# Cell phones and humidity problems?



## Artfuldodger (Jul 2, 2013)

My wife and I went camping for a few days last week. It was rainy with very high humidity. There was smoke on the water of Clark Hill Reservoir. 
Both of our cell phones quit working and gave up the ghost.
We took them to Verizon who had about four experts look at both phones. They were going to try to reprogram them but said they both had water damage. The phones never got wet with actual rain just high humidity. One Verizon sells lady said she had a phone in the past do this.
Looking on the net I ran across a few people who had humidity problems in the Florida Keys and other Southern coastal towns. The person in the Keys had insurance but of course it doesn't cover water damage.
Has anyone else ever experienced this? In the future i'll put my phone in a Zip-lock while camping in the tropics. I didn't realize they were so critical of humidity. These were both basic phones, not smart phones.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 2, 2013)

Get a casio g'zone. Verizon has them.


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## Dr. Strangelove (Jul 2, 2013)

It's not that uncommon, I used to work in the cell phone business (Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T) and saw it all the time. 

I wouldn't recommend zip-loc bags, instead get a Pelican Box or similar waterproof container.


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## dwhee87 (Jul 2, 2013)

Samsung has just come out with a waterproof Galaxy. My son just picked one up, and of course, he had to try  it out, so he turned the video cam on and dropped it into a clear pitcher of water and made a video of his cat.


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## Artfuldodger (Jul 2, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Get a casio g'zone. Verizon has them.



That phone gets good reviews on amazon. It would meet my needs. 

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Boulder...8&qid=1372810996&sr=1-1&keywords=casio+g'zone


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## Nicodemus (Jul 2, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> That phone gets good reviews on amazon. It would meet my needs.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Boulder...8&qid=1372810996&sr=1-1&keywords=casio+g'zone





I had a Rock for 4 years. The battery finally got to where it wouldn`t hold a charge, so this past February I got the Ravine.  I found out that they are just as tough as they say they are. I`m not known to baby my phones.


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## Bilge Rat LT 20 (Jul 7, 2013)

The Casio  GZ one is waterproof and shock resistant. It is good enough for our military, it has a mil-spec number.
I have dropped mine in the boat livewell a few times. A shrimper friend of mine can't kill his so they are tough phones.
Casio makes a model that has a keypad for you text/computer people that has the same waterproof/shock specs.


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## bull0ne (Jul 7, 2013)

I'm on borrowed time with a tank of a blackberry that's been through every kind of abuse one can dish out and its still running. As much as I'm fond of it, I'll be going with the phone below  when this one bites the dust. A query keyboard is a must for me, as many places down here as so remote that its text only for communication. 

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/casio-g-zone-brigade/4505-6454_7-33856817.html

Any of the Mil-spec phones should stand up to some serious outdoor use.


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## StriperrHunterr (Jul 8, 2013)

Also, to get rid of the moisture in a phone, place it in a bag of dry rice for a while. It will suck the moisture right out of the phone. Not saying it will fix it guaranteed, but I have heard of people recovering from it being dropped in a sink. 

I have an actual otterbox, not the phone cases, and I can attest to how well they work. If you don't like the price, since you're paying for the name, also look at amazon for travel humidors for cigars. 

http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Impor...qid=1373302231&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+humidor

Here's the one I have for my stogies, and I put my phone in here, too if I think there's a chance of it getting wet. They require an additional humidification device for stogies, so it will work just as well as an otterbox, but this has foam to protect the sticks, and a seal just as solid as the otter. The only thing missing is that the otters have a check valve for letting out air/moisture should it already be present or for altitude variances, but I haven't found the need for that. I've carried my stogie box through airport security and on flights, and the only problem I've noticed is that it doesn't want to open easily when I get back on the ground. That's a good problem to have IMO since you're looking for a solid seal. 

A 10 stick travel humidor will allow you to have two smartphones and your wallet protected in the event of rain. A 15 stick will do all of that and more.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Jul 8, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> My wife and I went camping for a few days last week. It was rainy with very high humidity. There was smoke on the water of Clark Hill Reservoir.
> Both of our cell phones quit working and gave up the ghost.
> We took them to Verizon who had about four experts look at both phones. They were going to try to reprogram them but said they both had water damage. The phones never got wet with actual rain just high humidity. One Verizon sells lady said she had a phone in the past do this.
> Looking on the net I ran across a few people who had humidity problems in the Florida Keys and other Southern coastal towns. The person in the Keys had insurance but of course it doesn't cover water damage.
> Has anyone else ever experienced this? In the future i'll put my phone in a Zip-lock while camping in the tropics. I didn't realize they were so critical of humidity. These were both basic phones, not smart phones.



In case ya'll have not tried it, placing wet small electronics devices in small air tight plastic bags (like zip lock baggies) filled with plain uncooked rice has a good reputation of absorbing moisture so that devices many times start working again.  I've read & seen many reports about this, like for example when folks drop cell phones into toilets or submerged in shallow waters for short periods of time.  Best of luck with it.


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## swamp hunter (Jul 8, 2013)

I live at the edge of the Glades 87 % H. today, Yard has standing water and my Fish are tryin to swim away.
I only buy Mil-Spec Phones, and ain't never had a problem..


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