Database Develop

[Q] Are you confident with the water resistant flaps?

The microusb flap on my 2 day old Xperia Z feels loose without any abuse to it. Initially it takes serious effort to pry it open, now it pops open smoothly with little effort. I thought I'd like to try washing my phone but judging on the flap, I'm not feeling comfortable putting the phone near water.
Does these water resistant seals require maintenance/periodic replacement from Sony?
How are the flaps of your phone? Do they still work even after they loosen up?

mengsuan said:
The microusb flap on my 2 day old Xperia Z feels loose without any abuse to it. Initially it takes serious effort to pry it open, now it pops open smoothly with little effort. I thought I'd like to try washing my phone but judging on the flap, I'm not feeling comfortable putting the phone near water.
Does these water resistant seals require maintenance/periodic replacement from Sony?
How are the flaps of your phone? Do they still work even after they loosen up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They loosen up while time passes, if you look the inside of the flaps you will see some kind of rubber coating, as long that's ok your phone should be fine.
Sony stated that the flaps can be opened 5 times a day and still survive for 2 years.

I'm rather worried about the connections to the flaps. They seem to bend rather easily and could prevent the lids from closing correctly.
I always apply some extra pressure before taking my Z near water, just to be safe.

R!n said:
I'm rather worried about the connections to the flaps. They seem to bend rather easily and could prevent the lids from closing correctly.
I always apply some extra pressure before taking my Z near water, just to be safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries. They're flexible but tough.
Sent from my gorgeous White Xperia Z

R!n said:
I'm rather worried about the connections to the flaps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if they broke - the rubber seals are tight enough for you to close the cover and let it sit there. Those connections dont actually hold the covers in place - they just make sure you won't lose them.

I was dubious about the water proofing but I got drunk and tried it out in the pub the other night....
....phone still works like a charm!
Here is some vids I took dipping it in my friends pint.
http://youtu.be/jFQAL-9WY8s
and washing it in the sink after
http://youtu.be/m67XefjDKgM

I took mine to the shower about three times already. Even wrote about two texts and watched a few Youtube videos from there without a hitch. I'm definitely confident in them. A bit unrelated by at the same time related; I had a dream last night that I sat on my Z and it warped inwards and shattered from all sides, but upon closer inspection I noticed that it was the side's had a green tint to it as opposed to the regular blue, and that's when I realized that I was dreaming in my dream. I looked around for a bit (I was having dinner with dead celebrities and relatives), thanked them for the dinner and invitation and left (I wanted to start having a lucid dream but I wanted to check my real-life Z if everything is ok. I love the fact that I know my Z so well that I was able to point out its imposter's flaws and wake myself up in such a state of mind.

I've tested it into an aquatic center for more than 4 hours, he still works like a charm :victory:
This phone is just awesome.

I was a bit nervous but yup put it in a jug of water just to test and because it shocks the family. Even took it in the shower this morning and was sending texts!
My Brother, Mum and Dad have all swapped their IPhones for a Xperia Z. It's just cool.

I see you guys \ girls have no fear for water when it comes to Xperia Z.
But the real question here is: Who opens the flaps frequently and is still brave enough to use it under water?
(Reason for asking is, there is a lot of nice stories up here but none of these confirm they open the flaps frequently... and that is what this topic is about.)
Kind regards, Stefan.

Thaevil0ne said:
I see you guys \ girls have no fear for water when it comes to Xperia Z.
But the real question here is: Who opens the flaps frequently and is still brave enough to use it under water?
(Reason for asking is, there is a lot of nice stories up here but none of these confirm they open the flaps frequently... and that is what this topic is about.)
Kind regards, Stefan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I personally keep opening my flaps constantly to sync with my Jawbone UP band and when I was testing my OTG cable and no issues. It's just so cool to be able to use in the shower if needed.

xfile087 said:
i was a bit nervous but yup put it in a jug of water just to test and because it shocks the family. Even took it in the shower this morning and was sending texts!
My brother, mum and dad have all swapped their iphones for a xperia z. It's just cool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
conversion= success

Flop loosed
mengsuan said:
The microusb flap on my 2 day old Xperia Z feels loose without any abuse to it. Initially it takes serious effort to pry it open, now it pops open smoothly with little effort. I thought I'd like to try washing my phone but judging on the flap, I'm not feeling comfortable putting the phone near water.
Does these water resistant seals require maintenance/periodic replacement from Sony?
How are the flaps of your phone? Do they still work even after they loosen up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microusb flap loosed too, can someone tell me where can i buy it???

DelTree© said:
I was dubious about the water proofing but I got drunk and tried it out in the pub the other night....
....phone still works like a charm!
Here is some vids I took dipping it in my friends pint.
http://youtu.be/jFQAL-9WY8s
and washing it in the sink after
http://youtu.be/m67XefjDKgM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i wonder if the microphone or speaker get damaged when you apply a moderate stream of water to the holes..
manual says only use a low output stream of water to clean it.

