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View Full Version : Wetting unpowered electronics- is it safe?



Dustin2128
December 8th, 2010, 11:53 PM
I've got a fairly obselete computer that I.. spilled some cola in (yes, in the open case)... anyway, its no real loss with equal or lesser specs than my current desktop and even less room for expansion. Except that I could use the extra RAM, and the P4 appears to be base clocked 200Mhz higher. However, there's a small amount of sticky cola remnants on most all of the parts; and it completely dissolved the half-inch of adhesive connecting the processor and heatsink. Luckily as the title hints, it was unpowered, and remains so. Anyway, I figured that a bit more liquid- certainly water- wouldn't hurt, so I took out the CPU and RAM and rinsed them off for about a minute each in my sink. Anyway, I think it's probably a bright idea to wait a few days to be absolutely and entirely sure they are completely dry, but how long should I wait; or is it a bad idea altogether?

handy
December 9th, 2010, 12:41 AM
I have scrubbed mouse pisss off of a graphics card under a tab with a nail brush, let it dry in the sun (a hair dryer is great for the job) & it worked fine after that.

I think I would want to get the cola off of the motherboard, it is pretty acidic I think.

Coke will clean oil stains off of concrete better than any other product I've seen. I can't imagine it is any good for a person after seeing that...

The Real Dave
December 9th, 2010, 12:52 AM
I once saw an article take an old "faulty" stick of RAM, place it in a sock, then throw it in the washing machine. After the rinse, the stick of RAM actually worked again (and looked much cleaner).

Coke is most definately conductive, and as far as I know, the real cause of damage when liquid meets electronics, are short-cicuits routing power where it shouldn't go.

But seeing as you've already spilled coke in it, you might as well give it a wash and hope for the best. Make sure to remove the CMOS battery and press the power button quite a few times to try to drain any residual current in the circuitry. Then give it a shot. No big loss, so might as well :)


On a related note, my iPod went through a wash cycle, and worked on the other side of it. However, the battery started misbehaving. I ordered a replacement, and in attempting to replace it, snapped the ribbon cable from the click wheel >.< So now a new click wheel is on the way.

coffeecat
December 9th, 2010, 12:53 AM
I have scrubbed mouse pisss off of a graphics card

I have to ask: how did a mouse manage to do a Jimmy on your graphics card? :)

Dustin2128
December 9th, 2010, 01:17 AM
well I'm not planning to have the computer up again; there's really not much of a point; it has zero expandability. I'm just salvaging parts, and maybe when I've got the money for a mid-range computer build, I'll just buy another 775 socket motherboard. Or I'll just give it to a friend or something.

@coffecat
lack of a cat-based computer defense system.
http://blog.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/cat-in-server-2-big.jpg

handy
December 9th, 2010, 05:55 AM
I have to ask: how did a mouse manage to do a Jimmy on your graphics card? :)

I guess it was just one of those natural need to go now things for the mouse. :) Though if they are like rats, they just piddle as they go.

It was actually a customer's midi tower computer that didn't have all of the card slot covers screwed in the back of the case. So the mouse could easily use one of those slot holes as a doorway.

I think the mouse thought that it was a very nice dark & warm place to hideout...

handy
December 9th, 2010, 05:57 AM
...
@coffecat
lack of a cat-based computer defense system.
http://blog.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/cat-in-server-2-big.jpg

:lolflag:

I love it. Your security system would have worked perfectly under the circumstances I mentioned.

I think you should go into the computer hardware security business Dustin. :)


It is an interesting concept having to literally feed such a system. I guess the cat box would need to be located nearby...

zer010
December 9th, 2010, 07:01 AM
When ever I need to clean some electronic components, I use 90% Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol). It displaces moisture, dissolves sugar and it dries quickly. I've used it on RAM that was literally buried in dirt and amazingly it worked. I use this method whenever I have the occasional spill on my keyboard. So far, after about four spills and cleanings, this keyboard is still working fine because I'm typing on it now. ;)

cascade9
December 9th, 2010, 07:24 AM
I've seen my dad, who is an electronic engineer, clean lots of electrical parts with warm soapy water and a little metho (not a bad idea to rinse afterwards if you use soap). zer010s Isopropyl Alcohol method is probably better, but its more expensive.

@ handy- seen the same thing, mouse pee (and poop!) al over the inside of a case. I guess its nice and warm in there in winter, so its temping for the little rodents. BTW, I've also found a few dead geckos in cases. I'm not sure which is worse :|


the P4 appears to be base clocked 200Mhz higher.

