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Geek Culture / What electronics have survived the washing machine?

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GatorHex
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:16 Edited at: 19th Jun 2007 16:30
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I was just wondering if anyone else had electronics that have survived the washing machine?

My Sandisk 1Gb Mini Cruser USB Stick has just sprung back to life after two days left in the sun to dry. "Of course!" it was my fault for not emptying my pockets not the person who put my coths in the wash, Grrr but it all ended well in the end after much screaming, shouting and accusations. LOL.

She is not without previous form though, I've had a couple of watches and a credit card size calculator go through several times. They gave up on the third time through, so I'm gona have to watch this pen drive carefully!

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Pricey
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:19
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many pendrives of mine have survived the wash
an MP3 player once went through, still works as a flash drive, just doesn't play MP3s anymore...

http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=97191&b=32
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:22 Edited at: 19th Jun 2007 16:23
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I washed and dried a 512 mb memory stick the other day. WASHED and DRIED. And I do the laundry. I was so sad when I did it. It was a cheap generic memory stick, but it was tiny and fit into the front of my computer, unlike any other memory stick I own.

And... it lives!! It works perfectly. Wonders will never cease... I think I ran that load twice because I forgot to take it out and I wanted the wrinkles out of the clothes before I folded them.

Here's a tip that I've learned about electronics. If an electronic device gets soaked in water, if you allow it to dry completely before powering it back up then it will probably work. It's worked three times in a row for me - my cell phone, my memory stick, and my wife's cell phone. It's hell on the batteries, but completely dry electronics have no reason to malfunction. The amazing thing for me was that my memory stick survived the drier.


Come see the WIP!
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Van B
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:25
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These little pendrives and mp3 players use such low voltages that there's often not enough charge to cause any damage, so once they dry out often they work perfectly again.

My little sister put some of my floppy disks in the freezer once (can't remember why), they worked fine after a brief thawing.


Good guy, Good guy, Wan...
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Dazzag
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:27
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Yeah, I saw a Gadget show program the other day that tested a load of hardware by chucking them in a swimming pool, leaving them a minute or two, then fishing them out. They used a few items including a phone and one or two MP3 players.

After fishing them out of the pool they opened the case of each device (helped dry them out faster), took out the batteries, and stuck them next to heaters for a day or so. Think the final thing they did was to use a hair dryer on them after a day in front of the heaters. Everything worked fine apart from the iPod which you can't really open without a major effort and it never fully dried.

Apparently the one big thing not to do is to try to get it working when it is still wet/damp. If you do then it will short it and it will never work again. Personally if I dropped my mobile in the drink I would probably leave it a couple of weeks in front of a heater before attempting to turn it on again. Lot of money to waste if not completely dry. Then again, that is what insurance is for.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:33 Edited at: 19th Jun 2007 16:34
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In Japan our Americanized cell phones don't have insurance, or any other frills. My wife's phone got soaked for hours. I told her what we needed to do - dry for 7 days. We let it dry for three days. Unfortunately, she couldn't wait the full 7 days that I wanted and turned it on. It permanently corrupted the display in some places. Otherwise it works. I'm surprised that the battery survived though - my last cell phone that got wet, the battery was scarred permanently. I suppose that this being a high tech lithium battery helps.


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tha_rami
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:37 Edited at: 19th Jun 2007 16:38
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My Nokia N-Gage, my Packard Bell MP3 player, my 512MB memory stick.

All in the same wash.


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BatVink
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:50
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My car radio panel and mobile phone survived on the roof of my car last week, through a very heavy rainstorm.

I turned the car heaters up to full, opened the windows and left them over the vents for about 20 minutes. They worked OK, and the condensation on the phone screen was a good indicator of when it had dried.

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Dazzag
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:50
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Quote: "In Japan our Americanized cell phones don't have insurance"
Neither do ours. You have to get insurance seperatly. Total rip off basically, esp when my house insurance covers it. I mean c'mon, you drop it in water at work, and then admit that? Nope, you say you dropped it in water at home. Ta da. Not that I've ever claimed anything mind you, but you get what I mean.

Although I did get insurance once. I wasn't really listening to the salesman (spit) when I bought a StarTac once. Was really expensive (about £300 which is about $600) at the time and I let him convince me while I was gazing lovingly at the phone.

Quote: "My Nokia N-Gage"
No wonder you put it in the wash

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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Cash Curtis II
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:56
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I got a phone on insurance in the US once. I was running through the fire breaks at Fort Bragg in BDUs and boots and a ruck sack once and my phone fell off the clip (10k ruck/run for practice). They didn't actually care about the circumstances, I suppose because I had to pay the deductible.


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Dazzag
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 16:59
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Quote: "I had to pay the deductible"
Yeah, we call it the excess (less excess meaning higher monthly insurance payments). Normally means cheaper items aren't really worth claiming for. The excess on car insurance for example is normally about £200 ($400). So if someone keeps doing minor damage to your car then you never get anything back.

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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Agent Dink
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 17:19
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My friend jumped into the pool with his cell phone in his pocket... twice... in the same month. As far as I know it worked just fine after he let it dry out both times.

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That C++ Nerd
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 17:57
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My mp3 player. Ripped the outer screen to shreds, plastic is now blue, and inner parts are hanging out. Taped it up, and good as new! It even still plays my songs. I has to buy new headphones though.
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That C++ Nerd
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 17:57
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I think I might have had others too.
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Fallout
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 17:58
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Not electronics, but I put a zippo lighter through the wash before. Very expensive. Smashed to pieces. Oh, the pain.


