I accidentally splashed water onto my bed and didn't realize some had reached the bottom of my phone until I removed the case. The screen itself looked dry, but I plugged the phone in anyway. After about a minute, I noticed a burning smell and heard crackling, so I unplugged it and shut it down immediately. Both the phone and charger are now sitting near a fan. The phone is a 2024 Moto G Power 5G. Is it safe to try charging it again, and what should I do next?
3 Answers
The burning smell and crackling are more concerning than the splash itself, since they can indicate a short or damaged charging connection. Don’t reconnect it just to test whether it works. After it has thoroughly dried, consider having the charging port and phone inspected, and watch for overheating, swelling, strange behavior, or charging problems.
Keep the phone powered off and unplugged. Hold it with the charging port facing downward, gently check the port with a light, and let it air-dry in a dry place for at least 24 hours. Don’t use rice or force anything into the port. If you can see residue, charring, or bent contacts, stop using that charger and have the phone inspected.
A normal fan on a low setting is generally fine and is safer than applying heat. Avoid a hair dryer, direct sunlight, compressed air, or anything that could drive moisture deeper or overheat the battery. The charger should also be allowed to dry and checked for damage before reuse.
Thanks, I’ll leave it powered down and check the port carefully.