Check the cache/FSB before you go changing your CPU. You would be better off with a 2.8GHz P4 (2MB, 800MHz FSB) than a 'faster' P4 with slower FSB and smaller cache.

mips
December 9th, 2010, 08:08 AM
It's better to use distilled or RO water than tap water but there are even better ways. My personal preference is to use methylated spirits (Isopropyl Alcohol is ok but more expensive and only available from a chemist locally)and just soak any liquid damaged stuff in it for about a minute. If there is a sticky residue like in your case with the cola just give it a few light brushes with a tooth brush while soaked.

Once you remove it from the methylated spirits use a blower or hair dryer to dry it faster, methylated spirits evaporates very quickly as it is and blowing air onto it speeds the process up even more. If your hair dryer is a heated use it at a distance a bit further away as you don't want things getting to hot.

Most semiconductors are fine wrt to liquids as they are essentially sealed and the liquid cannot penetrate the outer surface. Things like coils & capacitors are a slightly different story though but it's always worth a try and if in doubt just leave it for a few days before trying.

HermanAB
December 9th, 2010, 09:44 AM
Howdy,

Electronic assemblies are washed in an industrial dishwasher with some orange juice, at the end of the manufacturing cycle. Washing with soapy water and a little meth to aid with drying is fine for most things.

The exceptions are stuff that can absorb water, such as some keyboard laminates and LCD panels.

I have placed many keyboards in a dishwasher: About 2 out of 3 comes out nice and clean and working, while 1 in 3 ends up broken. A motherboard should wash just fine though.

Paqman
December 9th, 2010, 11:34 AM
Getting electronics wet is fine, as it's all just plastic and metal anyway. To properly clean electronics on the bench you use isopropyl alcohol anyway.

Don't use any kind of detergent that would leave a residue. If you do have IPA, use that and it'll air dry very quickly. Otherwise make sure it's nice and dry before reinstalling it and you'll be fine.

Remember to observe good ESD handling practice with any components you handle.

daverich
December 9th, 2010, 01:59 PM
personally i'd clean it with alchohol.

You really need to get any sugar off (and coke is pretty much pure sugar heh) as it will corrode like biarch.

Kind regards

Dave Rich

MoebusNet
December 9th, 2010, 11:41 PM
True story: I used to work flying helicopters offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. At least once a year for various reasons, we would have a helicopter go down in the Gulf. When the helicopter was recovered from underwater, one of the first things done was to remove all of the electronics (radios etc.) from the helicopter and place them in 5-gallon buckets of fresh water (to rinse the salt out of the circuitry) for about a week, changing the fresh water daily. After a week, the electronics were allowed to dry completely before testing.

The electronics techs tell me they had about a 50% success rate (without needing repair) of working vs. non-working electronics after having been submerged in salt water and rinsed like this. Some had been in salt water for a week before rescue.

Doctor Mike
December 10th, 2010, 12:02 AM
The only real danger in wetting not powered electronics is if: 1. the device has a stored charge (old tv 40 thousand volts of ouch) 2. being in contact at the time of wetting (aside from being sticky it could be a shocking experience) 3. if it's still wet don't place a bet...

mips
December 10th, 2010, 10:05 AM
True story: I used to work flying helicopters offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. At least once a year for various reasons, we would have a helicopter go down in the Gulf. When the helicopter was recovered from underwater, one of the first things done was to remove all of the electronics (radios etc.) from the helicopter and place them in 5-gallon buckets of fresh water (to rinse the salt out of the circuitry) for about a week, changing the fresh water daily. After a week, the electronics were allowed to dry completely before testing.

The electronics techs tell me they had about a 50% success rate (without needing repair) of working vs. non-working electronics after having been submerged in salt water and rinsed like this. Some had been in salt water for a week before rescue.

That kinda scares me if stuff like that is happening in the aviation industry. There is no guarantee the working equipment is not going to suffer a latent failure 1 week after being back in the air. On home electronics etc salvaging the kit is fine but when it comes to aviation where peoples lives depend on it I find it truly disturbing that this practice is going on.

Paqman
December 10th, 2010, 10:49 AM
That kinda scares me if stuff like that is happening in the aviation industry.

He's not suggesting that they'd be flown again without being overhauled, that would be dodgy as hell.

Parts from crashed aircraft have been known to find their way back into the system though. When I was working on aircraft we had trouble at one point with some helicopter rotor blades that had been shot (!) in PNG, repaired, given fake paperwork and sold as refurbed parts. They're known as bogus parts in the trade and it's a lucrative (if highly illegal) business.

