Often, console problems baffle users because they don’t understand why it happens. Green and black “death screens” appear, or a strange hum comes from the case. In such malfunctions, the main thing is to find the place of the problem, but what to do if everything is obvious and the PS5 or DualSense gets water? The cause of failure is clear, but how not to damage the sensitive electronic components during disassembly, whether to include the console immediately, and whether the console is certified by standards of water and dust immunity IPX? We have collected the most popular questions and tried to answer them as intelligibly as possible, as well as to describe in detail what to do to prevent and when water gets inside the case.
Waterproof
Today, people are used to devices with minimal protection against moisture: smartwatches, headphones, and phones are not afraid of water drops and even short-term immersion. On the other hand, large equipment is a little more complicated, so we will try to understand it more specifically.
PS5
Is the PS5 waterproof? No. It doesn’t matter which console – they didn’t get water protection from the first to the fifth version. That means that even a small amount of water can harm the device. Of course, if you spill a little on the side panel of the PS5 when it is standing horizontally, it is very likely to avoid problems. But even a little moisture in the power supply during operation can lead to complete failure of the console and loss of warranty on replacement – this is not a warranty case.
DualSense
The answer is the same as the console: the DualSense controller is not protected against water. The most unprotected places are the charging holes, the microphone, and the gaps between the buttons and the body.
What to Do if Water Got Into PS5?
The situation is very common, and we found a good tutorial on the Quora forum. Yes, it is written with humor, but the key idea is 100% correct – your actions should depend directly on the amount of water spilled.
With a little luck, everything will end well if it’s a drop or a sip of water, even for a switched-on console. But, unfortunately, it also matters where the water gets in – the ports, connectors, microphone holes, and the like are the most unprotected places of the PlayStation 5 (except for the PSU, of course).
What do I do if I get water in my PlayStation 5? It’s simple:
- If the console is on, turn it off right away;
- If the PS5 is turned off, don’t turn it on.
Small Amounts of Water
Water is dangerous for the PS5 console and any electronics because it can short-circuit the contacts and disable entire modules. That’s why it’s important to prevent this. The only way to do it is to turn off the power as soon as possible. Do not delay this, and do not turn the case upside down to prevent water from getting inside.
Important: If a lot of water gets in and the console sparkles, smokes, or shuts down, it’s best to contact a Sony service center immediately. How to contact support has already been told to you. You will also need to name the device’s revision and serial number.
You can disassemble the console if you haven’t noticed the above. How to do this, we described in detail in the article dedicated to cleaning the PS5 from dust. First, you need to remove the side panels and assess the extent. If there is no water inside or you see that it has not penetrated further to the motherboard, it is enough to dry the case and not turn on the console for at least 12 hours.
Water Inside the Console
Get water in the system unit with the motherboard. You must immediately decide whether or not you will contact the Service Center for a warranty, as removing the protective stickers-seals leads to the invalidation of the warranty.
All wet areas must be wiped clean and dry. It is important to use non-fuzzy, soft, or microfiber cloths for wiping. Hard wipes can damage contacts or tear off wires, and lint can clog between components and cause overheating and short circuits.
The next step, hopefully, you’ve waited long enough and let your PS5 dry, is assembly. You can use a magnetic mat, so you don’t lose any screws. Next, connect the console to the power supply – at the slightest extraneous noise, smell of burning, or sparks, immediately unplug the console. Probably something shorted out, and there is only one way out – to replace the faulty component.
You can connect the PS5 to the TV if the launch is successful.
Now go into the system and start the game. Play for at least an hour to assess the console’s performance under load, and if you don’t find any faults, then you’re lucky and the water didn’t damage the system.
What to Do if Water Gets Into Your DualSense?
It’s the same with the controller: the more water that gets inside, the more likely critical failures will occur. The procedure is as follows:
- Be sure to remove the batteries and unplug the power cord, and remove the unit from the docking station;
- Wipe the outside of the controller;
- We have already told you how to disassemble the DualSense case. Inside, as with the PS5, gently soak up all the water;
- Reassemble the joystick;
- Insert the batteries and check the operation. It may have run out of power if it blinks blue and won’t start.
