How screwed am I ?

[bigmd]

Ok tried out my brand new combo today. Tekin 35t HD, Tekin FXR esc, and flysky gt3b with 3s and external BEC. Truck ran well with good torque and wheel speed . But I was still thinking rock crawling may be too slow for me and maybe I should sell the scx10 and get something faster with brushless. I was out with a full battery and figured I could have some fun anyway. I hit a little mud and shallow puddles being careful because nothing is waterproof. Then all of a sudden I got too close to a huge water filled hole and it was too late. The slippery mud sucked it right in. Took me a few mins to get out. Pulled her out and esc and receiver lights were still on. Pulled the battery and took her home. Now no lights are on and obviously nothing works. I'm assuming everything is trash now. If someone wants to weigh in please do. I may have an scx10 sans electronics in the fs forums soon.

[allanon1965]

Well, if its worst case scenario...esc, rx, and steering servo and BEC would be toast.. So..you could replace all that for under a hundred bucks and be back in business..or sell the remains ...

The motor will be just fine..

[durok]

Well, this just happened today - right?

Take all the electronics out, blow air throughout all openings, set in the sun to dry fully - try hooking it up again tomorrow.

Wet electronics are often recoverable that way.

You could even put each part in a plastic baggie with uncooked rice - that draws moisture out as well.

[bigmd]

Forgot to add my brand new Hitec HS 7945 servo was in there too, that is probably shot also? The motor should be fine? How bout my castle BEC? This happened a few hours ago. There isn't even sun out today here in Jersey.

[bigmd]

Got everything in rice. The receiver is like 8 bucks to replace so not worried about that .

[TacoCrawler]

while I would agree with opening the cases and draining or lightly blowing out
any trapped moisture of water.
I wouldn't recommend high psi air pressure to blow off.

I also do not agree with letting them dry in the sun.

Instead... get a container and fill it with dry rice.
Bury the components in that rice and leave them there for at least 24 hours.
Maybe even 48 hours if wanting to be 100% sure.

Then reconnect a charged battery and attempt to check electronic functions.

The dry rice is not a cure all if damage has already occurred...
But it will dry the pc boards/etc. to be sure that no moisture is remaining.

Moisture remaining and testing prematurely can result in a short...
and the dreaded smoke and smell of burnt electronics.

So being sure that all the e components are 100% dry before re-testing... is a good idea.

I've done this... and all my e components survived.
'cept it did fry my external BEC

[bigmd]

I have everything in two lbs of rice. I didn't smell any burning so maybe that's a good sign.

[whitrzac]

Water is non conductive and doesn't damage electronics. The contaminants in the water do...

I really wish the rice myth would die already.

Take the cases off. Buy the big bottle of 91 isopropyl alcohol and a new tooth brush.
Start cleaning.

Let everything dry before reassembling.

[JSterrett]

Rice is awful for drying, if you want to use that method go to a crafting store and get some actual dessicant. Usually labeled as "flower drying crystals" or something similar...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by whitrzac

Water is non conductive and doesn't damage electronics. The contaminants in the water do...

I really wish the rice myth would die already.

Take the cases off. Buy the big bottle of 91 isopropyl alcohol and a new tooth brush.
Start cleaning.

Let everything dry before reassembling.

I'm in agreement to a certain extent.

Obviously the more contamination in the water, the outcome will be worse.

But contamination can be sourced from within and from the pcb itself...
not solely from the water's intrusion/contamination.

The longer the water remains in contact with the pcb, increased degradation can occur.

Wicking away as much water as possible, immediately off the pcb, can reduce the pcb's physical degradation.

Rinsing and lightly agitating pcb's and other e components can help in removing some of the contaminants.
But brushing it too hard could loosen e components from the pcb and equally cause failure.
Drying promptly is not a sure deal, as corrosion and degradation to the pcb may have already occurred.
Especially if the water intrusion is not corrected promptly or is powered up before it is fully dried.