Thats really bad my xperia Z micro usb flap is damaged i lost the rubber seals and i cant find anyone can repair that IM READY TO PAY 25$ JUST FOR ONE USB FLAP and also i dont have a credit card SO I CANT BUY ONLINE

I kinda sorta accepting that my Z flaps lost their resistance property after one year continuously open and close. So kinda missed those. Now my Z just a normal phone with awesome camera only :/
Whitefang
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

For me, when you push in the flaps with the top slightly going in first, it goes in loosely
so when you push it in, try and push the top and bottom in evenly, or the bottom ever so slightly in first.
just my experiences with the flaps.
also, oil from your fingers might make the rubber bits slipperly, so try and wipe then on your shirt, cloth or something and see if it helps.

I have a problem with the headphone flap uncovers itself, my phone only has 2 months of use, I could do to fix it? because it is not physically damaged, not even use headphones constantly've only used about 10 times, I hope you can give me some ideas. thanks!!!

Looking for flap replacements?
Here is from Witrigs, tested and proven by many here on XDA. i'm gonna order for my Z1 compact for reserve purposes.
http://www.witrigs.com/sony-xperia-z-replacement-parts
Edit: Guys these are not OEM flaps, sorry about that. Thought so they have OEM flaps like for Z1 and Z1 compact.

[Q] Does my Xperia Z lost water resistance?

Hello,
I have my Z from its release. I tried its water resistance the first day i recieved it, all was OK. I recorded many videos underwater, in swimming pool, at home, and everything was always ok. Everytime i took it in water, I mindfully closed all the covering caps.
But today, I got a problem. I took my phone with me to water, as whnever I did, and when I was looking at it after "bathing", my camera was fogged - it was wet INSIDE. I tried to check those white indicators under covering caps, and those at USB port and headphone jack were RED. I also noticed tiny droplets of water there. Everything else is however working. No display issues, headphones are playing, USB works too.
I must remark that my phone dropped me on pavement from my pocket about month ago (scratched corners), but its resistance worked until today.
What now? Should I claim it? What do you guys think? I bought Xperia Z mainly for its water resistance. It is very distressing that I can take it in water any more.
Edit: one problem detected - mobile data doesnt work.

Since the indicators are red you have nothing to stand on, they will just say that the flaps were open and you won't be able to prove them wrong.

Dsteppa said:
Since the indicators are red you have nothing to stand on, they will just say that the flaps were open and you won't be able to prove them wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read somewhere that on the repair service they check if the flaps provide the necessary seal against water. If they provide enough seal, and you have the indicators turned red, they blame you for not having closed the flaps correctly, on the other hand, if the flaps show defects and let water through, even when properly closed and with moisture indicators turned red, they still service your device under warranty.

Dsteppa said:
Since the indicators are red you have nothing to stand on, they will just say that the flaps were open and you won't be able to prove them wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They were closed. I was always checking them before going in water. Im 100% sure. And yes i can prove it. They can close the flaps and test phone and see if there is water or not.

Dropping the phone may have caused an open gap somewhere and water leaked in.
Nothing you can do, just argue your way in and hope for the best.
If you know you are a clumsy person, you should have gotten a case.
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium

In the pictures the phone has a the back glass lifted, maybe that was the problem. I have the back lifted too , but not that high as yours.

Don't tell them you used it in the swimmingpool, it clearly says in the instruction booklet that you should't.
Swimmingpool water contains acids and chemical products that may destroy the rubber seals over time.

I think I know what happened. Flaps may be ok (I tested to put the phone in water again - there were no water under them, but water still got to a phone - my volume down is damaged now), but the right issue is that back plate is raised a bit around the camera
Type "Sony Xperia Z repair, disassembly manual" on youtube.
As you can see on this video, right under the plate are phone GUTS. The plate can be raised by warming it. Thus it can raise when you play games or a sun is shining on a phone. All Xperia Z owners, check your back plate too if it is OK or raised! I believe this is that water resistance issue..
The fog in camera disappeared during the day and when I removed SIM and put it back, mobile data begun to work. Bad thing is that volume button doesnt work (as I said above). The button itself is ok and its not stucked or pressed, but when I turn phone on, it always starts in safe mode and I cant volume down, I can just volume up (using the button; I can volume down using display), so I think button contacts are fu**ed and phone thinks the buton is pressed. I think only thing I can do now is going to repair service.

I could never imagine submersing my phone in water. not worth the risk.
I treat my XZ as water resistant. I'll text people when im in the bath with wet hands etc.. but never put it in water

eiestsa never
vibecatalin said:
In the pictures the phone has a the back glass lifted, maybe that was the problem. I have the back lifted too , but not that high as yours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, you are right. I think thats the issue. Did u try to put it in water if it is ok or not?

I've read somewhere of someone using bleach on a cotton bud VERY carefully to whiten the markers.

I had a similar issue, take it to the service center & get it fixed.

VykoJust said:
Yeah, you are right. I think thats the issue. Did u try to put it in water if it is ok or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but I think I will try.

vibecatalin said:
No, but I think I will try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those flaps are piece of crap. Especially that flap where charger/data cable go. Since we playing with it every day, my guess is that sealing got weaken and that's why water got thru the phone. Gap may be less than tenth of a millimeter ( <0,1 mm) and water can easily come in.

i think it's time again to bash those people who warn others not take their phone into water, as the xperia z is not waterproof, but just water resistant. and that's more likely to protect the phone from accidental drops into water, rather than to go diving/bathing/filming with it in water.
and those warners know what the IP-rating says ("...half an hour"..."submerged 'till half a meter"....)

hebbe said:
i think it's time again to bash those people who warn others not take their phone into water, as the xperia z is not waterproof, but just water resistant. and that's more likely to protect the phone from accidental drops into water, rather than to go diving/bathing/filming with it in water.
and those warners know what the IP-rating says ("...half an hour"..."submerged 'till half a meter"....)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If people actually followed that advice, then there would not be multiple threads like this one, where people have destroyed their phone.
What is the point of deliberately putting your expensive phone in danger, IP rating or no IP rating?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2

kingvortex said:
If people actually followed that advice, then there would not be multiple threads like this one, where people have destroyed their phone.
What is the point of deliberately putting your expensive phone in danger, IP rating or no IP rating?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gosh, not this discussion again! It does not matter what the point is or if there is a point or not. If the producer communicates that this phone CAN sustain without damage being in water i-don't know-how-deep for i-don't know-how long, then this phone SHOULD do it. The intentions of the users, or whether there is a point or not in taking your phone to the swimming pool, are NOT important. It is IMPORTANT that whatever was promised to the user SHOULD BE VALID.

tudork said:
gosh, not this discussion again! It does not matter what the point is or if there is a point or not. If the producer communicates that this phone CAN sustain without damage being in water i-don't know-how-deep for i-don't know-how long, then this phone SHOULD do it. The intentions of the users, or whether there is a point or not in taking your phone to the swimming pool, are NOT important. It is IMPORTANT that whatever was promised to the user SHOULD BE VALID.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps you have a point, but if you go to a service centre with red water ingress indicators, you will be paying to have your phone repaired as they will say it was caused by user negligence. End of story.
If you do not put your phone into water for no good reason, it will never get water damaged. Why are people using the IP rating to excuse a complete lack of common sense?
Why do people NEED to put their phone into water regularly?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2

kingvortex said:
Perhaps you have a point, but if you go to a service centre with red water ingress indicators, you will be paying to have your phone repaired as they will say it was caused by user negligence. End of story.
If you do not put your phone into water for no good reason, it will never get water damaged. Why are people using the IP rating to excuse a complete lack of common sense?
Why do people NEED to put their phone into water regularly?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because they bought the phone with the intention that they can do this with it. They've seen it in official Sony commercials (phone used during rain, phone washed under running water after being splashed with color paint, on exhibitions Sony employees dropped it in aquariums, smashed the phone on the floor repeatedly to demonstrate that the glass won't break). I heard that in some shops they even have the Z in a water tank all the time and only take it out for charging. There was that show in Czech Republic where two models used the phone under the shower and so on.
The phone has an ip57 rating which clearly states that you can submerge it into water for 1m and up to 30 minutes. I also believe that you can leave it there for much longer and it SHOULD be okay, only the depth is important. The deeper you go, the higher is the water pressure and the seals might leak.
Now, cars also have ip ratings for water protection and different levels for the interior of the car and the outside. Inside it might be ip54 (water, mud and splashes when entering the car with wet shoes or boots) and outside it's even ip59 or ip58K which means it's protected against water ingress when used with high pressure water jets (e.g. car wash!).
I'm sure most people would complain, if there brand new car is flooded with water on the inside after they went to car wash. The same is true for this phone!
An ip rating is an ip rating and not like "buhu, it's ip57 but it can only manage 3 drops of water before it breaks!". If that is the case, I could have keept my S2 which also survives a few drops of rain without damage. If Sony can't manage that, they shouldn't have advertised it like that or given an ip54 rating or something lower.
You can't claim your phone has the SECOND HIGHEST protection against water there is and then say: "Stay away from water". It's like: "your car has 6 airbags, but don't expect them to work in a crash" or "your Porsche can go 300 km/h, but don't ever try it"
People put their phone in water because they can and should be able to.
If the XZ can't and should be used in water, I'm sure most people would have bought a non water proof phone instead because it would be the same. I was drawn to this phone because of it's water resistance.
I'm beeing very paranoid and bought a 5€ waterproof bag for my phone which I tested yesterday for 6 hours submerged in the sink. The paper inside stayed perfectly dry. Even though my XZ should be waterproof on its own, I think double protection is always better. The bag seems to be waterproof, and even if by some chance it is not, then my phone won't be damaged, because it's supposed to be waterproof too!
With this double protection, I'm still afraid to take it to the pool, but might do so eventually which I wouldn't have done without the bag.