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Chris K
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 18:31
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Dazzag you swine I can't believe you stole the n-Gage quote. I WANTED THAT.

-= Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals =-
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Dazzag
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 19:03
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Gotta be quick with the n-gage putdowns...

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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MikeB
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 19:11
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Yeah my MP3 worked after going through the washing machine .

E.D.


Shame I can't change my name
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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 21:29
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I once put a GB Colour through the washing machine. Wiped the save, but it kept on running.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
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Zaibatsu
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 23:03
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While it never happened to me, my friend claims his memory stick went through the wash 13 times. It dies on the 13th. He claimed he thought he it might last 14, and was testing it to see.

"I admire its purity, a survivor, unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality"

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Milkman
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Posted: 19th Jun 2007 23:48 Edited at: 19th Jun 2007 23:49
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Jumped into my friends pool with my cell phone in my pocket just the other day. After several hour of drying in the sun, it worked like a charm. There was condensation inside both of the lcd screens, but that eventually went away, and now it's as good as new. I put my wallet through the wash once, too...

Who needs a signature?
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SageTech
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 00:23
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Only thing thats made it into the washer was my first cell phone...and it didn't make it out. After that little incident I got insurance for my phone, and it just got canceled because I lost my phone for something like the fourth time.

Needless to say, I'm absent minded


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UnderLord
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 00:23
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I had a watch that went though the washer it was pretty amazing that it was still on when it came out, and it never fully dried, it eventually died a few weeks later...only electronic i know of going though the wash.

"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."
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tha_rami
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 02:13
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Quote: "
Quote: "My Nokia N-Gage"
No wonder you put it in the wash "


That's what I said. I got it for my birthday and wanted a new one (6600 was 'hot' those days). I got a new N-Gage and lived with it. The second one served me well - still love it for everything except for calling, lol.


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dab
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 02:13
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I have a 512mb Stick that went through the wash and dryer twice. Different times of course, but it still works good as new.. I have no idea how that happens.
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Shadow heart
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 02:28
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head phones, ithink...............i better chceklololol

to the ones thats trapped inside of you, this is it!!
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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 02:29
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memory sticks, mp3 players...

TRY MOTHERBOARD!!!!
don't worry, it was a cheap one i took out of a computer i found in the dump (i find all sorts of cool stuff in the dump, some of the stuff is actually good and working! The benefits of living next to a very wealthy town)

I believe its the lack of mechanical parts that makes it survive. if its in the water while tuned on,it could shot out but since no electricity is running through it, its fine.

btw the motherboard still worked after a wash. the fan didn't work as good though

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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Daniel TGC
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 03:37 Edited at: 20th Jun 2007 03:38
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My mother taught me to check my pockets before I do the wash... a lession here I beleive. There's nothing sadder than a just washed paper ball, that used to be a five pound note.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 04:12
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a penny, as thats the only thing I've been dumb enough to leave in my pants before washing them.


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indi
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 04:46
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never lost stuff to the washing machine.
spilt a few drinks into keyboards as a kid.
money in australia is plastic if you do wash it.

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TEST OF WILL
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 07:16 Edited at: 20th Jun 2007 07:16
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Once I accidentally Put my flash drive in poor thing didn't have a chance

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Dazzag
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 09:14
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Closest I got was my old ST when I was a kid. Basically two of the keys were a little sticky so a friend of mine opened it up, took out the keyboard membrane (if anyone remembers the older ST keyboards and all the individual tiny springs... goddamn hell on earth...), sprayed it with this electrical spray can, and put it back together. Worked great. Until about 6 months later when it started happening again. He was away at the time so I made the assumption that he had used WD40 to spray everything. I mean you spray WD40 on everything to fix it right? No. No you don't. At least not the insides of an ST keyboard membrane. Really didn't work hardly at all ever again. Even after trying to clean the insides (those springs really sucked) and dry out with hair dryers. Doh. And in those days the whole computer was inside the "keyboard", so no going down to the shops for a £10 new one

Cheers

I am 99% probably lying in bed right now... so don't blame me for crappy typing
Current fave quote : "She was like a candle in the wind.... unreliable...."
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Jeku
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 22:53
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I spilled chocolate milk into my computer keyboard and gave it a bath. It worked perfectly after drying.

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 20th Jun 2007 23:23
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I spilt coke on my Z-board twice. The second time, it half died. The hub continued to work, but the keys were constantly being pressed.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
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Phaelax
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Posted: 21st Jun 2007 07:20
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I poured water over my electric flogger once and it shorted it out.


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MartinS
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Posted: 21st Jun 2007 16:36
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my iPod Nano
my 1GB Flash Disc
my Mini Sudoku

G2L

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 22nd Jun 2007 21:33
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Never had anything in the wash, usually empty my pockets first, but my iPod survived being catapulted out of my pocket (with a little help with my headphones) by a pool cue after I got too cocky with my awesome shot and it lived to tell the tale. Less learned, don't get cocky.

Yet an iPod won't survive 3 seconds in a cup of tea as my brother found out.

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 22nd Jun 2007 22:17
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I once killed a PDA playing snooker. It was in a hip pocket with an essay I had just typed. Whoops.


Since the other one was scaring you guys so much...
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