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Plenty of water spilled on MBA's keyboard, the laptop acting like a devil now

H

HappyFunnyCrap

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 17, 2013
22
0
Hi, pals.
I accidentally spill a lot of water on my MBA 2012 (i5 8G)yesterday, when I noticed it , I did the best ASAP, I sucked all the water by my mouth(not funny...), then i should turn it down, which I didn't.

Instead, I keep enjoying my game, (i suppose the water was not going inside, because it's functioning well) hoping the heat will help dry(95 degree C. while playing dota2).

Then, the funny creepy things happened, keys messed up(caps lock green lights on but verse function) and the computer turn off itself, I didn't realize how seriously that was at the time, so I turn it on in to OSX, many keys are gone already...

I was stupid enough to reset the SMC and PR, and I found out the keys were malfunctioned and didn't let me to.

I waited and prayed for my documents on the computer, and took a deep breath. I would like to open it but I couldn't find a suitable screw driver... I prayed and leave it close to the heater, with a hair dryer against the keys, I have to watch something to distract my mind so I can sleep, oh, game of thrones it is...

The next day-- today , no one touched her, but the tiny lady freaked out, keep booting and shutting down and finally out of battery, and the last moment it restarted with maximum fan speed, however, when the apple appears, it closed...



I don't want take it to Apple and pay a high replacement, is there anyone who had the similar experience and kind enough to tell me what to do? Is it savable if I get a screw driver and using alcohol? Or the logical board is just dead? Or i should I just wait a few days and keep the heater on?
I got exam in 3 days... Oh my god!:(
 
hamiltonDSi said:
For the love of God, why ? :)
After water contact any device needs to be shut down for at least 48hrs to dry up.
Click to expand...

I was naïve to believe it was not devastating, so I played on. Damn! I know it takes long to dry and I saved my iPod touch twice in a good way, but I guess I was high? yesterday.
 
You basically did all of the things you're NOT supposed to do in that situation. It's probably dead, but you can try to stick it in a bag with some rice to draw out any remaining moisture. Give it a couple days.
 
The Mac is toast at this point. Even if you flipped it over and shut it down quickly it may have been shorted out. Playing on, guaranteed that you shorted out your MBA.

You can take it into apple for repair though, at the very least the logic board has to be replaced.
 
T5BRICK said:
You basically did all of the things you're NOT supposed to do in that situation. It's probably dead, but you can try to stick it in a bag with some rice to draw out any remaining moisture. Give it a couple days.
Click to expand...

i will try to put it into sealed bags with CaCO3 snake dryer from crackers, I don't want it do die like this:(

----------
maflynn said:
The Mac is toast at this point. Even if you flipped it over and shut it down quickly it may have been shorted out. Playing on, guaranteed that you shorted out your MBA.

You can take it into apple for repair though, at the very least the logic board has to be replaced.
Click to expand...

Any luck if somebody ever waited and it survived? Oh, lord, too bad there is too tiny hope from what I have seen...
 
HappyFunnyCrap said:
Any luck if somebody ever waited and it survived? Oh, lord, too bad there is too tiny hope from what I have seen...
Click to expand...
Yes, if they turned the computer off, and let it dry out (either in rice or on its own). When I say letting it dry out, I mean for days on end. Since you used it while there was water inside your laptop you shorted the logic board.

To put it in simplest terms, the water created short circuits frying the delicate components by causing an over voltage that they were not designed to handle. They're burnt out and there's no way to save it now.

Even if you had turned it off immediately, there's a risk that the logic board could have been fried, but at least it was a risk, now its basically a certainty.

:(
 
It is very important to get the laptop opened and disconnect the battery.
Without doing this electrical corrosion will continue to take place as long as there is moisture.
Most folks would do this and then forget that there is also a pram/cmos backup battery on many of the older laptops only to find that the voltage from those added further corrosion.
I am going to agree with the others, you made things far worse, on the bright side there are plenty of folks that do surface component level repairs.
That means there is some value in there remaining selling for parts or repair.
 
T5BRICK said:
You basically did all of the things you're NOT supposed to do in that situation. It's probably dead, but you can try to stick it in a bag with some rice to draw out any remaining moisture. Give it a couple days.
Click to expand...

maflynn said:
The Mac is toast at this point. Even if you flipped it over and shut it down quickly it may have been shorted out. Playing on, guaranteed that you shorted out your MBA.

You can take it into apple for repair though, at the very least the logic board has to be replaced.
Click to expand...

Your original post is an object lesson to all who write detailed tales of utter destruction involving liquid spillages or having spilt liquid on their computers on what NOT to do in these circumstances.

By continuing with your game, you undoubtedly turned an already damaged computer into a fried and destroyed one. Then, witlessly turning it on and off, further destroyed the already annihilated computer.

Good luck with the drying out process, but, as others have already remarked, your computer is probably doomed beyond any capacity for repair; you can consider selling it for parts, bringing it to Apple for repair, or buying another to replace it.

 
Last edited:
Pals, thanks for reply.
I cannot help opened my Mac just now, with a intelligent friend of mine who's learning micro chips, the plastic around the battery is so crispy that I did broke them...

Luckily we didn't break anything mainly. I learned electricity and electronics in college, but since I haven't use it for years...

I found the motherboard was safe and sound, nothing like a water spot. but the power board is full of white tints, so I did clean it(actually it's all dry) and tore out the keyboard and dry again, the back stickers almost ruined...

Then I power on to give a shot.

Not lucky! Cannot charging and the MagSafe light didn't work. When I push the power button the fan reached its max speed and at the hence the apple came out, Mac shut down itself.

Later, My friend used a voltage indicator and the power supply seemed to be fine. Harsh problem.

Later we disconnect ports from the main board and found out the keyboard was the black sheep, if it was disconnected, the MagSafe cord will work properly, and when it's plugged, it seems SMC has cut it down to protect the system.

Now I will buy a keyboard and try later, I actually messed the backlight of the original keyboard now.


But there is another problem, the fan is running crazy. I don't know if I change a new key and reset SMC as well as PR, what will happen to it.



Here are some pictures of the main board and the screw holes I broke...
 
You took classes in electronics before? Well, sorry to break it to you: just because the board 'looks' ok, does NOT mean that it is. And now that you broke it, there's almost NO chance of Apple helping you at all.

At this point, sell it for parts as you've basically destroyed it.:(
 
where is my pitcture
 

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jbachandouris said:
You took classes in electronics before? Well, sorry to break it to you: just because the board 'looks' ok, does NOT mean that it is. And now that you broke it, there's almost NO chance of Apple helping you at all.

At this point, sell it for parts as you've basically destroyed it.:(
Click to expand...

Thanks, I actually checked the votage and conductivity of the main board between some ports, turns out to be fine.
 
The keyboard itself is likely fine.
The keyboard & touch-pad USB controller mounted on the underside of the touch-pad is likely burned out.
Remove the touch-pad and look at the two chips on the underside.
One is for the keyboard, the other is the touch-pad.
I wager your magsafe I/O board is also bad, OR look very close at the flat ribbon cable to see if you see any leads within it burnt, you may need to replace both them parts, magsafe I/O board and the ribbon cable.
The touch-pad needs to be replaced with the right model year as they have changed the key layout and that is stored within those chips on the underside.

btw:
until you remove the logic-board, you are only seeing half the story

btw:
Disconnect the ONE narrow ribbon cable from the track-pad to the logic board.
Easy to disconnect at the logic board
If the controller board on the underside is bad, that will make your fan run full speed and use a bunch of cpu cycles making the machine run real slow.
 
Last edited:
ZombiePete said:
I respectfully disagree with you on that point. The mental image alone made me laugh out loud.
Click to expand...

Yes. This image left me somewhat startled. As did the story told. And then, having sucked the excess water (I'm speechless) - by, um, mouth, or, what he thought was the excess water, the OP proceeded to carry on with his game……….

HarryWarden said:
Seems like there's a new thread about water damage every day.
Click to expand...