Yes, you do have a point. At least somewhat anyway.
For a start, the manual tells you to avoid chlorinated water. So no swimming pools. I wonder if this is why the water resistance appears to have failed in this case.
I could point out other things that the manual tells you to avoid, but everyone here has already read it before going swimming with their phone, right?
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2

water test, I hope not failed

So, after I finally got the charging dock, after 3 weeks of charging the phone through the USB port, I decided to test it in water for the first time. I checked that the flaps were well sealed and put it in water, as it was showing a video. All good so far. After 2 minutes, I took it out and put it on a towel to dry. Still working. After 5 more minutes, I noticed that the USB cover was slowly coming out by itself. I pushed it back more securely, but it was still pushing out by itself. I opened it entirely then covered the port again securely. 15 minutes later, phone still working. I DO HOPE nothing went wrong. I will be back tomorrow with another update. I am not sure why the cover was acting up. I am sure I placed it well before I put the phone in water, I checked like 10 times.

Following morning, phone works well. Last night, I also opened the back cover and dried the drops of water in the area outside the battery protective rubber ring. I guess the phone is alright but I probably won't do the water exercise very often, I was nervous as hell
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

Thanks for sharing.
I always hesitate to put my XZR to test in water until last night when I was texting my gf when I was having my shower.
Pressure from my shower induced touches but it was expected.
Then I put it into test under water and it works just fine.
Now I'm just wondering how will it perform if I test it in sea for <1meter <10mins since the IP58 stated only for fresh water...

The word around the forums is that it will be fine as long as you clean it in fresh water immediately after so no salt can attach to the materials. But... I don't think I'm going to dip it in sea water. Good luck!
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

tudork said:
So, after I finally got the charging dock, after 3 weeks of charging the phone through the USB port, I decided to test it in water for the first time. I checked that the flaps were well sealed and put it in water, as it was showing a video. All good so far. After 2 minutes, I took it out and put it on a towel to dry. Still working. After 5 more minutes, I noticed that the USB cover was slowly coming out by itself. I pushed it back more securely, but it was still pushing out by itself. I opened it entirely then covered the port again securely. 15 minutes later, phone still working. I DO HOPE nothing went wrong. I will be back tomorrow with another update. I am not sure why the cover was acting up. I am sure I placed it well before I put the phone in water, I checked like 10 times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha if sony r wrote n decide the ZR is ip58 water resistant device u don't need to worry bro
yur device will be ok just check everything is close before u put him into water
Ps.
I have the ZR 3 days already n i really wanna get the charging dock everyday check expansys if it's available.. Where do u get yurs man?
Still here
N!geR -> E!ch0

E!ch0 said:
Haha if sony r wrote n decide the ZR is ip58 water resistant device u don't need to worry bro
yur device will be ok just check everything is close before u put him into water
Ps.
I have the ZR 3 days already n i really wanna get the charging dock everyday check expansys if it's available.. Where do u get yurs man?
Still here
N!geR -> E!ch0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my charging dock came with the phone inside the box.

heikis said:
my charging dock came with the phone inside the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lucky
Sent from my C5502 using xda app-developers app

Dock from amazon.co.uk, as I am in the UE . but of course I should worry. Just read how many Z users got them damaged by water. There have to be a few defective devices now and then and if you are unlucky, it can be yours fortunately mine seems to be ok.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

tudork said:
Dock from amazon.co.uk, as I am in the UE . but of course I should worry. Just read how many Z users got them damaged by water. There have to be a few defective devices now and then and if you are unlucky, it can be yours fortunately mine seems to be ok.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you actually did get a defective device and it gets ruined by water, then nobody will repair it for free.

Exactly. That's why I was so nervous to put it in water. Fortunately mine seemed ok.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

Hello,
I also performed a water resistance test by putting the phone under the shower. All the flaps were closed and I was disappointed that water came under the back panel: the NFC port, camera lens and some interstices on the edges were wet. Does that mean the phone is water resistant... even inside ? :silly:
For those who tested it, did you also notice water under the shell ?

hi all...
nice thread BTW , but i have to sya that why we dont make it a thread about testing the whole proofing thing of the XZR (Water/Dust/Drop)
i have question about dropping the phone , is it really shatter proof phone? cause i often drops my phone so i need a phone that has strong screen glass?

Crag Hack said:
hi all...
nice thread BTW , but i have to sya that why we dont make it a thread about testing the whole proofing thing of the XZR (Water/Dust/Drop)
i have question about dropping the phone , is it really shatter proof phone? cause i often drops my phone so i need a phone that has strong screen glass?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the OP could just rename the thread
I'm don't really want to drop my phone for testing but I think the screen is very resistant. It doesn't bend when we press hard on it because there is no air layer between the glass/touch panel and the screen itself, and all the components seem very close.
The frame of the phone also looks strong so I think the ZR is well cooked for drops. Anyway paying attention is the best way to keep a phone alive

It's normal that water goes in the camera part. The phone is fine unless the water goes in the battery part. You need to dry the water inside the back every time you put it in water.
Sent from my C5503 using xda app-developers app

E!ch0 said:
Haha if sony r wrote n decide the ZR is ip58 water resistant device u don't need to worry bro
yur device will be ok just check everything is close before u put him into water
Ps.
I have the ZR 3 days already n i really wanna get the charging dock everyday check expansys if it's available.. Where do u get yurs man?
Still here
N!geR -> E!ch0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is an laternate dock on ebay for 10 USD, can't post link yet, just enter ebay and search "xperia zr dock" there are several sellers selling them.
i bought one, will probebly arrive in a week or more so i can review it.
and about the anti-shatter film, can anyone elaborate? is it supposed to help defend the glass from shatters? or just keep it from disintigrating once it's been shattered? cos the latter is disaponting.

