Salt Water Crash

[Happydude789]

Hello! This is my first post on this blog because I need some advice. I just crashed my mavic into a deep ocean of salt water. This is being written about a half hour after the crash. I was able to get it back after only being submerged for about 20 seconds. I'm soaking the drone itself in a 99% isopropanol alcohol bath with the battery and sd removed. I briefly rinsed the battery terminals in the alcohol to remove the salt. Battery is still heating up and I'm not sure what to do. Don't want It to explode and no I don't have a LiPo bag to put it in. Please help

Thanks
-connor

 

[shuey]

try it in a rice tub hope it work's...

 

[Happydude789]

try it in a rice tub

The salt needs to be removed though because it's corrosive and electrically conductive. That's why I'm using alcohol

 

[rockydog]

Put the battery outside in a bucket or metal container...check it regularly to see what it's doing!

 

[Top Hat]

Hope you get your MP to recover.

 

[Happydude789]

Put the battery outside in a bucket or metal container...check it regularly to see what it's doing!

Thoughts on letting it sit in distilled water to remove more salt/keep it cooler??

 

[Cyberpower678]

Thoughts on letting it sit in distilled water to remove more salt/keep it cooler??

I wouldn't. Is your battery off, or are the lights still on?

 

[mobalized]

I'd be careful leaving it in the isopropyl too long, I know it is generally safe on electronics but it isn't for some other materials and adhesives that may be used inside. I think a brief rinse in the alcohol may be a better idea though I am no expert on saltwater damage control. Best of luck. (Rice isn't an efficient descant either)

 

[Happydude789]

I wouldn't. Is your battery off, or are the lights still on?

Lights are off. When I was removing it from the ocean the one 2nd from the top was blinking rapidly

 

[Cyberpower678]

Lights are off. When I was removing it from the ocean the one 2nd from the top was blinking rapidly

That's the overcorrect protection that kicked in. If it detects a short it will shutoff and blink like that.

 

[Happydude789]

That's the overcorrect protection that kicked in. If it detects a short it will shutoff and blink like that.

All lights are off now and it's quite warm. Is the overcorrect protection still on?

 

[Happydude789]

I'd be careful leaving it in the isopropyl too long, I know it is generally safe on electronics but it isn't for some other materials and adhesives that may be used inside. I think a brief rinse in the alcohol may be a better idea though I am no expert on saltwater damage control. Best of luck. (Rice isn't an efficient descant either)

Thanks for the advise. I've switched to a distilled water bath

 

[Cyberpower678]

All lights are off now and it's quite warm. Is the overcorrect protection still on?

Nope. It's probably discharging.

 

[Malavic]

De-ionized water is better if you have access to any. I would lift it out to drain out then re-submerge a few times to get all the salt water out. Sealed bag of rice, at least 48 hours. Desiccants are better if you can get any.

If the battery is heating up it's shorting internally or something is going on and it probably needs to be recycled. Definitely put it outside where it can't blow up and burn your house down.

 

[Happydude789]

De-ionized water is better if you have access to any. I would lift it out to drain out then re-submerge a few times to get all the salt water out. Sealed bag of rice, at least 48 hours. Desiccants are better if you can get any.

If the battery is heating up it's shorting internally or something is going on and it probably needs to be recycled. Definitely put it outside where it can't blow up and burn your house down.

How long should rise/soak it?

 

[Malavic]

How long should rise/soak it?

Ask a Chemist how many times you need to dilute/wash something until essentially no trace remains and they will tell you mathematically it's seven times. In practicality 3 or 4 rinses should be enough to remove any trace salts. It boils down to the distribution coefficient of water to any deposits...shrug. Soaking isn't really all that necessary other than to penetrate hard to get to spaces, but if it was only dunked 20 seconds...you probably don't need to go crazy on that. Dunk for a few minutes, lift and drain...do that 7 times and you're probably as good as it's going to get.

 

[delta-101]

I'd probably pop the cover off to allow more effective rinsing. (the mavic, not the battery)

 

[Andrew F]

Nope. It's probably discharging.

I had a similar situation and I manually turned the battery on and then off and it stopped discharging. But with salt in there mucking it up, who knows what will happen. Good luck!

 

[Andrew F]

Ask a Chemist how many times you need to dilute/wash something until essentially no trace remains and they will tell you mathematically it's seven times. In practicality 3 or 4 rinses should be enough to remove any trace salts. It boils down to the distribution coefficient of water to any deposits...shrug. Soaking isn't really all that necessary other than to penetrate hard to get to spaces, but if it was only dunked 20 seconds...you probably don't need to go crazy on that. Dunk for a few minutes, lift and drain...do that 7 times and you're probably as good as it's going to get.

Totally agree. Soaking could be counterproductive. Rinsing a better plan. Soaking just dilutes, rinsing removes.

 

[Happydude789]

I had a similar situation and I manually turned the battery on and then off and it stopped discharging. But with salt in there mucking it up, who knows what will happen. Good luck!

Just tried. No lights. Who knows if it's on or off. No explosion yet anyways