If the contaminants in the water didn't short out the pcb straight away.
Removing the water promptly can in fact save the pcb from further degradation.

Not saying using dry rice will fix what has already been damaged.
But it can in fact minimize further pcb degradation and corrosion.

Water left inside an e component for longer periods... will cause more degradation and contamination to a pcb.

Even after you rinse off the pcb with the 99% Isopropyl
You'll still want to remove as much moisture as possible.
And using rice to wick that moisture off the pcb can be helpful.

The longer moisture stays in contact with the pcb, more pcb swelling, checking and delamination can occur.

Dry rice can help in minimizing the damage that water intrusion can cause to the pcb.

That is why most electronic are packed/shipped with those little packets that wick away any moisture remaining after it was assembled.

It is likely moisture is never 100% removed... But at 99.9% removal a pcb will survive longer.

Soldering alone on pcb's can create moisture and cause corrosion and
possible function issues or faults when powered up.

Since the water has already intruded...
It would be advisable to unplug the voltage source immediately and remove that moisture as promptly as possible.

Is it a assured correction ? No
But possibly you'll get lucky.

I have saved 3 phones and multitudes of other RC e components from water intrusion/submersion,
by utilizing the rice to dry my e components as quickly as possible.

So if it's a myth... it's worked for me on more then a few times.
So there must be some credibility to this myth.

I'm not saying it works every time. I've equally had some failures too.

Tho' in all honesty... that occurs more often if I delay the drying process..
and allow the water to saturate and contaminate the pcb even longer.

Granted if the intruding water has a high iron/metal content...
It's probably toast no matter what ya attempt.

Granted using the rice pack method for drying may not work every time...
But it's better then doing nothing and waiting for the ambient air or sun to dry it.

The longer the moisture is in contact with the pcb...
the faster pcb degradation will occur.

[whitrzac]

I did component level PCB repair for years.

A toothbrush + 91% alcohal is the best readily available pcb cleaner that is readily available.

[bigmd]

Thanks all for the info. Rice was all I had so that's what I used. I probably waited too long anyway. I'll check it tomorrow .

[tapped-out]

IMO remove everything from the rice, The reason I think rice is a bad idea waiting for Electronics to dry in the rice may build-up corrosion on some contacts inside your electronics and causes short when you plug it back in just my opinion.
Open all Electronics receiver esc use a hairdryer to dry electronics hopefully this fixes you up.

you can wash motor out with hot soapy water blow out really good with air compressor and one drop of oil on the bearings after it's dry to prevent motor from rusting.

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by tapped-out

IMO remove everything from the rice (it's a dumb suggestion).

Sad that you would call my suggestion dumb when I've been doing this since the inception of pcb's utilized in this RC hobby and with great success.

Granted majority of the water needs be drained and blown off promptly prior to packing the pcb into the dry rice.
If concerned about rice talc, place the pcb inside a coffee filter prior to burying that in the rice.
Remove the pcb and components from their casing prior to placing in the rice. The less water the rice needs wick away... the faster it can work.

Cleaning when using alcohol does not displace nor absorb moisture.
Removing moisture from the pcb is what will reduce it's degradation.
Using white dry rice as a desiccant has worked purdy well for me.
Regardless as to what the naysayer's preach.

I have used this rice packing method since the late 70's.
And it has worked successfully for me, more times then not.

So IMO I think it's bad to give advice that is contrary to what packing in rice can accomplish.

Granted if it's submerged in salt water... corrosion will likely occur quickly
and most probably destroy the pcb before one can attempt to dry that.
But packing in rice can dry up 99% of the moisture rather quickly.
Tho' that last 1% may take a little longer... it will reduce the opportunity for corrosion and degradation of the the PCB and components.

But the longer that moisture removal is delayed... the more corrosion and damage to the pcb can occur.

Use white bleached rice to minimize any possible contaminants that may exist in other rice varieties that are utilized.

Corrosion occurs when an e component/pcb is left wet for a period of time.
Removing moisture promptly is a key to reducing pcb degradation.
Once the moisture is wicked away, the pcb should still be blown off afterwards to ensure all loose particulates are removed.

