It's not wet. Water cannot damage electronics. Water is not a liquid.

[Talonetc]

Had one the other day. Service rep had looked at this guy's device, was clearly liquid damaged - appeared that salt water had come into contact with it from the amount of corrosion on the main board.

Guy comes in to pick it up, I explain the device is clearly liquid damaged and he would have to go through insurance for his replacement. The customer then began one of the more pointless arguments I have ever endured... the story changed several times... and it just got better and better.

CS: The phone never got wet.
Me: The corrosion on the main board is conclusive evidence that the device has come into contact with some sort of a liquid... this appears it might be salt water.
CS: Let me tell you something... I'm an aviation electrical engineer...
Me *Oh sweet Jesus...*
CS: ... I know what corrosion is. Water cannot damage electronics.
Me: If you dumped a gallon jug of water over the instrument panel in one of your planes you're saying it wouldn't cause any damage?
CS: No, water doesn't damage electronics. I would know, I'm an electrical engineer.
Me: To pacify you, I'll double check with a technician [Addressing one of the technicians] does liquid damage phones?
Tech: Are you seriously asking me that?
CS: You don't need to be a smart-ass, I'm telling you that liquid cannot damage phones, and this phone has never been wet.
Me: Ok, what liquid came into contact with the phone then?
CS: None! JUST GIVE ME MY PHONE I'LL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! I want it in writing you won't fix my phone, so when I go somewhere else and they prove it isn't damage I can sue you!
Me: That information has been noted in your accout.
CS: FINE! Oh, and for your information water isn't a liquid.
Me: ...?!?!?

[Spiffy McMoron]

Quoth Talonetc

CS: FINE! Oh, and for your information water isn't a liquid.

How could this guy become an aviation electrical engineer if he couldn't pass Grade 1 Science?

[El Barto]

If water isn't a liquid, then what is?

BTW, that guy owes me a bottle of Advil, reading that gave me a headache.

[Quicksilver]

This moron probably can't make ice cubes because he lost the recipe.

[Hemily]

maybe it was steam?

or ice!

but claiming water isen't a liquid? uhm... that's actually a bit scary...

[Talonetc]

Quoth Hemily

but claiming water isen't a liquid? uhm... that's actually a bit scary...

I also find it disturbing that somebody who is supposedly qualified to mantain the avionics in modern aircrafts can't handle chemistry that my 8 year old cousin understands.

[Crazeyal]

It's a solid... with an attitude problem..

[myswtghst]

This makes me want to beat my head against my desk.

As I explained to a coworker earlier, there is a level of stupidity I can't even deal with politely, because that "how can you possibly be so stupid and not be dead yet?" tone just creeps into my voice, of it's own accord. The above is that kind of stupidity.

[Zell]

1. Any person should know that non-deionized water will damage electronics. Water itself is not conductive, but the ions and impurities in the water are. When water is poured on a circuit board, it makes tons of connections to places that the electricity does not supposed to go, which also sometimes shorts out those delicate little chips because it's bypassing the resistors and making connections that just don't supposed to happen. When the water dries, those impurities are still on the board and are making connections between the circuits, causing all sorts of funky things to happen. That's why when you get a phone wet and you push a key, you usually get like 8 numbers from that one push. That's cause there're 8 connections going to and from that key.

Even if you poured de-ionized water on some electronics, I can bet that it'd ionize within a few minutes and ruin it.

2. This is the second time I've heard of someone say that water isn't a liquid. Are they STUPID? Stupidity today never ceases to amuse me. Next time, you should tell them that air is a fluid and listen to how confused they'll get (and if you didn't know, it is a fluid Air flows, therefore it's a fluid)

[friendofjimmyk]

So, since water is not a liquid and doesn't ruin electronics, does that mean it's safe to throw my radio in the shower? I mean, it won't ruin the radio. I'll just have to disregard the sparks - AND MY DEATH!