to the humidity level.
- BRADY THT-70-350-20 Quantity per package 20,000
- BRADY THT-70-350-5 Pack quantity 5,000
The company's website sells moisture indication labels. Labels will provide reliable indication of water or moisture intrusion for the purposes of monitoring warranty conditions, breakdown analysis, out-of-warranty repairs, assistance with design and maintenance work. When they come into contact with water, the labels change their permanent color from white to shades of light blue to royal blue or other colors. Exposure to high temperatures (drying) will not lead to a reverse color change or loss of indication. Control is now in your hands!
Labels from the Price Label company with indication functions applicable for labeling OEM products - original component manufacturers. The unique indicator properties of labels make it possible to solve problems of protecting products from illegal distribution, thereby increasing confidence in the manufacturer. Labels for monitoring and indicating moisture ingress are classified as functional labels.
Moisture control labels can reduce the percentage of counterfeits of your products several times. They can also be used to label virtually any type of product.
Humidity indicators are a card made of moisture-absorbing paper on which...
Provide control over the conditions of storage and transportation of goods, raw materials, materials. The humidity level is determined by the change in color of the corresponding circles. The humidity indicator retains its readings in a closed bag for up to 5 years.
...
Humidity indicators
Paper humidity indicators allow you to identify cases where permissible humidity levels are exceeded. They are usually placed in packages containing electronic components or products that are sensitive to moisture. Thus, upon receipt of the package with the goods, the customer can clearly verify that the supplier and the transport company have not violated the storage and delivery conditions. Conversely, if the packaging was damaged during loading or transportation, then, most likely, the level of humidity inside it has also changed. The color of the indicator will tell you how much it has changed.
Multicolored circles
Humidity indicators are paper cards with circles on which a chemical reagent is applied. The card may have 3 or 6 circles, depending on the gradation of humidity levels, for example: “10%–20%–30%” or “10%–20%–30%–40%–50%–60%.” And if the humidity reaches one or another value, the corresponding circle changes color. Even if the humidity level later returned to the specified parameters, the indicator will no longer be able to return to its previous color.
The Sovtest ATE company uses a blue-yellow-green palette for its paper indicators, where blue corresponds to a humidity level of 10%, and rich yellow-green color – 60%.
Advantages of paper indicators
Disposable paper indicators are widely used by electronics companies to monitor the level of humidity inside a sealed package of components and obtain information about its damage.
The main advantages of paper indicators are:
- reliability of information (laws of chemistry apply)
- impossibility of falsification (the reagent changes color only once)
- affordable price
- miniature sizes (can be placed even in small packages)
- shelf life 5 years (in sealed vacuum packaging)
By the way, humidity indicators must be stored in tightly closed packaging. It should be opened immediately before using the indicator. That is, you need to quickly take it out and transfer it to another package - with electronic components.
Apple has been ahead of its time more than once. But they have not yet been able to create a completely water-proof iPhone. Even the latest models, despite their waterproofness, can let in lethal swearing. boards share of moisture. There is no question about the MacBook - practically no attempt was made to protect it from water.
It seems that everything is simple: don’t dive from your iPhone and don’t drink tea next to your MacBook - both your money and your gadgets will be safe. But you can catch a “drowned person” without flooding the equipment directly, but simply by getting into a place that is unsuitable for electronics. To some country with humid climate.
You seem to be out of business, you handled the equipment carefully, but at the service center they say that everything was mercilessly flooded, showing some red indicators inside. Let's figure out what to do.
What are these indicators?
iPhone, MacBook and some iPods have special liquid contact indicators ( LCI). This" litmus test» Triggers when water or other liquid gets in, changing its color from white to red.
On Apple smartphones and players, one of the indicators is visible on the outside, in the connectors or in the SIM card tray. Each device has its own location; in the Apple help section there is a page with all the tips.
In theory, the indicator shouldn't triggered by moist air as such. However, the chances of seeing a red spot in the SIM card tray much higher after a trip to the tropics.
Why do they work in humid climates?
It's all due to condensation. The air in some conventional Thailand is saturated with moisture, especially during the rainy season. Therefore, when the temperature drops to a certain level, water vapor begins to condense into dew. Seemingly harmless droplets will oxidize the connectors and tracks on the motherboard in no time.
The temperature at which water vapor begins to condense from a gas (read air) is called the dew point. And this temperature will increase with increasing relative humidity.
For those who do not understand anything: if the air is very humid, then condensation will fall out even on hot nights. And in the tropics it happens all the time. You shouldn’t forget about the rains themselves either. It's pouring like buckets there, so there's not much hope for pockets and backpacks.
Can they refuse repairs?
It all depends on the nature of the breakdown.
If the part is still “eaten” by corrosion, then you will definitely have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket. Apple's warranty does not cover flooded devices, even waterproof iPhones.
But if, apart from the triggered indicators, there are no other traces of liquid getting inside, and any component still fails (defective, for example), the service does not have the right to refuse warranty repairs. The corresponding ones were introduced by Apple itself seven years ago. Back then, users living in countries with humid climates complained about sensors tripping for no reason.
So what to do with moisture?
The trick is that the temperature of the MacBook or iPhone should be more or less coincide with ambient temperature. Here are a couple of general tips:
- Do not overcool equipment under air conditioners - when it comes out into warm air, everything will fog up. There is no use in wiping, just open the bag slightly for a couple of minutes, the temperature will quickly equalize. To prevent this from happening at all, warm up your bag with gadgets before going out.
- Do not store equipment outdoors (on a balcony, for example) - dew will fall on the devices at night.
- Be prepared for immediate downpours. Pockets are unlikely to be saved - stock up on sealed bags and covers.
When I was in Pattaya a couple of years ago, I didn’t think about it at all, but all my electronics fit in my jeans pocket. But the guide complained about constant problems with the equipment. I immediately blamed the moisture, but I didn’t check it on myself. And when I returned to Russia, I talked to the guys from the service centers, who confirmed my guess.
So, be careful what happens to you definitely won't happen.
