Just fixed my Dexcom after getting wet!

Just some information for you guys. I just dropped my Dexcom into the toilet (ooops!) and thought it was dead :frowning: It turned on initially but after a few minutes shut down and wouldn’t turn on again and I could see water under the case on the screen. We (my husband) used a straight eye glass screw driver (teeny tiny) to open the back (four screws). I laid it on a towel with the circuit board facing up a couple feet from my hair dryer which was set on low, warm and let it run for about 15-20 minutes. Turned it over once so the screen was facing up. I just plugged it in and it started right up! Went through the initializing stage, changed my sensor and it’s going through the start up process right now. I’ll let you how it goes.

He first tried blowing out some of the water with an air gun, don’t know it that helped or not.

I got caught out in the rain yesterday and my reciever got wet, it is still working, but is constantly thinking that it is trying to upload to the PC and is giving me warning after warning that my "connection attempt to my PC has failed". I was hoping that this would have gone away overnight, but it hasn't. The system still works, but this would be incredibly annoying to continue using it like this in the future. Dexcom said that I can order a replacement reciever for $200, but they do not warranty any type of water damage. I might try opening it up and seeing if there is still some water inside that is causing this issue. Were you able to solve your problem?

I kicked my Dex into the pool and tried the hair dryer but this didn't work.
Had to get another.
Dexcom was very prompt but it cost me $200 to get receiver only. Then, after 6 weeks, my one year replacement was due and Dexcom insisted I must get a new system even though I had a new one.
I doubt if I'll do any Dex kicking ever again.

Update: After a few weeks it did finally quite for good, darn! Had to order a new one for $200. There has to be a way to make it water tight, and a plug for the port should at least make it less susceptible. Guess it's a built in money maker for them though!

I had the same problem after washing my car the other day. Even with the receiver in the case, the charging/data port faces up. Water was dripping on the case and obviously dripping through the zipper.

I was real worried that I had ruined it. I shut it down for a few hours and it gave me the error message intermittently for a few hours. It finally stopped and hasn’t given me any problems since. Keeping fingers crossed.

Alan

folks:

Here is issue and why it is a heartbreak:

As these circuit boards as best as I can tell were not sealed with a plastic/lacquor; water incursion can cause disolving of conducting salts and residuals from the metals, solders etc used in construction. Assuming one gets the water out asap and dry out; you may be ok. More likely the product may now be weakened where every time high humidity, the electronics gets short circuited out by remaining conductive salts left behind on circuit board from water incursion. I would watch closely and if any aberrant behavior - replace. Good Luck

jims, excellent comment.

Can I take it apart and cover the circuit boards with plastic/lacquer??

as tempting as that may be; I would not do as this is a whole engineering issue that must be done carefully and at right time at correct steps of assembly in factory. Now one would invalidate warranty and may ruin performance.

Not an easy after market trick and I would not do!

I’ve been waiting for the Gen4 receiver to come out and then see if the folks at www.liquipel.com will take a crack at it. Maybe we should start pinging them now and maybe they can start testing ahead of time.

Alan

Has anyone had theirs damaged with water to where it will turn on, technically, as in the screen will light up, but the black writing LED display whatnot is reaaaaaally really faint? it seems to be working but you really have to peer at it in the right light to see whats going on.

Also...the $200 to replace the reciever, is that under warranty or with insurance? Or both? Bc I've got neither right now. :(

plain water will prob dry ok, anything else like pool or jacuzzi will ruin it for ever.
I had this happen to me and dex tol me im out of luck.
I didnt buy another instead I went with MM, I think the dex is a better product but i cant figure out whey they cant make it at least water resistant