Brought my damaged Apple Watch to the pool.
Brought my damaged Apple Watch to the pool.
I’ve used this Apple Watch for roughly two days and recently went swimming with friends at a pool. I didn’t realize there was a crack on the upper left side, and it started restarting after about a minute before I left it on a bench. When I returned, it didn’t turn on at all. After charging it for a couple of minutes and using a heat gun to dry it, I opened the watch to let it air out. It worked fine enough, but the battery and haptic engine were only slightly damp. It’s been around three hours, and it still isn’t functioning properly. Should I try to salvage it? It’s an Apple Watch SE I bought from Facebook for $40.
It’s pretty risky what you did. The main thing is to avoid using it until it’s completely dry. For next time, just shut it off right away, disconnect the power if you can, wipe it down with alcohol, and let it air dry before trying again.
Curious about the underlying science, if it isn’t functioning anymore, hasn’t the short circuit or whatever issue that’s preventing it from working already occurred? For computers, you can easily flip the power switch, but with a watch, it’s not that simple.
The reason it didn't work was because the moisture got in when it first got wet, which drained the battery or blocked the sensor. To fix this, let it dry completely—store it in a dry place for a few days. Charging it while wet damages the device, as does plugging it in after it's already damp. Proper drying before use increases the chances of it functioning again.