User question
Good day.
Today I accidentally knocked half a cup of tea onto my laptop. I immediately turned it off and put it next to the battery. Everything seems to have flowed out of it, and it is already almost dry.
Tell me what you need to do in this case, and can you turn on the laptop?
Hello.
In addition to overheating and mechanical damage, one of the most common causes of laptop breakdowns is their flooding with some kind of liquid (water, tea, coffee, beer - in fact, as it happened with you).
Worst of all, there is almost everything under the laptop keyboard: the processor, the motherboard, the disk, etc.
It is not uncommon for spilled liquid to leak through the keyboard and onto the mat. board: closes the contacts, corrosion begins and the board becomes unusable. Further, the laptop will be subject to expensive repairs, sometimes slightly lower than the cost of a new device ...
By the way, some manufacturers put small protective films, cover some special parts. means - but this only partially saves ...
In this article I will answer the user's question about what to do if liquid is spilled on the device. I think by resorting to the material below, you can (with the right and quick actions) minimize your costs.
So...
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If I flooded my laptop, then ...
STEP 1
Whatever you spill on the surface of the device - immediately disconnect the cable from the laptop power supply. The faster you do this, the better (ignore the graceful shutdown of Windows).
Disconnect the power cable from the device
STEP 2
Turn the device over and remove the battery. The laptop must be turned off and unplugged as soon as possible!
Removing the battery
Those users who have a battery hidden inside the case are less "lucky" (if this word is appropriate in this case). It is highly advisable to remove the protective cover and remove the battery (if you have not turned off the laptop before, hold down the power button for 5-10 seconds, an emergency shutdown should occur).
Remember that the main spilled liquid falls on the keyboard, and it does not flow inward at once and does not flow in streams (especially, most keyboards have a metal backing that will also contain some of the moisture). Therefore, the main thing is not to hesitate and turn everything off in time!
STEP 3
Leave the device with the keyboard facing down on a clean, level and dry surface (so that any spilled liquid can drain from it).
It is advisable to put some dry towel or rag under the keyboard (change it a couple of times if a lot of liquid comes out of the device).
👉 Drying takes on average 2-3 days (at least!). The main mistake of many is the hasty turning on of the device before it dries out.
Important!
For drying, do not use a hair dryer, battery, or any other heating device.
- First, they can create conditions for condensation to appear inside the device (which means that moisture will spread throughout the laptop, which is not good).
- Secondly, the same hair dryer will drive in excess dust (which will already "sit" on sweet spots from flooding).
- Thirdly, these devices can overheat individual components of the laptop and render them unusable!
STEP 4
Take the device to a service workshop to assess its condition (do not try to turn it on yourself after filling and drying!).
Yes, you will most likely be charged for inspection (diagnostics) and cleaning the device - but this is much cheaper than burning the mat. payment after a week or two of work with corrosion on it.
In most cases, if there was not a lot of liquid, and you turned the device over in time and turned it off (and then left it to dry), the laptop can be brought into working order with minimal costs.
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👉 For self-assessment and repair
Some users have quite old laptops, and they do not want to spend extra money on them and carry them to the service (preferring to cope on their own). For them I will give a couple of tips (do everything at your own peril and risk).
About types of liquids
If we conditionally divide all liquids according to the degree of impact on the glands of the laptop, then they can be aggressive (those that contain salt or sugar: tea, coffee, beer, lemonade, mineral water, etc.), and not aggressive (for example, plain water).
If you spill plain water, the chances of saving your laptop are much higher. The fact is that corrosive liquids cause a strong corrosion process, damage the conductive paths, and close them. As a result, many details on the mat are damaged. board (one of the examples below).
A sad case ... (sweet lemonade got under the laptop keyboard, which caused corrosion and spoiled the microcircuit)
About cleaning and diagnostics
My recommendation is simple - after filling the laptop with any liquid, you need to disassemble the device and see where the moisture has penetrated.
Although I note that some experts admit that if ordinary water is spilled on the laptop, then after good drying, you can try to turn on the device.
After disassembling the laptop, carefully examine all its parts (you can use a magnifying glass or magnifying glass). If the liquid did not pass beyond the keyboard, you are in luck. You can assemble the device and turn it on.
For keyboard problems ...
If the keys are very crunchy and sticky, try removing the keyboard and washing it in warm water and detergent (such as Fairy). Then dry it and plug it back in. The method is "collective farm", but it often helps to revive the keyboard even in the most problematic cases.
If, on the motherboard, they find places where moisture has penetrated, then the traces of flooding must be carefully cleaned with a cotton swab and a soft brush (an old toothbrush will do) moistened with alcohol (so that there is no trace of the spilled liquid).
Then dry everything, collect, and try to turn it on. At least in this case, the chances of a successful outcome are much greater than turning on "blindly" ... 👀
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TOTAL
1) The very first, and most important, when spilling any liquid on the laptop surface is shutdown it from the power supply (i.e. first disconnect the cable from the power supply, then turn it over and remove the battery).
In this upside down position - leave the device to dry completely (2-3 days!). Do not put on a battery, do not use a hair dryer or other heating devices. It is imperative (especially when flooded with aggressive liquids) to show the device in the service (before turning it on after drying).
2) Remember that spilled liquid on a laptop is immediately an automatic denial of warranty service (or replacement of the device)!
If you have small children at home or have animals, then it may be worth purchasing an additional warranty * when buying a laptop.
* Note: some stores offer to pay extra for 10-15% of the cost of the goods. a guarantee that will help in such cases (the company will repair the device).
However, be sure to see what is included in this extended warranty - different companies have different conditions!
3) Perhaps this recommendation will not suit everyone, and yet, it is better to start 2 laptops:
- one that you will personally use (where your work files and data will be);
- and the second (simpler and cheaper - so that now there are laptops and for 10 thousand rubles) - for children, entertainment, etc.
Of course, keep the working laptop away from the "destroyers", and if the second one is flooded, the damage will be much less ...
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That's all. Add-ons are welcome.
Good luck!
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First published: 13.02.2018
Correction of the article: 01/15/2020