Bogus parts also refers to using the wrong spec part, a case has been in the news the last couple of days over the Concorde crash.

mips
December 10th, 2010, 11:50 AM
Parts from crashed aircraft have been known to find their way back into the system though. When I was working on aircraft we had trouble at one point with some helicopter rotor blades that had been shot (!) in PNG, repaired, given fake paperwork and sold as refurbed parts. They're known as bogus parts in the trade and it's a lucrative (if highly illegal) business.

Bogus parts also refers to using the wrong spec part, a case has been in the news the last couple of days over the Concorde crash.

Aware of that. Seen a episode or two of air crash investigations that was due to 'bogus' parts after which the FAA drafted up even stricter regulations. One company actually specialised in fake knockoffs which is even worse.

curuxz
December 10th, 2010, 12:47 PM
Once you remove it from the methylated spirits use a blower or hair dryer to dry it faster, methylated spirits evaporates very quickly as it is and blowing air onto it speeds the process up even more. If your hair dryer is a heated use it at a distance a bit further away as you don't want things getting to hot.



What ever you do, DO NOT USE A HAIR DRYER...EVER! Best case scenario it will drive moisture into the components, worst case it will create massive amounts of static that will fry the boards. Very bad indeed and I have seen lots of machines nuked this way.

My advice would be to boil a kettle a few time and allow to cool or use distilled water if possible to gently clean the sticky parts. Then leave to dry, if you wish to speed up the drying speed get some silica gel packs and put them inside that will absorb moisture. But again do not rush it or put near direct heat, all kinds of problem.

Best of luck :)

ronnielsen1
December 10th, 2010, 01:13 PM
I think I would want to get the cola off of the motherboard, it is pretty acidic I think.

Plus the sugar which definitely won't help. I accidentally dropped my cell phone in my coffee one time (I drink it black fortunately) and it turned out fine but the sugar would have killed it

mips
December 10th, 2010, 02:44 PM
What ever you do, DO NOT USE A HAIR DRYER...EVER! Best case scenario it will drive moisture into the components, worst case it will create massive amounts of static that will fry the boards. Very bad indeed and I have seen lots of machines nuked this way.

My advice would be to boil a kettle a few time and allow to cool or use distilled water if possible to gently clean the sticky parts. Then leave to dry, if you wish to speed up the drying speed get some silica gel packs and put them inside that will absorb moisture. But again do not rush it or put near direct heat, all kinds of problem.

Best of luck :)

Never in 20yrs had an issue using a hair dryer, we even had one at work. We don't get static here either.

How does boiling a kettle a few times help. The water evaporates and the solids stay behind.

benmoran
December 10th, 2010, 03:31 PM
An excellent way to clean circuit boards is with automotive brake cleaner. Non-chlorinated is best. Be careful though, since it will melt some kinds of soft plastics. Any parts on a quality motherboard will be fine though. The good thing about brake cleaner is that it evaporates within minutes. It's strong stuff so be careful.

curuxz
December 10th, 2010, 10:07 PM
Never in 20yrs had an issue using a hair dryer, we even had one at work. We don't get static here either.

How does boiling a kettle a few times help. The water evaporates and the solids stay behind.


I have seen lots of devices destroyed from the static, there was also one of those science type programs (may have been braniac) or something that tested it out and said that the static was very very bad for electronics, esp newer hair dryers with ionisation for obvious reasons.

Not really sure on the boiling water front, just something I have always heard is a good idea if you cant lay your hands on distilled water. Assume it has something to do with trying to get as much oxygen out of the water as possible to lower its corrosive properties.

MoebusNet
December 21st, 2010, 08:58 PM
That kinda scares me if stuff like that is happening in the aviation industry. There is no guarantee the working equipment is not going to suffer a latent failure 1 week after being back in the air. On home electronics etc salvaging the kit is fine but when it comes to aviation where peoples lives depend on it I find it truly disturbing that this practice is going on.

Sorry to reply so late, I just couldn't let this go even if it is off-thread.

Any equipment (including electronics) that has been previously used in aviation must meet criteria set by the FAA. Equipment that has previously used, inspected and reused includes the entire aircraft itself. Electronics that have been immersed, recovered and put back into service must meet the same standards as any other used equipment for serviceability.

As for helicopters, they are certified to be able to continue flight without any electricity whatsoever. The failure of a communications radio, gauge or even an electronic fuel control is an inconvenience that we train and are checked for twice a year. I wish that automobile drivers had 10% of the training professional pilots do.