It's meant to keep the glass from splintering after it shatters. It's pretty tough. Dropped the phone onto concrete from my hand, so about 4 feet. It survived although the frame got a bit of a dent.
Sent from my C5502 using Tapatalk 4

frankly , i don't think that having a removable back cover in a waterproof device is a good idea , this thing will make alot of people (like me) hesitate before buying this phone , my brother has the Xperia Acro S , the phone is really solid build, he use it alot under water , he likes to listen to music while taking a shower ,and he always take the phone to pool trips. i dont think the the owner of XZR will dare to do it that often.
maybe i will have to change my mind about buying this phone, after the Z1 was announced.

Crag Hack said:
frankly , i don't think that having a removable back cover in a waterproof device is a good idea , this thing will make alot of people (like me) hesitate before buying this phone , my brother has the Xperia Acro S , the phone is really solid build, he use it alot under water , he likes to listen to music while taking a shower ,and he always take the phone to pool trips. i dont think the the owner of XZR will dare to do it that often.
maybe i will have to change my mind about buying this phone, after the Z1 was announced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, you've seen what happend with the xperia Z, it's back is not glued right and water are leaking between the glass and the back into the device for a large number of people, not having a removable back doesn't nessecarly means better.
the ZR removable back actually looks good, this rubber band does a much better job then glue, and for most people who had leakage problem with ZR it was from the flaps and not the back.
now i wonder how can the acro s be more durable, the thing has 5 flaps!! thats 3 more than the ZR, so unless sony really lost thier game producing those flaps it shouldn't be any less better at it.

shteren said:
well, you've seen what happend with the xperia Z, it's back is not glued right and water are leaking between the glass and the back into the device for a large number of people, not having a removable back doesn't nessecarly means better.
the ZR removable back actually looks good, this rubber band does a much better job then glue, and for most people who had leakage problem with ZR it was from the flaps and not the back.
now i wonder how can the acro s be more durable, the thing has 5 flaps!! thats 3 more than the ZR, so unless sony really lost their game producing those flaps it shouldn't be any less better at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you have a point here , yes the removable back cover dose not mean it will be bad for water proofing , but still it is scary to try it in the water.
to sum the whole water proofing thing , i think that water proofed devices should have very few moving parts , and that is flaps and back cover...
Xperia Z1 and S4 active (that has removable back cover) share this feature of having only one flap , the uncovered -yet proofed- 3.5 jack is a big win. those seems to be better waterproofed devices.

Conned by Service Centre
I have to complain about the loss in faith I have had in this company I once trusted, considered reliable. I own a Sony Television, a PS3, Music System, POS Camera and now a Smartphone, the Xperia ZR. But the business policy and Service to Consumers have changed over the years, and this has caused a great emotional and economic distress to me.
I had bought an XPERIA ZR(C5502) on the 11th of September, 2013. After a month of use, suddenly the screen of the phone would not turn on. Other functions were working perfectly as far as my knowledge goes, (i.e. camera button, volume keys etc). A few days ago, it stopped booting altogether.
On contacting the Sony Service centre he informed me that I have done water damage to my phone, and therefore void my warranty. I repeatedly asked him to open(unscrew) the phone and check for any damages, but he told me that he wont open it, because some litmus paper inside the phone had turned red, indicating water damage. I persistently said that the phone has undergone no water damage, and is not turning on, so to please check for any damage inside and fix it as it was just a month old and was under warranty. I repeatedly told him that I have not brought the phone under water contact in any manner, to which he replied that then it was my fault during purchase, that I didnt check the water indicator strip, thereby asserting that I AS A CONSUMER AM NOT ASSURED A DEFECT FREE PIECE UPON PURCHASE. WHY DIDNT YOU PUT A CLAUSE FOR THE CONSUMER, THAT "PLEASE CHECK THE WATER INDICATOR UPON PURCHASE" ? THAT INDICATOR HAS BEEN RED AS FAR AS I KNOW.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS PHONE IS IDENTIFIED AS "WATERPROOF" BY SONY. But he said I had to pay 80% of the phone's actual cost, to get a replacement, and he will NOT REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, HE ADDED, THAT HE WILL ONLY OPEN IT TO INSPECT IF HE GETS A SPECIAL EMAIL FROM SONY INDIA AUTHORITIES, INSTRUCTING HIM TO DO SO.

