Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Air 2012 - Beer Spillage

S

silt

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 13, 2013
2
0
Hi,

I spilled approximately 50ml of beer on my Air's keyboard yesterday. I immediately put it on the side and started wiping the remaining liquid off with a tissue. The notebook works just fine. Around 10 keys got a bit soft and there's the slight smell of beer...

Is lifting the keycaps and cleaning the buttons with an alcohol-based cleaning kit gonna help? I am afraid one day it will just stop working. Any other preventive measures?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
JHUFrank

JHUFrank

macrumors 6502a
Apr 16, 2010
652
66
one day it may stop working. Ask my wife who spilled about 50ml of Koolaid on her 2008 MBP. With her the laptop quit working on battery.
With a MBA you are sort of stuck with fixes. Pulling it apart and hand drying it would be a task. Good luck
 
G-Mo

G-Mo

macrumors 6502
Nov 6, 2010
466
2
Auckland, NZ
Having the machine taken apart and cleaned ASAP is your only real course of action. Beer is very high in sugar and causes nasty corrosion, really, it's only a matter of time... What you have done so far (putting on its side, etc...), will not help long term.
 
S

silt

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 13, 2013
2
0
Thanks for your help!

how much will it approximately cost to have it taken apart and cleaned? Is it gonna save my warranty? I cannot do much by myself except taking off the keycaps and cleaning the mechanism manually.

Isn't aluminium supposed to be corrosion-resistant though? Also, there is a plastic shield separating the keyboard from the internals. I thought that as long as the spillage is not too extensive, the shield should keep the liquid away until it dries out?
 
Last edited:
G-Mo

G-Mo

macrumors 6502
Nov 6, 2010
466
2
Auckland, NZ
silt said:
how much will it approximately cost to have it taken apart and cleaned? Is it gonna save my warranty? I cannot do much by myself except taking off the keycaps and cleaning the mechanism manually.

Isn't aluminium supposed to be corrosion-resistant though? Also, there is a plastic shield separating the keyboard from the internals. I thought that as long as the spillage is not too extensive, the shield should keep the liquid away until it dries out?
Click to expand...

One or more of the liquid contact sensors inside the machine have likely already been activated, this voids your warranty. In order to restore your warranty you would need to have all liquid contacted components replaced (top case, logic board?, battery?). If its just the top case, it's only a few hundred bucks, if it's the logic board it's not worth it... Just have it cleaned and hope for the best!
 
F

flyshop

macrumors newbie
Jan 28, 2004
23
0
Book Arc

My MacBook Air is connected to a Samsung Monitor. The laptop sits in a BookArc made by Twelve South and is sitting vertically like a closed clamshell.
I use a Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard. The BookArc is sold at Apple for $40.00 for the Air version. The keyboard is $70.00 and a lot easier to replace than a new computer.
 
G-Mo

G-Mo

macrumors 6502
Nov 6, 2010
466
2
Auckland, NZ
flyshop said:
My MacBook Air is connected to a Samsung Monitor. The laptop sits in a BookArc made by Twelve South and is sitting vertically like a closed clamshell.
I use a Apple wireless bluetooth keyboard. The BookArc is sold at Apple for $40.00 for the Air version. The keyboard is $70.00 and a lot easier to replace than a new computer.
Click to expand...

I use an mStand by Rain Design and same wireless keyboard.

(Also use a Samsung as well as an older Acer monitor.)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom