550EX speedlite dropped into fish tank

[zenscape]

I've never experienced it before, but my handphone does. I believe that electronic device if soak in water, just leave it to dry out should be workable. I accidentally left my hp in my washing machine and it just washed all over until being dried up. When i noticed it, the hp is very dead. Cannot even start up. So i took out the battery and left them to dry for few days. Thereafter, the hp just came alive again.

My point is : sometimes electronic device can still be usable if we leave it to dry out, although i cannot explain the reason.

Yes, I believe so. If we are lucky, the electronic device once dried up, can still function. Now I recall my handphone had dropped into a toilet bowl before but still usable (after thorough clean before use). Also, my stereo was drenched in rain during my school days many years ago when we had pinic at the beach and after sometime, it could still play cassettes.

Some of the IR covers came off and the plastic diffusor was dirty. So I have they clean it and swap out if necessary.

Good to hear the flash is working again. I think that the 550EX is better built than the 580EX, but getting it wet is another case altogether. Do keep us posted of it's status as I'm curious if any of the functions are affected. I thought the flash might have short circuited when it fired in the water. Seems that it's not the case. Really lucky then.

Cheers,

Ok, will update you guys after a few days. Short circuit was my take when it fired up once. Soaking and drying up theory works mostly when the device was not operating when drenched.

Don't count on it to operate properly even though it may power-up and fire after it dries.

Once wet, some parts of the circuit boards and some electronic components will begin a chemical process of corrosion and rusting, and it looks like a cancer that eventually spreads. It can't be effectively or permanently stopped. Your flash, if fully submerged into the fish tank, is very likely not worth repairing; it is likely to cost too much.

And I strongly recommend that you DON'T open a flash unit of this size/power. The electrical shock that it can give you is lethal/deadly!!! It's not a joking matter.

I will use it as often I could this few days to warm it up and hopefully, get its 'motor' running to dispel any moisture, hopefully.

I will not open the flash because I believe i could not assemble it back. haha