[Q] [HELP!] Phone died after water exposure

Howdy. My Z3C has gotten wet quite a few times already, without trouble, I've had it for a few weeks now. Today, I decided to test it in the shower with some music (BT speakers) and browsing some sites. Naturally, beforehand, I checked the sealing on the waterproof slots, they were closed snugly. The shower wasn't too hot, about 30 degrees celsius.
I was curious to see how the touch would hold up under wet conditions (surprisingly well!). It did get splattered quite a bit, since I was exploring the device its water resistance. All went perfectly and the device seemed fine.
About ~15 minutes after the shower, I noticed something strange. My device 'buzzed' three times and the screen went dark. Curious, I tried to turn on the screen. Nothing. Holding the powerbutton longer makes it repeat the 3 buzzes, shortly flashing the screen (sony logo, slightly displaced and with some red). This, to me, seems like water got into the device after all (how!?). It should be able to withstand some water splatter easily.
So now I'm slightly panicking... has anyone had similar experiences and found solutions?
EDIT: Started digging for answers and took out the SIM and MicroSD. And what do I find.. a damp micro SD card. It wasn't soaking wet, but some water definitely creeped into the top slot. I'm very unimpressed with the water seal right now. I'm letting it dry and will see if it starts tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Angelusz said:
Howdy. My Z3C has gotten wet quite a few times already, without trouble, I've had it for a few weeks now. Today, I decided to test it in the shower with some music (BT speakers) and browsing some sites. Naturally, beforehand, I checked the sealing on the waterproof slots, they were closed snugly. The shower wasn't too hot, about 30 degrees celsius.
I was curious to see how the touch would hold up under wet conditions (surprisingly well!). It did get splattered quite a bit, since I was exploring the device its water resistance. All went perfectly and the device seemed fine.
About ~15 minutes after the shower, I noticed something strange. My device 'buzzed' three times and the screen went dark. Curious, I tried to turn on the screen. Nothing. Holding the powerbutton longer makes it repeat the 3 buzzes, shortly flashing the screen (sony logo, slightly displaced and with some red). This, to me, seems like water got into the device after all (how!?). It should be able to withstand some water splatter easily.
So now I'm slightly panicking... has anyone had similar experiences and found solutions?
EDIT: Started digging for answers and took out the SIM and MicroSD. And what do I find.. a damp micro SD card. It wasn't soaking wet, but some water definitely creeped into the top slot. I'm very unimpressed with the water seal right now. I'm letting it dry and will see if it starts tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does not sound that good. But you should be able to claim warranty. As its a new phone the seller is obliged to provide evidence when blaming you for having damaged the phone beforehand.
Did you charge it with a magnetic charger adapter or did you always fumble open the seal and connect it via micro usb?
I directly bought a magnetic charger and am currently using the phone as ftp server in order to exchange data with the pc as i never want to touch that tricky door again.I can imagine that reusing the seals over and over again can lead to degradation and consequent loss of waterresistance.
I really hope that your phone miraculously survives but even if it does it would be better to get a replacement as you never know what damage the water did. And fluids are pretty toxic , for all electronics. Your phone could just die 3 months later.

2mal16 said:
Does not sound that good. But you should be able to claim warranty. As its a new phone the seller is obliged to provide evidence when blaming you for having damaged the phone beforehand.
Did you charge it with a magnetic charger adapter or did you always fumble open the seal and connect it via micro usb?
I directly bought a magnetic charger and am currently using the phone as ftp server in order to exchange data with the pc as i never want to touch that tricky door again.I can imagine that reusing the seals over and over again can lead to degradation and consequent loss of waterresistance.
I really hope that your phone miraculously survives but even if it does it would be better to get a replacement as you never know what damage the water did. And fluids are pretty toxic , for all electronics. Your phone could just die 3 months later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply and sympathy. I have used a magnetic charger from day 1. Funny enough, to prevent exactly this problem. The only times the slot has been open, was during installation of the microsd and initial installation and data transfer. From there on out, it's been closed for a week or two.
It did survive being in my pocket while I got soaked canooing (teambuilding with colleagues). I even made some pictures and videos then. Somehow, it didn't like the shower. Perhaps it got a bit too steamy?
Hard to say, but I will definitely claim warranty if it turns out the device is now defective. I've not used it outside specifications. It could be in the same conditions on a tropical rainy day in the southern lands.
I'm just going to go and sleep soon (>3AM here), rest my worries and have hope for the morrow!

Did any of the water hit the phone directly out of the shower head? That's alot of water pressure, of which I'm not sure the phone was able to withstand. That's why its generally recommend to not put your phone directly under running water.
Good luck though... Keep us posted

Try the pressure sensor test:
1) close all flaps
2) dial *#*#7378423#*#* (7378423 = SERVICE)
3) service tests/pressure sensor
4) press the screen, pressure should go up

Planned to (and should have) gone to bed, but didn't yet (really will after this post!)
The water jets should be no problem. Read more about IP ratings on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code In short: Immersion requires a way higher rating than high pressure water jets (and a shower cannot be considered high pressure).
As for the pressure test: Impossible, the phone doesn't start anymore. But I didn't know that existed, neat!
I've now put it in a bin of rice and on the central heater (no worries, insulated it so it won't heat up to enormous temperatures).
I'm pessimistic.

Really sorry to hear that man. I've been showering with my phone too XD, luckily without incident. I know a few others who've been doing so regularly as well so I'm pretty confident the phone can withstand it. Let's hope your phone revives tomorrow, but it IS strange water got in if you recall sealing the phone properly.

