What you need to know about waterproof gadgets that aren't all that waterproof

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Down with marketing nonsense about floating smartphones and walking with clocks in the shower. From our article you will learn about those omissions and conventions that are not so actively advertised by the manufacturers of electronic "waterproof".

Waterproof, waterproof, waterproof, waterproof are synonyms for waterproof, which are widely used by sellers to get your attention. Of course, words have differences in shades of meaning, but a rare buyer wants to understand the ghostly nuances, the main thing is that the gadget is protected from moisture penetration.

In fact, no one is able to protect your purchase from all troubles, no one guarantees you the performance of the gadget after falling into water or falling under a strong stream of water. But first things first.

Historically, waterproof devices have been found in the field of extreme sports. These were mainly watches for deep diving and triathlon. An ordinary consumer's watch was repelled by a few drops of water, and that was quite enough. The ubiquity of wearables and fitness bracelets has changed the landscape these days. Smart technology began to pursue a person 24/7, in whatever conditions he was. The motley gamblers immediately jumped on the trend and adopted the term "waterproof" in their marketing campaigns.

However, how often have you read explanations about how well the device is protected from the ingress of liquid substances? What is actually hidden behind this screen?

Designations

Mobile phones and cameras are usually labeled with an IP value.

Ingress Protection Rating is a system for classifying the degrees of protection of the enclosure of electrical equipment against the penetration of solid objects and water in accordance with the international standard.

Wikipedia

The code consists of two letters and two numbers, for example: IP67. It can be found in a booklet, on a box, inside a manual, or on the device itself. The international standard stands out well even on Chinese crafts such as the Xiaomi Mi Band.

The first number within the framework of our article does not matter (it denotes protection against foreign objects), but the second one speaks of safety in the event of drops or immersion in water. For a detailed understanding, we will give their detailed description from the pages of the world.

Level	Protection	Description
0	No protection provided	No
1	Vertically falling drops of water should not interfere with the operation of the device	Test duration: 10 minutes. Water flow equivalent to 1 mm of rainfall per minute
2	Vertical drops of water should not interfere with the functionality of the device if it is tilted from the working position by an angle of up to 15 °	Test duration: 10 minutes. Water flow equivalent to 3 mm rainfall per minute
3	Spraying water with an angle of deviation up to 60 ° from the vertical should not have a harmful effect	Test duration: 5 minutes. Volume of water: 0.7 liters per minute. Pressure: 80-100 kPa
4	Protection against splashes falling in any direction	Test duration: 5 minutes. Water volume: 10 liters per minute. Pressure: 80-100 kPa
5	A jet of water released from a nozzle with a diameter of 6, 3 mm onto the body from any direction should not cause harmful effects	The test takes at least 3 minutes. The volume of water is 12.5 liters per minute. Pressure: 30 kPa from a distance of 3 m
6	A powerful jet of water released from a nozzle with a diameter of 12.5 mm on the body from any direction should not cause destructive damage	The test takes at least 3 minutes. The volume of water is 100 liters per minute. Pressure: 100 kPa from a distance of 3 m
6K	A powerful jet of water of increased pressure, released from a nozzle with a diameter of 6, 3 mm to the body from any direction, should not lead to fatal consequences.	The test takes at least 3 minutes. The volume of water is 75 liters per minute. Pressure: 1000 kPa from a distance of 3 m
7	Water will not damage the sample if it is immersed in water at a certain depth and for a specified time. Continuous immersion operation is not expected	Duration: 30 minutes. For specimens up to 850 mm in height, the bottom of the housing is located at a depth of 1,000 mm. For specimens with a height equal to or greater than 850 mm, the upper part of the body is located at a depth of 150 mm
8	The device is intended for continuous immersion in water under the conditions specified by the manufacturer. In some cases, water can seep, but only in such a way that it does not cause disastrous consequences.	Continuous immersion in water to the depth specified by the manufacturer. Typically up to 3 m
9K	Protection against aerosol ingress of high temperature water under high pressure	Volume of water: 14-16 liters per minute. Pressure: 8,000-10,000 kPa. Distance: 10-15 mm. Temperature: 80 ° C

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As you can see, the tests are carried out according to strictly established laboratory rules by certified structures. Disagree with their objectivity? Check out the Atmosphere Value (ATM) rating, which is often used by fitness trackers and smartwatches.

Somewhere you will see the value of atmospheres, and somewhere - meters. There is no difference.

