Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Lamp house dryer

This is topic Lamp house dryer in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jay Glaus (Member # 6011) on 08-08-2013, 01:00 PM:

This is really going to seem off the wall.. which it is. But yesterday at the drive in I got caught in a horrible storm and the rain was coming down sideways. I have an iphone which got water logged. It works fine, just has water inside the screen which gives it dark blotches on the screen. Since its already out of warrenty, I thought I'd try to dry it out myself.
I was thinking of putting it in the very back of my Xenex II lamphouse or my Big Sky and let the show play. I figured the heat from the bulb would dry the moisture out of my phone. How hot does it actually get in those lamphouses during operation? I just want to make sure it's not so hot that it will melt it.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 08-08-2013, 01:16 PM:

put it in a bowl of dry rice

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-08-2013, 01:16 PM:

Wow,what a spectacularly bad idea. You're going to either crack the display glass completely or damage the internal components. Also, the very high UV from a xenon source is not good for LCD displays.

Do this instead: go to a supermarket, buy a large box of white rice. Open the box, bury the phone in the rice (or put the phone a bowl and pour the rice over it), let it stand overnight.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 08-08-2013, 01:17 PM:

It wasn't uncommon back when I was working with carbon arcs, to cook a TV dinner
or re-heat some well wrapped leftovers in the lamphouse. It worked pretty well!

I've got a couple of Xenix lamphouses. I'm not sure how hot it gets inside, but
I do know that LCD displays, like the one in your phone, can get damaged pretty
easily by too much heat. The UV rays from the Xenon bulb might also be a concern.

If you google-around the 'net, there are plenty of websites & U-Tube videos on
safe ways to dry out a wet smart-phone. Most of them involve packing them in
dry rice, however I've also seen it done with other substances, even cheerios!

Or, for a start, just try putting it on TOP of the lamphouse for awhile. But even
then, you need to be really careful. Too much heat applied too fast will only
cause the water vapor to condense inside your phone & LCD & -uck it up even more!

Posted by Jay Glaus (Member # 6011) on 08-08-2013, 01:23 PM:

Well I don't have any rice on hand at the moment, but I might try setting it on top of the lamphouse for a while and see if that helps. That's one thing that I was worried of if it would get too hot inside.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-08-2013, 01:32 PM:

Another option: put it in a normal oven with the heat off, but with the light bulb on and leave it there overnight. Just the light bulb is enough to raise the temperature in most ovens to about 85-100 degress or so. I have had good luck with doing this with wet electronics (though nothing as modern as an iphone).

Just don't turn on the oven without removing the telephone first.

The box of rice is probably a better suggestion, though.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-08-2013, 01:40 PM:

Silica gel crystals.

Get a 5-lb. package at the craft store. (A.C. Moore, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc.)

Like this: http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/dri-splendor-silica-gel-flower-preserve-247262/

Crafters use it to make dried flower arrangements.
A 5-lb. package costs less than $15.00

Put the phone in a Tupperware container filled with silica gel crystals and put it on a sunny windowsill for a couple-three days.

I suppose you could put it in a WARM oven or on top of your lamphouse but you need to be really freakin' careful you don't get it too hot.

I use the same stuff to dry out my camera equipment. Sometimes I get caught in the rain and, by the time I get back to my car, my camera has been rained on. I go right home, take the film out then pack the camera in silica gel and it will be just fine.

That your phone has water spots under the screen is worrisome. Even though you get the water out, there still might be some residue from the minerals in the water but, as long as you get the phone dry real quick, it ought to be okay.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-08-2013, 01:41 PM:

I would consider putting it onto a ceramic plate. Then put the plate on top of the lamphouse for a few hours. You will get an even heat rise which should drive out the moisture. You do NOT want any sudden, high heat; the plate will temper the heat source. louis

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 08-08-2013, 04:42 PM:

First thing, take the battery out of the phone.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 08-08-2013, 11:51 PM:

iPhone batteries are not removeable.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-09-2013, 03:17 AM:

One reason not to buy an iPhone as far as I'm concerned. The price is another.

Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 08-09-2013, 03:51 AM:

Everything's removable but not necessarilly re-installable! [Big Grin]