Tho some will claim to repair/clean pcb's as a living and know more then anyone else...
I'll doubt many of those pcb's are submerged in water prior to their repair work.

Rice can in fact work. And anyone whom claims it don't IMHO
hasn't had much experience with doing that.
Want to spend your money... use legit desiccant crystals.

To each their own... but I'm not agreeing with anyone whom says it don't work and that using dry rice as a desiccant is a myth.

My personal experience does not jive with those whom denounce its use as a desiccant.

Of course the real solution is to water proof your e components prior to playing in or around water.
Brush motors can run submerged... But that will wear out the com and brushes faster.
and if it is neglected and not cleaned/maintained... will cause corrosion and rust to propagate eventually killing that motor.

In the early 80's we had to break in brushes to conform to the commutator.
Submersion in water during that break in was a common practice.

But after break in... the motor and bearings needed be cleaned and re-oiled to minimize corrosion and rust.

[tapped-out]

Tacocrawler. Didn't mean to insult you or your advice.
I've tried rice method 2x for othe types of electronics without good results. The Times I've gotten my esc's soaked, decasing and air or hair dryer saved my esc's.
I guess it's my preferred method. I have no other circuit board experience.
With that said I still wouldn't try the rice method again.

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by tapped-out

Tacocrawler. Didn't mean to insult you or your advice.
I've tried rice method 2x for othe types of electronics without good results. The Times I've gotten my esc's soaked, decasing and air or hair dryer saved my esc's.
I guess it's my preferred method. I have no other circuit board experience.
With that said I still wouldn't try the rice method again.

It's cool... you are entitled to your experience and opinion.
Tho' I can't agree on your opinion that rice doesn't work as a desiccant based on your two failures with success.

I'm sorry that using rice as a desiccant didn't fare well for you.
Tho I'll doubt the fault can be blamed on using rice as a desiccant.
Failure can occur for numerous reasons and so not every experience or outcome will have the same results.

Sometimes it works... sometimes it don't. Toast is toast.

I too have had plenty of failures to resurrect over the years... But I have had more success stories then failures, to be quite honest.

So I would preclude that using rice as a desiccant and doing so properly/promptly...
can in fact save submerged e components that otherwise might be considered toast prior to even making an attempt to salvage.

Using rice or any other desiccant is never an assured thing.
The damage to the pcb or other components may have already occurred
because it was not done properly or immediately following submersion.

So the best way to avoid that hit or miss attempt...
is to waterproof your e components prior... rather then attempt a salvage after the fact.

Using any desiccant after the fact... can always result with different outcomes and plausible failure.

But to label the use of rice as a faulty desiccant is doing a disservice to others
whom wish to make an attempt at salvaging what may already be toast.

A bag of dry white rice... is not much coin to waste in that attempt.
Definitely cheaper then purchasing desiccant crystals.

Drying in rice is not a guarantee that the outcome will have success.
But it's better then doing nothing or not attempting at all.

But if the e components smell burnt or were left wet for days...
I wouldn't bother wasting the rice on even making that attempt.

Good luck folk on whatever salvage attempt you wish to try.
But I'd suggest you be pro-active and water proof prior to exposure...
rather then hope for positive results using any desiccant after the fact.

[bigmd]

Ok . I put everything in rice less than two hours after this disaster. I'm not holding my breath and am planning on new electronics.

[bigmd]

Ok guys soldered everything back up and it seems only the servo fell victim to the waterhole . Esc , motor and BEC seem to be ok and working. The servo at first was working then went all the way right and wouldn't move. The heat sink got warm. I'm assuming it's shot.

[whitrzac]

Open it up and clean the board with isopoypl alcohol and a tooth brush.

Servos are very susceptible to issues with the pot when they get wet.

[bigmd]

Whitrzac I did like u said. Buttoned it up and there is more movement but it's still not acting right. Should I clean more? Let it air out before I screw back together?