Aqua-Mate refractometer needs repairs. Anyone know how? Help?

[MarineGirl411]

Hi,
Well, while I was sticking my aquamate refractometer in my tank, to measure temps, sg, etc some water leaked through. It was only a tiny amount, but of course it doesn't work now. =( Does anyone know how I could fix it? Or does anyone know of someone that would fix it for me? I'd pay them of course.

 

[Icefire]

Is it on warranty?

 

[douggiestyle]

is this a digital salinity thing? as suggested if in waranty and the wetted parts leaked it may be covered. if it wasnt the wetted parts put the parts that are to be kept dry you may be out of luck.

now if out of luck you could try this, it has worked for me. i did it to a tv remote that i dropped in the tank as well as an ipod that i dropped in the bath tub. remove batteries now. the salt water is a good conductor and could cause a short that could ruin a chip. now take the entire unit apart as best as you can. completely submerge the unit in di water and swish around. lightly scrub electronic parts with soft bristled tooth brush. soak a bit more in the di water. shake off as much water as possble. now place everything in a warm area to dry and wait. you need everything to dry id suggest a few days as the inside of momentary switches and such will take longer.

after a few days shake the unit over some tissue paper and make sure no water droplets appear, if so let unit continue to dry for another day and check again. once you are sure the unit is completely dry, reassemble and replace batteries. it may/should work now. obviously you will need to recalibrate.

 

[MarineGirl411]

Yes it's a digital salinity meter. The thing is, it would be under warranty, but I cannot find where to send it to get it fixed. I've contacted the website for the company, but have not received anything back from them. So I am guessing that it's basically a lost cause as far as getting ahold of them. Unfortunately, they are from Korea! =*( So I don't know what to do. Some saltwater leaked in through the screw that holds it together in the back. I see where the saltwater got to one of the chips. I used a Q-Tip to clean it. It was only such a tiny amount and it's only on one tiny chip that now messed everything up. Very upset cause I spent too much on it. =( I'm using a swing arm right now that my friend gave me, but I am worried about it's accuracy. I would be a little worried to soak the electronic parts in water. Wouldn't that ruin it?

 

[perpetual98]

I'm in the same boat. I bought a digital temperature and salinity meter from someone on Nano-Reef and it quit working after a couple weeks. I'm almost positive that I didn't get any of the inside wet, and I've even popped it open to look. Everything looks good, it just doesn't work right. He's been hedging on me too. Claims he has a whole mess for sale but won't replace my unit. $60 flushed....

 

[Icefire]

MarineGirl411 which website?

 

[MarineGirl411]

Perpetual is it an Aquamate Refractometer as well? Maybe these things are no good? I just don't know. I'm frustrated. Who did you order it from? I might have ordered it from the same person. The website that actually has them for sale is this
http://chloride.en.ecplaza.net/ the person that sold it to me, said he worked for the company, but I cannot find him anymore online. =/ No one has written me back from this company either. Yup mine was 60.00 flushed as well.

 

[perpetual98]

This looks like the one that I've got. I was psyched because I thought that I could use that instead of buying a refractometer. Looks like I'll have to get a refractometer anyway.

 

[Nel621]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9081519#post9081519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarineGirl411
Yes it's a digital salinity meter. The thing is, it would be under warranty, but I cannot find where to send it to get it fixed. I've contacted the website for the company, but have not received anything back from them. So I am guessing that it's basically a lost cause as far as getting ahold of them. Unfortunately, they are from Korea! =*( So I don't know what to do. Some saltwater leaked in through the screw that holds it together in the back. I see where the saltwater got to one of the chips. I used a Q-Tip to clean it. It was only such a tiny amount and it's only on one tiny chip that now messed everything up. Very upset cause I spent too much on it. =( I'm using a swing arm right now that my friend gave me, but I am worried about it's accuracy. I would be a little worried to soak the electronic parts in water. Wouldn't that ruin it?

If your friend has a digital meter ask him to "calibrate" the swing arm for you.Let him test his water digitally then have him use the swing arm.Make a new mark on the swing arm to the digital specs.temparary solution until you get something else.

 

[musty baby]

If, and I mean IF you can pull it apart, rinse it out with RO water then rinse with alcohol. Have fixed cameras and cell phones this way after bouts with water. Best of luck to ya

 

[MarineGirl411]

perpetual that is exactly the same one I have. =( Man we got da boot. I asked Marine Depot if they know of anyone that could fix it and they said to try a computer store or a TV electronics store. Oye. Perpetual do you remember who sold it to you on the nano forum? If so, maybe you could ask them who we could send it to to get it fixed? This is a major bummer. I was so excited with mine as well. Looks like they are not good products. =(
Ryan, if I rinse it out with RO water, won't that totally fry everything? You want us to rinse out the electronic chips? Maybe, I am confused. Thank you Nel.

 

[perpetual98]

I want to say that I got it from a guy named clownphish over there, but that's just trying to grab his name from memory and not actually searching for it on the board.

 

[douggiestyle]

no water will not ruin the electronic parts if they remain de-energized while wet. if hooked to power and wetted the chip could get fried as i described above. manufacturers regulaly clean electronic components using di water. but they must be dried. ryan has a good suggestion to use alcohol. it will displace the water then evaporate more quickly. the one thing about alcohol is it may contain acetone which could disolve some laquers and such that may be used as an insulator and also ruin some plastics. most specifically rubbing alcohol U.S.P.. we used methanol for such work at sony. i believe that isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol would be ok. just make sure it does not say U.S.P. or check the ingredients.

 

[Pbrown3701]

i've put things in the oven on very low heat to dry them out after getting wet. It worked on a cell phone that fell in a cup of water. Just set the oven to "warm" or the lowest setting and leave it in there for an hour or so.

 

[MarineGirl411]

oye. I would like to send it somewhere to get it fixed. I'm worried I'll ruin it more. Maybe I'll try the alcohol. Just don't know. So you are saying use DI water then Alcohol? I'm sorry. I just don't want this thing more messed up than it is.

 

[MarineGirl411]

I didn't know manufacturers use Di water to clean electronics. That is interested. Maybe if I am brave enough and can't come up with any other solution, I might try that. How should I dry it off? Place it infront of a fan? I'd feel a little uncomfortable putting it in the oven. Thank you all for your advice. How exactly should I rinse it? Pour the ro di water over the part that got salt on it? Or use a q-tip and wet it with ro di water? Let me know. I might be brave enough to try. =/

 

[BruiseAndy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9089122#post9089122 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pbrown3701
i've put things in the oven on very low heat to dry them out after getting wet. It worked on a cell phone that fell in a cup of water. Just set the oven to "warm" or the lowest setting and leave it in there for an hour or so.

One warning in doing this...careful that whatever you're trying this on isn't in direct view of element. Regardless of temp setting radiant energy can still cook it.

found this out at party

drunk friend
cell phone
toilet
oven at 150
melted phone

 

[MarineGirl411]

I'm not going to put it in the oven. I'd feel very unsafe. How else can I dry this? A fan?

 

[Bergovoy]

Those silicone beads or whatever they are that they pack in electronics equipment int he little envelopes to keep moisture down.

I get that stuff from a hearing aid specialist to put my hearing aid into at night to remove moisture. that stuff is called HAL-HEN "Super Dri-Aid"

IT comes ina jar, but I think you could take it out and put it into an envelope or ziploc bag with the refractometer.

The material is re-usable by just micro-waving for a half a minute. Until the little beads turn blue (not all of them, just eh ones that are treated I think)

Good luck

Bill