Over the last few weeks, we have received 5 potential moisture ingress reports. This is higher than expected given the high quality standard that GeoDrops devices are built against. We have just published an updated O-ring cleaning and lube guide.
Please use the above guide whenever you open the battery compartment.
Please use this guide if you suspect moisture damage has ALREADY happened, and you need help identifying or fixing problems related to moisture ingress.
How to identify the problem?
The App will send a warning notification for any unusual temperature or moisture readings caused by moisture ingress. If battery readings are affected, you may observe unusual battery voltage readings fluctuating between extreme values.
What causes this?
We have identified two primary causes:
Compromised O-ring seal
A compromised seal in the battery compartment can cause leaks. This is typically due to dirt on the O-rings, battery cap, or the compartment itself. Additionally, damaged O-rings can lead to leaks over time.
Condensation
A significant temperature difference when bringing your device indoors after winter can cause water condensation to form (i.e., “fogging”), which may affect the electronics. This condensation may not be visible. The following photos are examples when the moisture build up has propagated to the lower side of the battery, where the CPU dissipates heat.
What can be done in this situation?
Similar to cleaning a spill from a laptop keyboard, thoroughly cleaning your Droplet and letting it dry for at least 48 hours in a warm indoor environment may sometimes make it work again. For future reference, it is critically important to follow the O-ring cleaning and lubrication guide.
If your device is under warranty, and you suspect a manufacturing defect (e.g., you have consistently followed the O-ring cleaning instructions), please contact us to initiate a Warranty and Repair (RMA) service request.
How does GeoDrops team determine cause of moisture damage?
Below is a summary of our standard repair process for testing and identifying manufacturing defects with the moisture seal:
- Run software diagnostics to first confirm a hardware issue.
- Test the moisture seal integrity using a small pressure pump attached to a custom battery cap. We use your device and O-ring to pressurize the device internal chamber to 8 psi and check for less than 0.1% pressure reduction after 15 minutes.
- If the seal integrity test fails, we inspect your O-ring and enclosure for noticeable physical damage. If no physical damage is found, we repair your enclosure or replace your device under warranty.
- If the seal integrity test fails, we inspect your O-ring and enclosure for noticeable physical damage. If no physical damage is found, we repair your enclosure or replace your device under warranty.