Water vapour is less dense than water and will travel through the seals.. It is not meant to go in hot water / steam..
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

pricey2009 said:
Water vapour is less dense than water and will travel through the seals.. It is not meant to go in hot water / steam..
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's true that vapor is less dense, but coming from the first ever water resistant phone, I have seen some videos. On one of the videos people were 'cooking' the XZ and there were no problems afterwards.
Here is one of the vids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slngeQtyTlg
The Xperia Z even had lower resistance ratings then the Z3 Compact.
In my opinion 30C water shouldn't be a problem at all. I have showered with my XZ multiple times and with hotter water temperatures.
Most of the times the seal isn't the problem, but the adhesive that wasn't glued properly.

It's dead. A night in the rice did nothing. Whenever I try to start it, it vibrates 3x, flashes the sony logo and turns off again. When I put it in the charging cradle, it loops this action.
I'm contacting the supplier to get it exchanged.
For the people above here, I did not expose it to "hot" water, just warm. It was not exposed to high-pressure vapors. The seal simply wasn't as good as it should have been. Reading about the IP ratings, by all standards, it should have survived this adventure without trouble.
Unfortunately, that is not my luck.

Sorry that you are having this issue but steam is a different animal than submerged water and I think most electronic manufacturers specify against it

Angelusz said:
I'm contacting the supplier to get it exchanged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope this gets sorted...please do let us know how good or bad the exchange process was...

Does it work now?

Exchange process was horrible, more than two months. They repaired it, and it works. I've already gotten a new unit in the meantime though.

Hijacking sort of this post, I just bought a Z3 compact, and I chose the z3 compact over the z1 compact because I read that the IP rating was higher, and ive been reading around that the z1 compact worked flawlesly while the z3 compact is dying on almost everyone. ugh. Now Im afraid of watering mine.

rmartinezdl said:
Hijacking sort of this post, I just bought a Z3 compact, and I chose the z3 compact over the z1 compact because I read that the IP rating was higher, and ive been reading around that the z1 compact worked flawlesly while the z3 compact is dying on almost everyone. ugh. Now Im afraid of watering mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's region/version dependent - I know 2 other people (and myself) who have D5803s (Central Europe 1 version) and the phone is perfectly waterproof.

Brought my Z3C from Spark here in NZ, just recently been for a surf after work (didnt have it out there with me) had it in the shower with me to get rid of the dust from Dyna drilling all day, now I have the same issue... Gonna get a hair drier on a low heat onto it soon....
****en disappointing though, Im an electrician by trade and know all about IP ratings, this phone should not be given one if it can not withstand what its rated at. I always had my Z1 in the shower with me with no issue (only the touch screen issue, thats why I have the now dead Z3C)
Will let you know about drying it with direct heat soon. Realistically if it was stuffed cause of water damage it would most likely just not work at all.
---------- Post added at 10:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 PM ----------
Nith2 said:
Brought my Z3C from Spark here in NZ, just recently been for a surf after work (didnt have it out there with me) had it in the shower with me to get rid of the dust from Dyna drilling all day, now I have the same issue... Gonna get a hair drier on a low heat onto it soon....
****en disappointing though, Im an electrician by trade and know all about IP ratings, this phone should not be given one if it can not withstand what its rated at. I always had my Z1 in the shower with me with no issue (only the touch screen issue, thats why I have the now dead Z3C)
Will let you know about drying it with direct heat soon. Realistically if it was stuffed cause of water damage it would most likely just not work at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So after using the hair drier on it (info tab pulled out n all) and dropping it on the floor in frustration, it is now back to a normal working mode. I am assuming that it was the hair drier and not the drop that fixed it. Next step was to spray the **** out of it with electronic contact cleaner.
Hope this works for someone else. Dont be scared of heating it up or even using contact cleaner. The equipment shouldnt be that sensitive then again it is a Sony product...
---------- Post added at 10:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 PM ----------
spider1029 said:
Try the pressure sensor test:
1) close all flaps
2) dial *#*#7378423#*#* (7378423 = SERVICE)
3) service tests/pressure sensor
4) press the screen, pressure should go up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think this relates to the IP rating of the phone, millibar pressure doesnt change when flaps are opened, and i doubt the phone has a built in air pump...

To trý ☺☻☺
Angelusz said:
Howdy
. My Z3C has gotten wet quite a few times already, without trouble, I've had it for a few weeks now. Today, I decided to test it in the shower with some music (BT speakers) and browsing some sites. Naturally, beforehand, I checked the sealing on the waterproof slots, they were closed snugly. The shower wasn't too hot, about 30 degrees celsius.
I was curious to see how the touch would hold up under wet conditions (surprisingly well!). It did get splattered quite a bit, since I was exploring the device its water resistance. All went perfectly and the device seemed fine.
About ~15 minutes after the shower, I noticed something strange. My device 'buzzed' three times and the screen went dark. Curious, I tried to turn on the screen. Nothing. Holding the powerbutton longer makes it repeat the 3 buzzes, shortly flashing the screen (sony logo, slightly displaced and with some red). This, to me, seems like water got into the device after all (how!?). It should be able to withstand some water splatter easily.
So now I'm slightly panicking... has anyone had similar experiences and found solutions?
EDIT: Started digging for answers and took out the SIM and MicroSD. And what do I find.. a damp micro SD card. It wasn't soaking wet, but some water definitely creeped into the top slot. I'm very unimpressed with the water seal right now. I'm letting it dry and will see if it starts tomorrow. Fingers crossed
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please try this: http://forums.xda-developers.com/general/off-topic/guide-how-to-make-phone-waterproof-case-t2998771

Angelusz said:
Exchange process was horrible, more than two months. They repaired it, and it works. I've already gotten a new unit in the meantime though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im thinking of getting my water damaged z3c repaired, did your phone come back waterproofed? was the repair worth it?

did the supplier fix it for you without any question? it happend to me and i dont know what to do...

