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My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
he had to try it a couple more times.

It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
for at least three days.

1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?
2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
think?

Thank God my Nikon Coolpix 8700 stayed dry! 'Course, once it started
to rain, it stayed inside the plastic bag in my pack, & didn't come
out 'till we got back inside the hotel. Gotta look for a wetsuit for
the thing.

Anyway, any help or advice is appreciated!

[1] Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales. I could not have
possibly been wetter by the time we made it off the mountain. Made it
within 150m of the top, but in the end the winds defeated me, as I'm
small enough they could very easily push me off my feet. NOT a good
thing on an unprotected mountain ridge.


jmc
usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

Don't give up on it. Give it a good week to dry. Tell your husband he
should have listened to you!
(Good God...did I just say that???)

Bill Crocker


"jmc" <> wrote in message
news:...
> My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
> we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
> yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
> that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
> might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
> not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
> he had to try it a couple more times.
>
> It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
> for at least three days.
>
> 1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?
> 2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
> 3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
> think?
>
> Thank God my Nikon Coolpix 8700 stayed dry! 'Course, once it started
> to rain, it stayed inside the plastic bag in my pack, & didn't come
> out 'till we got back inside the hotel. Gotta look for a wetsuit for
> the thing.
>
> Anyway, any help or advice is appreciated!
>
> [1] Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales. I could not have
> possibly been wetter by the time we made it off the mountain. Made it
> within 150m of the top, but in the end the winds defeated me, as I'm
> small enough they could very easily push me off my feet. NOT a good
> thing on an unprotected mountain ridge.
>
>
> jmc
> usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
> Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

I would think it should be dry by now, but I don't know what an airing
closet is, and I don't know the humidity. Give it a try. If it works now,
fine, if not, either keep trying to dry it, take it in for an estimate for
repoairs, or just buy another camera.
--
Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed
Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@
http://www.PhilipStripling.com/ | my domain is read daily.

Sometimes water may get into small cracks that is difficult to dry by airing
out.
If it doesn't work, try using a hair dryer on mild heat. The heat would help
evaporate water hiding in cracks. Opening the case may also help.

Turning-on wet electronic items runs a chance of shorting out something
permenantly. If I have to guess, I'd say 50% chance it would still work.
With today's electronics, even when the main power is off, part of the
circuit may still be on. Removing all batteries is the only way to make sure
it is off. Let's hope nothing in your camera gets oxidized.

jmc wrote:
> My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
> we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
> yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
> that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
> might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
> not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
> he had to try it a couple more times.
>
> It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
> for at least three days.
>
> 1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?
> 2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
> 3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
> think?
>
> Thank God my Nikon Coolpix 8700 stayed dry! 'Course, once it started
> to rain, it stayed inside the plastic bag in my pack, & didn't come
> out 'till we got back inside the hotel. Gotta look for a wetsuit for
> the thing.
>
> Anyway, any help or advice is appreciated!
>
> [1] Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales. I could not have
> possibly been wetter by the time we made it off the mountain. Made it
> within 150m of the top, but in the end the winds defeated me, as I'm
> small enough they could very easily push me off my feet. NOT a good
> thing on an unprotected mountain ridge.
>
>
> jmc
> usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
> Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.
A sealed plastic bag with some dessicant (silica gel) would help a lot
in the future. I expect that your camera is a casualty.

...not to mention the potential for lens fungus...

"peter" <> wrote in message
news:Fg11d.5945$%O5.160@trnddc07...
> Sometimes water may get into small cracks that is difficult to dry by
> airing
> out.
> If it doesn't work, try using a hair dryer on mild heat. The heat would
> help
> evaporate water hiding in cracks. Opening the case may also help.
>
> Turning-on wet electronic items runs a chance of shorting out something
> permenantly. If I have to guess, I'd say 50% chance it would still work.
> With today's electronics, even when the main power is off, part of the
> circuit may still be on. Removing all batteries is the only way to make
> sure
> it is off. Let's hope nothing in your camera gets oxidized.
>
>

jmc wrote:
> My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
> we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
> yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
> that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
> might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
> not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
> he had to try it a couple more times.
>
> It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
> for at least three days.
>
> 1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?
> 2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
> 3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
> think?
....
> jmc
> usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
> Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

I don't know if this helps at all, but my Nokia cell phone went through
a partial cycle in the washing machine, and did not work (even though I
immediately attempted to turn it on). I took it apart (probably against
the warranty, though) as much as I could, and then took it into a cell
store, where they took it apart even more, dried out the internals, etc.

You'd be surprised just how much liquid gets inside all the electronics,
taking it completely apart really is the only option, in my opinion. As
I've said, it probably voids your warranty though. A professional
camera shop could probably do it for you...

By the way, my cell worked flawlessly after the complete dismantlement
for airing. Victory!

--
James Addison
http://www.pjsoft.ca

An old Fuji finepix I have was soaked when swamped buy a wave in the Med.
After many weeks of drying out it still wouldn't work so, as it wasn't worth
the cost of a commercial repair, as last resort I opened it up, blew away
the salt crystals with compressed air and viola... one working camera with
pictures intact. The video camera which suffered the same fate now only
works in black and white and won't re-wind the tape. C'est-la-vie!
Good luck
Steve

"jmc" <> wrote in message
news:...
> My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
> we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
> yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
> that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
> might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
> not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
> he had to try it a couple more times.
>
> It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
> for at least three days.
>
> 1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?
> 2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
> 3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
> think?
>
> Thank God my Nikon Coolpix 8700 stayed dry! 'Course, once it started
> to rain, it stayed inside the plastic bag in my pack, & didn't come
> out 'till we got back inside the hotel. Gotta look for a wetsuit for
> the thing.
>
> Anyway, any help or advice is appreciated!
>
> [1] Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales. I could not have
> possibly been wetter by the time we made it off the mountain. Made it
> within 150m of the top, but in the end the winds defeated me, as I'm
> small enough they could very easily push me off my feet. NOT a good
> thing on an unprotected mountain ridge.
>
>
> jmc
> usenet [at] jodi [dit] ws
> Any day you learn something isn't a total waste.

"Phil Stripling" <> wrote

> I would think it should be dry by now, but I don't know what an airing
closet is, and I don't know the humidity.

An airing cupboard is usually a full-height enclosure that houses the
hot-water cylinder and has slatted shelves for storing newly washed clothes
and bedding etc. It is warm and dry and probably the best place for drying
things out without having to worry about the sun over-heating the camera.

Paul

In message <>, jmc
<> writes
>My husband's new Sony Cybershot U40 stopped working yesterday, after
>we tried (and failed - 71+ mph winds and sleet) to climb Snowdon [1]
>yesterday. It was in the bottom of his pack, wrapped in something
>that should be waterproof, but apparently wasn't. Almost seems this
>might be more "high humidity" than anything else. I tried to tell him
>not to turn it on again for a few days, let it dry out, but of course
>he had to try it a couple more times.
>
>It is currently hanging in the airing closet, no battery, doors open,
>for at least three days.
>
>1) What are the chances this camera will ever work again?

Probably better than you think. Rainwater is fairly pure so once the
system dries out there is a sporting chance that it will work again. The
trick is getting it dry - a biscuit barrel with fresh desiccant in will
help in the final stages.

>2) Any recommendations for getting it to work?
>3) Will Sony repair it for less than the cost of the camera, do you
>think?

Is it still under warrantee? You could take it in to a local service
agent and see what they say. I have always found Sony among the more
helpful manufacturers when their kit has failed. Expensive if it is a
chargeable repair but good at their job. YMMV

First thing though is get the camera thoroughly dry and see if it wakes
up.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown