396T keypad

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jaymatt1978

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I was on my bike and it started pouring. My 396 did get wet and even though it turns on and scans, the keypad doessn't work and before you ask YES the keypad lock is OFF. ALSO the side buttons and know work fine. My question is before I pack this thing up and ship it, is there a chance the keypad needs to "dry out"
 

OCO

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Yes it probably need drying out and before anything else pull the battery, now.....
There are a number of good articles on the 'net about drying out a cell phone that apply here. Good point is don't use a hair dryer, even in cold air mode - it'll force moisture deeper.

Keep us posted...
 

OCO

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That and time........had to remind someone a while back that if he used the white rice trick not to cook it first.:lol:
 

OCO

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I don't know - the article says overnight. Last thing I had to try to dry out was a pager that got dumped in a pitcher of beer...had a nifty little wave action in the display window..never did dry out, had to explain to upper mgmt why staff was unhappy about being on call during happy hour..
 

N1SQB

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I don't know if it applies to you or not, but I own my own home. So, I have full use of my furnace room which my wife uses to dry out clothes she does not want to stick in the dryer. It is a good place to allow things to dry without pulling out the old hair dryer. I use it when I stain or shellac my wood projects. Obviously not directly on the furnace, but someplace near it....Just a suggestion.....

Manny
 

jaymatt1978

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Thanks for all your suggestions. The fact it didn't work the next day scared me a little, but I turned it on today and all the buttons work fine. Time was all the scanner needed, everything works!!!! I was so worried I would have to- send it to Uniden...
 

v65magnafan

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I also got some liquid on my keyboard last week. The kb is fine now, except for one weird problem.

The on-off-kb-lamp button will not work unless the radio is connected to an external power source via the charging plug.

This is with a fairly charged-up battery.

What is causing this weirdness?

Thanks.
 

emptech

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396t keypad

I haven't taken the keypad apart on a 396, but if like other electronic equipment,
conductive rubber contacts are likely used. I'd say it only takes a small amount of moisture
to bridge the contacts, would act as if a button or multiple buttons are being pressed.

I would disconnect the battery and give the scanner plenty of time to dry out, I probably
wouldn't go so far as to putting it in the oven, but I'd put it in a warm place, give it some
time, will take a while because it will be difficult to get air in that area inside the switch.

Give it a few days, connect the battery and try it again. Worst case, may have to replace
the keypad. I don't know how difficult it is to get to it, have never taken a 396 apart.

The problem leaving power attached, the dc voltage can cause electrolysis and therefore
corrosion on the contacts, causing permanent damage.

Try giving it a chance to dry out and let us know.

For times like this, I wish I had a bell jar, like in physics class, to draw a vacuum, would
dry things out instantly without heating or warming.

Jim H.
 

jaymatt1978

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ok it happened again now it's the SCREEN! I HAD IN IN MY COAT POCKET AND IT STILLL \got wet. Same question does it just need to "DRY O UT""??
 

W2PMX

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Rice or other desiccants are good - rubbing alcohol is better. If you can't disassemble everything and wipe it down with alcohol wipes (that's why cellphone stores have boxes of them under the counter), just immerse the entire thing in a bowl of alcohol and swish it around to make sure that the alcohol gets to every little corner inside. A couple of alcohol immersions - taking a minute or two - is more drying than overnight in a bowl of rice. I've saved more than one cellphone using alcohol.
 

Rt169Radio

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Rice or other desiccants are good - rubbing alcohol is better. If you can't disassemble everything and wipe it down with alcohol wipes (that's why cellphone stores have boxes of them under the counter), just immerse the entire thing in a bowl of alcohol and swish it around to make sure that the alcohol gets to every little corner inside. A couple of alcohol immersions - taking a minute or two - is more drying than overnight in a bowl of rice. I've saved more than one cellphone using alcohol.

Isn't alcohol liquid to? How can you dry out electronics like that?
 

jaymatt1978

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Did the same thing took the batteries out over night and let it sit. Works fine. Just wish it was a bit more durable. Again folks I didn't intentionally leave this radio out in the rain!!!
 

OCO

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Rice or other desiccants are good - rubbing alcohol is better. If you can't disassemble everything and wipe it down with alcohol wipes (that's why cellphone stores have boxes of them under the counter), just immerse the entire thing in a bowl of alcohol and swish it around to make sure that the alcohol gets to every little corner inside. A couple of alcohol immersions - taking a minute or two - is more drying than overnight in a bowl of rice. I've saved more than one cellphone using alcohol.

Alchohol is a solvent. It'll soften or disolve plastic, paint, epoxy... Wiping the circuit board maybe, but dunking an entire radio ?? Not here...:( A little patience and a good desiccant are far less risky..
 

W2PMX

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Isn't alcohol liquid to? How can you dry out electronics like that?
There's a difference between "liquid" and "water". Water damages electronics, "liquid", per se, doesn't. Alcohol is hygroscopic - it holds onto water molecules. That keeps the water from damaging the electronics. (Mainly because the alcohol holds onto the minerals in the water too, and they get washed off the board by "new" alcohol as you rub with the swab or swish the device in the bath. It's not H2O that causes the damage, it's the dirt and minerals dissolved in it that do. Pure H2O is a pretty good insulator at low voltages.)

As far as dissolving parts of the radio, I've never had plain clean rubbing alcohol cause any damage to any electronic device, even after a thorough 10 minute "swishing" immersion - and I've been doing it for many years (probably since the first kid dropped the first Motorola brick into a toilet).
 

OCO

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There's a difference between "liquid" and "water". Water damages electronics, "liquid", per se, doesn't. Alcohol is hygroscopic - it holds onto water molecules. That keeps the water from damaging the electronics. (Mainly because the alcohol holds onto the minerals in the water too, and they get washed off the board by "new" alcohol as you rub with the swab or swish the device in the bath. It's not H2O that causes the damage, it's the dirt and minerals dissolved in it that do. Pure H2O is a pretty good insulator at low voltages.)

As far as dissolving parts of the radio, I've never had plain clean rubbing alcohol cause any damage to any electronic device, even after a thorough 10 minute "swishing" immersion - and I've been doing it for many years (probably since the first kid dropped the first Motorola brick into a toilet).

Hopefully, we learn something new every day. I knew of the hygroscopic properties, but would not have dunked a phone in it. Based on your recommendations and several items found with Google, I'll add it to my bag of tricks! (I wonder if it would have saved that pager that got dunked in the pitcher of beer:D). I note in this good article that they specify Denatured (methanol) alchohol only. Thanks for the tip!
 
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