Any way to reapply adhesive or tape after opening a phone?

[fuzzybabybunny]

A lot of phones and tablets nowadays use adhesive to seal the body together, which requires heat and force to pry apart. Waterproof phones for instance love to use this.

But what happens after you open such a device, such as to replace a battery? Is the adhesive permanently damaged? Is the device no longer able to be made waterproof anymore? Can you reapply the adhesive somehow and get an original seal?

 

[Elixer]

Yeah, once you open it, the glue is pretty much done with, and it will lose the waterproof rating.
They do have replacement glue you could use though, but, you have to be pretty darn careful to get the waterproof rating back.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Yeah, once you open it, the glue is pretty much done with, and it will lose the waterproof rating.
They do have replacement glue you could use though, but, you have to be pretty darn careful to get the waterproof rating back.

What's the replacement glue called? Sometimes the adhesive almost looks like thin strips of double sided tape or something...

 

[mindless1]

Seems like this would need to be considered on a case by case (device) basis, including the state of the sealant when the phone is opened. Offhand I'd wonder if a substitute could be something like non-acid (aka "sensor safe") RTV sealant, often used in the automotive world. If it literally holds the phone together then you might need to clamp it until set, and the adhesion could depend largely on surface prep. Surfaces like silicone rubber cladding or plastic with mold release agent still on it, will have poor adhesion.

 

[Elixer]

What's the replacement glue called? Sometimes the adhesive almost looks like thin strips of double sided tape or something...

They do have some double sided tape, like this one https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Tesa-61395-Tape/IF317-072-1 (don't think this makes it waterproof though)
Some phones use Araldite (which is waterproof) or B7000, and others use a different glue, it really depends on the OEM, and how they are putting the phone together.

 

[WelshBloke]

If you cant get an OEM adhesive seal you could get some waterproof, high adhesive double sided tape and roll your own.
Should be pretty easy to do with a scalpel and a steady hand.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Any recommendations for specific waterproof adhesive or tape that is also removable with heat or a hairdryer?

That Araldite stuff looks to be an epoxy, so would be permanent?

 

[J.Wilkins]

A lot of phones and tablets nowadays use adhesive to seal the body together, which requires heat and force to pry apart. Waterproof phones for instance love to use this.

But what happens after you open such a device, such as to replace a battery? Is the adhesive permanently damaged? Is the device no longer able to be made waterproof anymore? Can you reapply the adhesive somehow and get an original seal?

When doing jobs like those I usually just use silicone, as a contact adhesive it is very strong and it is not only water resistant or even water proof, it's water repulsing.

It's not permanent as it is a bit flexible and can be separated by force but it's still stronger than the adhesive tape most use, I probably wouldn't use it if I meant to take it apart again.

Just go down to whatever shop is closest to you, get a tube of silicone (silicone sealant will work just fine) at £2, there is no need for anything else.

One tube like that will last you a lifetime for this purpose if you remember to clean out the nozzle and then put a bit of aluminium foil between it and the tube before you screw it on.