Not only that, but some of the accompanying narratives describing what are almost invariably self-inflicted disasters are actually stupefying to read. And some, yes, are unintentionally hilarious.
 
Last edited:
After reading your post, I feel confident in saying you took every step to assure you would maximize your damage. If anyone is looking for a way to destroy a MacBook Air, they can use your post as a guide.

I cannot understand your actions in the least. How did you NOT know to shut it down?

----------
HappyFunnyCrap said:
Any luck if somebody ever waited and it survived?
Click to expand...

I spilled a glass of milk on my MBP. I turned it off immediately and turned it on its side to let the milk out. I cleaned it carefully, and have had zero issues.

I had another PC that got flooded, that I left to dry for a week. (It was powered down.) Cleaned it carefully, and it started up and ran like a champ for years.

Of course, I didn't "keep playing my game."
 
Beachguy said:
After reading your post, I feel confident in saying you took every step to assure you would maximize your damage. If anyone is looking for a way to destroy a MacBook Air, they can use your post as a guide.

I cannot understand your actions in the least. How did you NOT know to shut it down?
Click to expand...
He didn't put it in the dryer so hey 1+ for that.

I do see A LOT of these on here(pretty much daily) but never heard of anyone sucking the water out with their mouth. Best thing to do is power down take the back plate off and let it dry for DAYS.

To OP:I don't know what your friend actually did but if he does know anything first thing after hearing this story should have been to stop you from touching anything else. I don't mean to be harsh but like a lot of people said you did pretty much everything wrong. The you basically have 2 choices 1:sell it as water damaged on Ebay or the likes or 2: Find someone who knows exactly what they are doing and get the parts replaced. There are plenty of places that will swap out the logic board for about $300, obviously the keyboard, trackpad and battery(I didn't quite catch if you popped a cell or not but ill assume you did) will be extra but I do hope those aren't an issue and its just a logic board. Also please stop plugging it in 12 hours after you dumped water on it. You're going to electrocute yourself.

Really like I said I don't mean to be harsh but take this as a lesson. Best of luck if you need help finding a place for logic board replacement just PM me.
 
HappyFunnyCrap said:
Hi, pals.
I accidentally spill a lot of water on my MBA 2012 (i5 8G)yesterday, when I noticed it , I did the best ASAP, I sucked all the water by my mouth(not funny...), then i should turn it down, which I didn't.

Instead, I keep enjoying my game, (i suppose the water was not going inside, because it's functioning well) hoping the heat will help dry(95 degree C. while playing dota2).

Then, the funny creepy things happened, keys messed up(caps lock green lights on but verse function) and the computer turn off itself, I didn't realize how seriously that was at the time, so I turn it on in to OSX, many keys are gone already...

I was stupid enough to reset the SMC and PR, and I found out the keys were malfunctioned and didn't let me to.

I waited and prayed for my documents on the computer, and took a deep breath. I would like to open it but I couldn't find a suitable screw driver... I prayed and leave it close to the heater, with a hair dryer against the keys, I have to watch something to distract my mind so I can sleep, oh, game of thrones it is...

The next day-- today , no one touched her, but the tiny lady freaked out, keep booting and shutting down and finally out of battery, and the last moment it restarted with maximum fan speed, however, when the apple appears, it closed...



I don't want take it to Apple and pay a high replacement, is there anyone who had the similar experience and kind enough to tell me what to do? Is it savable if I get a screw driver and using alcohol? Or the logical board is just dead? Or i should I just wait a few days and keep the heater on?
I got exam in 3 days... Oh my god!:(
Click to expand...

congratulations...you now have a new mac paper weight. seriously though, your mac is fried. to give you somewhat clear picture on what happened to your mac - imagine yourself being soaking wet and holding a live power cable - what do you think will happen to you? that's right, you'll get electrocuted - you may end up having second degree burns or RIP.

sometimes you get lucky if after spillage, you shutdown your mac and waited for "drained" and wiped the spillage for a couple of days - your mac would turn out fine...
:cool:
 
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