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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is a budget Android smartphone, from 2018 that shipped with Android 8.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note - Led Blinking // Trying the Impossible...

Hi everyone! New member here!

I've a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 for like 6 years and last weekend I dropped it into the bathtub ?‍♀️?‍♀️

I already looked up on forums and yes, the most easy and responsible thing to do probably is to take the phone to a professional tech service but 3rd world problems it's nearly expensive as buying a new phone. Also I like (not in this cases) to mess up with tech and learn new things.

So this is my status:

  • My phone didn't die as soon it touched the water; it died when the battery went dry (Yes, after I dropped into water I also forgot to charge it?)
  • When I plug the charger the led blinks for a minute (I've already tried to left the phone plugged for several hours)
  • When I plug the USB cable to a PC it makes noise so i think the charger-PIN is working correctly (?)
  • I've already tried power button and volume -/+ for entering recovery mode but nothing happens

I've seen on a diffent forum that a workaround was to dissamble the phone, unplug the battery, then plug the charger (without the battery) and then plug the battery while the charger is connected;

a really important thing is that in this answer on the forum, the guy says:

"When you plug the charger without the batter connected; the screen should turn on with the MI logo: BUT THIS IS NOT HAPPENING WITH MY PHONE.

So, this could be a sign that my module/motherboard is the problem? And it is not a drainned-battery-case-scenario?

Answer this question I have this problem too

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Hi,

Unfortunately the phone is not waterproof. At best it is only water resistant and maybe now not as good as what it was when it left the factory due to normal user activity over time.

The impurities in the water causes corrosion and provides circuit paths for the electricity which were not in the phone's operating design and could damage the components. The corrosion starts immediately and is ongoing until it is completely cleaned away

First do not try to charge or to turn on your phone and then remove the battery as soon as possible from the phone to minimize any further damage.

Then you need to dis-assemble the rest of the phone and clean all the affected parts using Isopropyl Alcohol 99%+ (available at electronics parts stores) to remove all traces of corrosion and water. If possible do not use "rubbing alcohol" as in some cases this is only 70% IPA or less, can contain additives and is not as effective. If you do have to use it check the label to verify the amount of IPA. The higher the percentage of IPA the better

Here is a link that describes the process. Electronics Water Damage

As always with electronics, especially surface mounted pcb be gentle when handling and especially when brushing away the corrosion. You do not want to remove any components from the board. Remove the shields that may be covering some components as the water may have got in under there. The ends of any flex cables and their connectors need to be cleaned as well

Hopefully after you have done all this the phone might possibly work correctly again.

Here is a teardown video that may help.

If this process seems too daunting, take your phone to a reputable, professional phone repair service, experienced in liquid damage repair and ask for a quote for a repair. If you decide to do this, do it sooner than later.

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I had similar problem... I left my phone at 84% and slept.. When I woke up it was 0. So I tried to reboot it but it won't turn on... when I plug my charger or press the power button, I see the led blinking.... I had to open it and then I unplug the battery and plug it back.. I plug my charger and it started charging

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Jermias Marful your situation is even more difficult since your phone did experience water damage. So this will not be a usual “no power” fix. Your issue are most likely related to the water damage.

The very first step I would take is to disassemble your phone. Use something like this video to help you disassemble your phone. Take a careful and close look at all components and connectors. Truly assess the damage. Look for major corrosion, evaluate the pins in the connectors etc,. Take a look at all connectors as well as cable ends. You will have to remove all the EMI shields. If you do not remove the shields, you are not cleaning the board. Once you got the gross contamination cleaned, use 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and clean your parts some more. For a proper cleaning, use this guide. It was written for an Apple iPhone 3G but it is still pertinent to your phone as well. I can not stress the importance of a good cleaning enough, so do it over and over while replacing the alcohol after each cleaning. Do not use compressed air for the cleaning since that can drive liquid as well as corrosion particles into areas that will cause trouble later on. Do not use drinking water, if you need to use water, use sterile water. Also, you do not need to leave it to dry for a day. Isopropyl alcohol in the higher concentration will evaporate quickly and dissipate the water. The importance here is the cleaning. It would of course be best to get it professionally cleaned Do not forget to replace the battery. This is a must and not an option. It will fail if you do not take care of it now. After that, reassemble your phone and re-evaluate. For as long as you have not cleaned your board and replaced the battery, everything is just a guess. Keep in mind that water damage is the hardest to troubleshoot and to repair. It does not matter if is was exposed for 2 seconds or 2 hours, what matters is where the water (particulates) did the damage.E7S Three Level Block Diagram UnlockedE7s D1 Placement DrawingRed MI Note5three Lever Repair Guidance Unlocked These may come in handy for your troubleshooting once your PCB is properly cleaned. Of course for anything odd looking etc. you can always post some good images with your QUESTION. That way we can try to assist you further.

Adding images to an existing question

iPhone Image

Guide

Repairing iPhone Liquid Damage

Difficulty:

Difficult

—

1 - 2 hours
iFixit Image

Guide

Adding images to an existing question

Difficulty:

Very easy

—

2 - 5 minutes

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Jeremías Marful will be eternally grateful.
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