Job site radio

[Highlife]

Well I had a little problem this weekend and it turns out I had left my job site radio outdoors, then a little rain occurred. Long story short, I think I toasted my radio, I'm sure warranty won't cover it, so my question is should I send it in and see if they can repair it or bite the bullet and buy myself a new one?

On another note, the thing is pretty awesome when it's kept out of the rain

[blue_can]

Re: Job site radio

Depends on what has happened internally and you need to open it up to find out. Since you are an electrician surely you can open it up and take a look. My guess is that it would not be cost effective ti repair unless you did it yourself although it probably does not hurt to call the service dept and ask questions about the cost of repair.

Has it had a chance to dry out thoroughly? Most low voltage electronics do not conduct sufficient current to create any major damage due to a short and the power supplies generally have current limiting circuits in case of an overload. If a short is occurring due to moisture it may go away once everything dries out.

[CWSmith]

Re: Job site radio

Electronics are pretty durable and unless you have it on when it's wet, moisture (even a good soak) generally won't bother it. Salt water of course will corrode almost immediately, but fresh water generally doesn't do anything to the plastic, solder, or solid state components as they are generally moisture resistant.

BUT.....! Before you turn anything on or apply power (plug-in), you must make absolutely sure that the radio is dry!!!! In your case, I'd simply take out any batteries, open it up by removing the cover and then place it in the sun for a day or two to make sure any moisture, that may have gotten into the case, has evaporated. Once you are ensured that it is dry, you can re-insert the batteries and give it a try. From my experience, I've seen a few radios and other electronics that were still working well, if you follow the previous steps.

A couple of examples though, that may be of interest. I moved to Painted Post in 1973, a year after the great Agnes flood. In the basement of the home we rented, was a television console... you know the old "furniture" type, with a cabinet, cathode ray tube, and a mixture of tubes and solid state circuitry. Well the cabinet was all warped and filthy so we carried it up to the garage. I had to separate the TV from the cabinet, as the village would not take the electronics to the landfill. I had it sitting in my garage for about a month (it had set in the basement for over a year) where it was hot and dry! Now this thing had been completely submerged in the flood of 72', but it was now dry, but dirty. So I pulled the few tubes out and brushed the pins with and old tooth brush. Then I pulled the yoke off the back of the picture tube just to make sure it was dry and not corroded. I then plugged it in and the darn thing worked fine. I used it in the garage (on the old bow-tie antenna) for a couple of years, but left it behind when we finally bought a house.

On the other hand, I was in the plant medical office one afternoon when one of the other visitors, leaning over the receptionist's desk, spilled his cup of coffee into the back of the monitor. The day receptionist had already left and turned off the monitor, and the second shift receptionist was too busy flirting with the guy to have logged in yet. So, monitor off (but plugged in) the coffee didn't cause an immediate problem. So, I went over and unplugged the monitor and told the girl to call "systems" and have them bring her a new monitor while this one dried out for a couple of days. I told her to keep it unplugged and the tech would know what to do with it, when he brought over the new one. (OR SO I THOUGHT!) So, the stupid tech comes over, but doesn't bring a monitor... and first thing he does it plug it in and then turn it on. There was something of a "pop and then a burny smell", one of the nurses told me. I called the tech first thing the next moring to see what in he!! he had done and sure enough! I guess being a computer tech doesn't necessarily mean you know anything about electricity.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[Frankiarmz]

Re: Job site radio

Fresh water is a lot more forgiving than saltwater. Years back I went rowing with some buddys on a saltwater inlet. One of the jerks got drunk and capsized the boat in shallow water. I piked up my grunndig radio and the water poured out the front grill like some kind of cartoon.
The radio was toast. I've had luck using a blow dryer to speed up the drying process, and rice or some other desicants work well for small things such as cell phones.

[CWSmith]

Re: Job site radio

Yep, Salt water isn't good for anything like that. When I entered the 10th grade my parents bought me a fairly nice Timex watch. It was mechanical and you had to wind it every couple of days IIRC. I'm not a jewlery person and that watch served me very well for quite a few years, through very much hiking and camping, bicycling, cross-country jaunts on ski's and winter backpacking, even three AF winter survival schools up in the back country around Plattsburg, NY. I still had it when I was 24, and my wife and I went to Wildwood. I'd never been in the ocean before, and I forgot to take it off.... it was dead before I could back to the beach blanket.

CWS

[Highlife]

Re: Job site radio

Thanks for the tips guys, I'm trying out the rice. I'm hoping it all works out, it's too nice of a radio to be a fancy paperweight.

[Doctordeere]

Re: Job site radio

If it's the radio with the scanner and built-in iPod dock, there's an AC fuse in there. If it won't work on AC power, but WILL work on battery power, the fuse may have blown.

Service Coverage:
Ridgid Model R8408

Condition & Remedy:
The radio will not “power on”.
This may be caused by a blown fuse which is now available and replaceable.

To replace fuse:
-Unplug the radio and if a battery is attached to the radio remove it.
-On the bottom of the radio, remove the Phillips head screw holding the cover
for the battery backup and remove the three “AA” batteries.
-Remove the 4mm hex screws (4) from the underside of the radio that hold the
radios protective cage in place.
-Stand radio upright and remove the 4mm hex head screws and washers that
attach the cage to the top of the radio.
-Remove the cage and “spacers” from the radio.
-On the bottom of the radio, remove the 2.5mm hex screws and washers that
attach the base to the radio.
-Remove the base from the radio.
-On the back of the radio, remove the Phillips head screws (8) that hold the
front and back halves of the radio together. Also remove the two small Phillips
head screws found just above where a battery attaches to the back of the radio.
(These two screws hold the back half of the radio to the top section)
-Lift the back of the radio up taking care as there are wires connecting the two
halves.
-You will find the “in line fuse” in the back half of the radio. Simply push and
twist the “in line fuse holder” to replace the fuse as needed.
-Reassembly of the radio is the reverse order of the above instruction.

Service_Components_Required:
Fuse - Part Number 001001002

[Bob D.]

Re: Job site radio

and first thing he does it plug it in and then turn it on.

Was there a sign or some other warning to anyone who was not present when the monitor took a bath that it needed to dry out first?

I don't see how he could have been expected to know unless it had been communicated to him somehow. Either in the trouble ticket
or by posting the monitor with a sticky or by some other means.