wet 2-way radio?

Don’t wait until your radio is corroded and rusty inside to send it in for repair.

By then it may be too late to repair your wet radio. Once a radio has become wet, corrosion starts to form rather quickly and deteriorate the metal. Good news, many times it is possible if caught early to restore a radio which has become wet. Early signs of corrosion can be removed and stopped.

Some basic information on what to do if your radio encounters water:

  1. Remove the battery. Do not turn on or try to use the wet radio, as this could cause further damage. (If you feel the battery has became wet inside, you will need to replace it.)
  2. Thoroughly dry the radio. You can use a towel on the exterior and any internal battery compartment. If you feel the water has intruded further, use a blow dryer on a low setting to air dry the radio. Specialty EVAP-bags can help to remove the moisture (700x more effective than rice). Call our office, 800-872-2627, and inquire about availability of EVAP-bags.
  3. Get the radio to a radio repair facility ASAP. The longer you wait, the more likely the radio will grow corrosion, and be deemed non-repairable.

Watch for IP57 or IP67 ratings when purchasing radios for the most water resistance. IP stands for Ingress Protection.

We’re here to help, and do our best to bring your radio back to good working condition. Give us a call here at Delmmar Communications if you have questions or need more info, 800-872-2627.

radio repair, radio tips, water resistant radios

wet 2-way radio rescue…

WEVAP rescue pouche’ve found an innovative product available to assist in saving a wet 2-way radio or cell phone. It’s the EVAP Rescue Pouch. The manufacturer states it is ” 700% more effective at removing moisture than rice. EVAP contains a unique drying agent that safely removes the moisture from sensitive electronics preventing damage while restoring use — fast!” The kit consists of a specialized ziplock pouch with moisture indicator, 2 large packets of drying agent, and easy instructions.

We received our first one in to look at and we were impressed.

It comes sealed to keep moisture prior to use away from the special drying agent. The instructions are simple and concise. The bag is big enough for most modern 2-way radios or a cell phone. (Size:  5.196″W x 6.299″H) In the event your device is too large for the bag supplied you could still use the kit by putting your item in the pouch and then sealing it in a large ziplock bag. The handy moisture indicate on the bag will tell you when it is done in 6-24 hours.

Here at the radio repair center we see radios coming in for repair daily which have liquid damage. The keep to repairability is getting the device dry and getting it shipped to us as soon as possible. With an EVAP Rescue Pouch you could even ship it to us pouch and all. It could be drying out on the way here. Such a neat idea we wish we’d came up with it ourselves!

If you are interested in getting an EVAP-bag to have around in case of emergency, just give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are happy to help.

~cl

2-way radio news, radio accessories & batteries, radio tips, water resistant radios

water resistant radios

We often hear the question, “Is this radio waterproof?”

Truth is most radios are about as waterproof as your television. Electronic components and water just don’t mix. Then along comes a group of water resistant models. These radios are not waterproof, but are far superior in water resistance, and worth of mentioning.

Motorola XPR3300e is rated IP67 for moisture protection. Unlike other two-way radios, the back half of this radio is the battery pack. There are no openings to get inside the radio or see the component board. Being more of a sealed unit is what gives this radio the advantage over moisture. The IP67 rating tells us this radio has been tested for Immersion, up to 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) depth for 30 minutes, and passed the test. Additionally this radio is much better at keeping dust, dirt, and humidity out.

And yet a step better in water resistance… the Motorola XPR7350eXPR7350e is rated IP68 submersible. This radio, when used with the appropriate IP68 rated battery, passed tests submersing it in one meter of fresh water for longer than 30 minutes. While we don’t recommend trying this at home, this radio is the closest to waterproof you will find in the Motorola line. If you work in extreme conditions, this radio may be the one for you. Click this link to see the XPR7000 series brochure, which describes more about the radio.

Depending on your radio model there may also be a water-resistant remote speaker mic available. These are also rated to be moisture and/or water resistant. If you have lost radios or accessories to moisture, you should consider getting IP67 or IP68 rated radios/accessories with your next purchase.

And we would be amiss if we did not mention some basic information on what to do if your radio encounters water:

  1. Remove the battery. (Do not turn on or try to use the wet radio, as this could cause further damage.)
  2. Thoroughly dry the radio. You can use a towel on the exterior and battery compartment. If you feel the water has intruded further, use a blow dryer on a low setting to air dry the radio.
  3. Get the radio to a radio repair center ASAP. The longer you wait, the more likely the radio will grow corrosion, and be deemed non-repairable.

We’re here to help, and do our best to bring your radio back to good working condition. If you have questions give us a call here at Delmmar Communications, 800-872-2627. We are always happy to help.

radio tips, water resistant radios