[Q] Improving waterproofness

So I got my new Z3C and was thinking: what if we can make flaps and audio port more waterproof?
Doing pressure sensor test I get reading around 1000 and it's increasing by about 30-40 when I press against screen with closed flaps. But it normalizes after 1-2 seconds and goes back to initial reading meaning tiny amount of air escapes. Does it mean my phone is not totally waterproof? Don't know.
Since this phone is just fresh-water proof (meaning no using in pool or sea) and I really want to use it worry-free in all kind of water that I dare to go in myself I really want to improve waterproofness.
I'm not worried about front and back since glass should be all.kind-of-things-proof. This leaves sd card and sim card covers, audio jack, mic holes and speakers.
So what I thought of was to "grease" flaps' rubber o-rings with rubber compatible oil/grease to make better contact with phone body or use some kind of silicone spread around rubber contact area before closing flaps to have semi-permanent seal and be still able to open and scrub extra stuff off without doing much damage.
For audio jack I thought to make some kind of plug - like pressy button but with a bit bigger "head" that has soft sticky rubber underneath so when pressed in it makes a seal with the edge of audio jack or even plug that is covered with silicone all the way.
Speakers and mic holes could be protected with bits of strong adhesive tape - it's easy to get sticky stuff off the glass and it'll be possible to hear some sound even with speakers covered. Not sure about mic holes because side plastic has matte finish but some strong adhesive should still stick?
So the question - has anyone tried something remotely related? Is it thinkable? Have I missed anything important? What materials (grease, silicone) should I use?

If anyone has done something similar? Probably... But no one ever posted about it on this forum. You can use the phone in the sea and swimming pool, as long as you rinse the phone afterwards. As for modifying the phone, I wouldn't do it. It might cause you to lose your warranty.
In terms of waterproofing the phone even more, I'd look at waterproof cases made for other phones with almost similar dimensions and see if you can do something about the case instead.
Sent from my D5803

Dsteppa said:
You can use the phone in the sea and swimming pool, as long as you rinse the phone afterwards. As for modifying the phone, I wouldn't do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plenty of stories of people going in the water, damaging their phone and fighting with sony about warranty.
It's hardly modifying, adhesive sticker on glass is easily removed and thin film of silicone should be also easily removable.
Dsteppa said:
It might cause you to lose your warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah... getting water inside causes that too.
Dsteppa said:
In terms of waterproofing the phone even more, I'd look at waterproof cases made for other phones with almost similar dimensions and see if you can do something about the case instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the option. But I haven't seen any slim waterproof case that could be comfortably used all the time.
Anyway, curiosity is strong and I'll most likely try different options.
PS. can someone test pressure sensor - is reading staying high when screen is pressed or it fades back to normal with all covers closed?

I've just used mine in pool all weekends since I bought it without any issue and even without afraid of doing that! The same with my wife's Z1!
And I'm contantly opening/closing its usb port due my xposed modules development (debugging purposes)! Maybe some unlucky day I will screw it... who knows!
Ofc we always need to be sure all ports are properly closed before going to have fun!

kalamees1 said:
Plenty of stories of people going in the water, damaging their phone and fighting with sony about warranty.
It's hardly modifying, adhesive sticker on glass is easily removed and thin film of silicone should be also easily removable.
PS. can someone test pressure sensor - is reading staying high when screen is pressed or it fades back to normal with all covers closed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I forgot about the pressure sensor part, it's normal that the numbers go back to normal after you lifted your finger, it works like that for everyone.
If my mind serves me right, I've seen Sony ads with the Z3C being thrown in a pool or something similar, so a pool really shouldn't be a problem. And yes of course people will have to fight for their cause at Sony, they won't just put any phone under warranty, else people would exploit that.

Dsteppa said:
Sorry, I forgot about the pressure sensor part, it's normal that the numbers go back to normal after you lifted your finger, it works like that for everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I probably expressed myself bit vaguely. Thing is that pressure reading on my phone returns back to normal WHILE HOLDING screen under pressure. Initially pressing screen creates greater pressure inside the phone, reading rises but air escapes quite quickly (1-2seconds) and pressure reading normalises. After releasing finger screen pressure sensor shows lower readings for a second until extra air seeps inside to equalise pressure again.
Hope it's clear enough.
Also, does it mean that I got less waterproof phone that it should be?

I dunno about you but i've been using my camera in the pool for a while now and even for hours at times
Sent from my D5833 using XDA Free mobile app

I've used mine under water as well. OP if you're really worried about it you can send it off to liquipel and have them make the phone even more waterproof