Button Sticking
Controller sticking can be software or physical. In the first case, it is a matter of input lag – you press a button, and the action on the TV screen occurs with a significant delay. The malfunction is easy to fix on your own, as well as problems with spontaneous switching on and off the console.
Cleaning Controller Buttons
The second case is if you spilled sweet water on the gamepad. How to clean the PS5 controller buttons:
- Wipe and disassemble the DualSense;
- When the water is gone, take a microfiber and wipe the buttons, sticks, body, and other sticky surfaces with isopropyl alcohol (70% or more); After you can rinse the body under normal tap water and dry well;
- The controller board (including capacitors and ports) should also be cleaned in isopropanol;
- The triggers can be cleaned with alcohol, but you must disconnect the wires first. But the silicone gaskets under the buttons are better to wash with plain water, as alcohol can damage the conductive black film on them;
- Carefully assemble the controller, connecting all components correctly.
Use pure isopropyl alcohol without any impurities for cleaning – it is safe for electronic boards. The exception is the conductive film, as we mentioned above.
What About Warranty
We recommend that you take advantage of the free replacement option and don’t do the fixing yourself. But when the console gets wet and does not turn on, the chances of getting a free repair are close to ZERO. Perhaps if you have issued some special or extended warranty in the store, you will be helped. But, as a rule, situations that happened through the owner’s fault are not a reason for replacement, no matter what site you bought the console. However, it is advised to buy the console on a verified marketplace and clarify the warranty availability.
Do not be afraid to contact the support service, Sony. The network is enough examples of when the company refused and agreed to subordinate the console for free, even after the warranty expiration. Try it!
We advise you to find the revision and serial number of the device, as well as the receipt confirming the purchase and the right to warranty service.
How to Protect PS5 Console and Controller From Water Damage
The headline is banal, but most console owners ignore the elementary placement rules. And since repairing water damage is quite complicated and dangerous for the electronic components of the console, it is better to avoid such situations.
We have already told you how to place the console vertically or horizontally – you can read about it. In addition, there is useful information about the design features and overheating and dust. The main idea of this article is to put the console on a higher level. This will immediately protect you from accidental bumps on the PS5 case, unintentional flooding, and even protect from dust. Of course, you also need to ensure security – the sides and locks are mandatory when installing the console on anything above the floor.
We think saying platitudes like “do not drink water and do not eat near the console” pointless – especially when it became possible directly on the PS5 watch YouTube and Twitch-streaming. We believe it is enough to fulfill the first point and quietly play with friends in modern games, not be afraid to fill the console soda.
Despite the lack of protection against water, you can find offers from artisans who make designer assemblies. Of course, these are single and unique items, and Sony’s warranty does not apply to them. Look out for protective cases or use a regular bag if you know there is a serious risk of getting your devices wet today.
How Do You Know if Water Has Gotten In?
You’ll often find the question, how can you tell if there’s water in the PlayStation 5? If you ask, it’s not so bad – it’s hard not to notice that water got into the running console. Sounds, smells, and other trappings of a short circuit are immediately noticeable.
If you don’t see the consequences, this is a plus – don’t hurry to switch it on. Instead, disassemble the console and try to wipe the wet places. To minimize risks after cleaning, we advise you not to run the console for 24 hours or dry it with a hair dryer or a wind blower.
To remind you that these manipulations are mostly useless with salty water because the conductive connections are dangerous, which, alas, will not disappear after drying. In such cases, it is better to contact specialists. Perhaps they will be able to neutralize the effect of salts with special solutions.
Video Instruction
This article discussed the water damage to the PS5 and DualSense controller. The situation is quite serious and can easily lead to the complete failure of the console with the loss of warranty rights. Therefore, after reviewing the basic ways to repair the gamepad and console, we advise you to immediately put into practice the tips on the placement of devices in the room.
It is enough to place the PS5 and DualSense with the docking station higher to reduce the risk of flooding and dust ingress, which will positively affect the system’s performance. We advise you to contact the Sony repair center if you cannot solve the problem using the abovementioned methods. It is possible to repair and replace electronic components yourself. Still, if you doubt your abilities or there is an active warranty, it is better to entrust this work to professionals.
Egor Borisov
PS3 Slim, PS4 Pro, and PS5 owner. I disassemble, clean, and modify consoles and controllers. I share my experiences on this site and tell you about the new console generation.