Level	Protection
3 atm (30 m)	Suitable for daily use. Resistant to rain and splashing. Not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, diving, fishing and water-related work
5 atm (50 m)	Suitable for swimming, rafting (rafting on mountain rivers and canals), fishing and water works without diving
10 atm (100 m)	Suitable for surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and other water sports
20 atm (200 m)	Suitable for professional marine activities, high speed water sports (such as water skiing) and scuba diving

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Unfortunately, in this case, there is no official body that would conduct tests in a uniform manner. The ratings of different manufacturers may vary. Therefore, one should not literally take the inscription "50 m" as a permission to immerse the watch fifty meters under the water.

What is important to understand

Life is full of random events. In the laboratory, it is impossible to repeat an unprecedented combination of circumstances that can still happen in the field. Yes, no one is trying to somehow get closer to real life. Judge for yourself: in tests, gadgets are in a static position. During normal operation, we constantly move, turn sharply and bump. At such moments, the load on parts, fasteners, plugs and gaskets is greatly increased. And they may not stand it.

For example, your smartphone can shoot video from under water. Great! But various negative factors should be considered:

• You shouldn't bury yourself in the snow with your gadget right after leaving the steam room. A large temperature difference can disrupt its integrity.
• Swimming in a pool and a lake are not the same thing. Pure or chlorinated water is much more preferable than a cloudy liquid with unknown impurities.
• The correct breaststroke technique will appeal to your gadget, as opposed to inept butterfly slaps.
• Gradual immersion cannot be compared to jumping into water.

In the world of consumer electronics, there are no completely waterproof items. Every product, no matter how carefully designed and built, has a point of failure.

Every smartphone, every watch, every camera, every wearable device has an extreme combination of water temperature, depth, duration of exposure or manipulation of the device during a dive, which will lead to the penetration of water into the mechanism.

That is why the popular IPX7 (8) protection makes the reservations "at a certain depth and a specified time" and "under the conditions specified by the manufacturer."

Real examples

Let's start with Fitbit. When asked, the company claims the water resistance of all its products. In particular, the Surge is labeled 5 ATM. In an amicable way, this should mean that the gadget is suitable for swimming. However, the manufacturer himself stipulates that the trackers may not withstand the force of swimming blows and you shouldn't even swim with them.

The opposite situation. The Pebble team puts the 30m mark on their smartwatches. According to Wikipedia, such electronics should be kept away from water. At the same time, the company is actively jumping into the pool or taking a shower from Pebble Time.

Significant, isn't it?

The conclusion suggests itself: you should not believe dry labeling, you need to read the manufacturer's explanations in each specific case.

Let's take a slightly different angle. Apple Watch has an IPX7 rating, which means you can wash your hands in it, but not swim. More interestingly, the Cupertinians are additionally about leather straps that are not moisture resistant. Owners of the latter should remember this nuance during a shower, for example.

By the way, the entire iPhone line is not officially protected from moisture, although the Internet sometimes claims the opposite.

Continuing the topic of smartphones, one cannot fail to mention the well-known line of waterproof communication devices from Sony.

I will duplicate the description of the IP68 protection class: “If all ports and covers are securely closed, the smartphone is dustproof and protected from the effects of low pressure water jets from all sides in accordance with the IP65 standard and / or can be in fresh water at a depth of 1, 5 for up to 30 minutes m in accordance with the IP68 standard. Misuse or misuse of the device will void the warranty."

Note that we are talking about one of the highest levels of protection, but here, too, the caveats "low pressure", "may be located", "fresh water" slip through.

Regarding the warranty, I've read that some companies, like Fitbit, changed their drowned devices for free for their awkward customers. It's hard to imagine something similar in our area, so it's better to be careful.

Well, things are really bad if the seller does not indicate any protection parameter at all, but only refers to water resistance. This may indicate that he was stingy with the test or knowingly knows about its poor results.

Conclusion

Let's summarize all of the above. There are clear formal (IPXX) and slightly vague informal (ATM, m) international standards for testing waterproof gadgets. Theoretically, on their basis, each of you can sort out the advertising husk and try to evaluate how the device will behave in different situations.

However, the imperfection of methods and a huge number of additional factors suggests that before buying a device, it is necessary to find out more detailed information about the degree of its protection. Safety precautions during operation, of course, are also worth keeping in mind. Otherwise, your swim will turn into an unsubscribe from technical experts about using the purchase in "conditions not specified by the manufacturer."

How do you handle your waterproof gadget?