Wet keyboard

[zodraz]

In our office a coworker split water her keyboard (Mac Pro 1st gen white keys).

The text keypad 7, u, j, m and number pad * and + didn't work.

We replaced it and I let the wet one sit for a week before taking it aprt to it's tiny bits.

I removed the flexible plastic circuitboard that has the key contacts and noticed the film separator was sticking to the upper and lower "boards". I used a dry towel to wipe them, but didn't notice any moisture.

I re-assembled the whole thing, but it still had the same trouble.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
     

[chriskleeman]

Hey Z,

In the pro-audio business, when our stuff gets wet, we take it apart to the circuit boards and use a hair dryer... moisture is very insidious inside small contacts like that... I have also had success by positioning a desk lamp with an incandescent bulb over the affected area, as the heat from the bulb will slowly draw out the moisture.

I would take it apart again and use either of those two methods... if you use the hair dryer, don't use the hottest setting, and make sure you don't overheat the plastic.

Let it sit out for a day or so dissassembled so the moisture has a chance to dissapate.
That being said, it may have a permanent short or shorts in it, but at least it might be worth a try.

Hope this helps!

Chris K

[gunug]

I was coming up on saying what Chris said but he beat me to it.  Except that sometimes water isn't just water or there was a considerable amount of dust and debris for the water to mix with.  In those cases I've cleaned things up with rubbing alcohol on a swab.  Don't wipe at all on the actual contact surfaces if you can help it.  I've had keyboards that stuck after a weight on the key sticks them too and I'll bet a little heat like from the hair dryer might help that as well.

[Paddy]

Hate to say this, but at this late date, if it appears dry you've probably got corrosion and associated shorts/broken electrical connections.

When something like this gets wet, it's imperative to dry it IMMEDIATELY (well, after you immediately disconnect it, that is!) - the disassembly might have been successful if done promptly, but after a week, the damage is probably permanent.

My son spilled a very small amount of tea on his keyboard, unbeknownst to me, and even though I discovered it while some of the tea was still liquid, the damage had been done and there were non-working keys. I took the whole thing apart, carefully cleaned it with a damp cloth wherever I could find evidence of the tea and still no go.

Water/liquid refreshments and electronics are generally not a good combo.

[jcarter]

Get a new one,,,,,,, my brother spilled ginger ale or iced tea(I cant remember which, but anyway it had plenty of sugar in it), so I told him to wash it out and warm it up.
So he ran it thru the dishwasher!  And the heat cycle too.
It worked OK for a while, I was rather surprised, but then key after key would fail.
So he got a new one, not new, but another keyboard to replace it.
It was funny at the time.
But thats why no liquids, or grandkids are allowed in my computer room,,,,,,,,wonder why?
There are no locks on any of the doors in our house, but I can jam this door so it seems as if its locked, at least to the orange juice carrying youngsters.
Jane

[zodraz]

   

Thanks folks!

I might just try one more time.

The person who got the keyboard wet is on maternity leave, so I can't ask if it was just water or something else. I wonder if the electrolytes in some of those "enhanced waters" might have left a residue. And since the keyboard is junk now it wouldn't hurt to try washing it.

And luckily new keyboards are pretty cheap.

     

[D76]

QUOTE(zodraz @ Aug 22 2006, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And since the keyboard is junk now it wouldn't hurt to try washing it.

Use the gel-type soap. The powdered kind blasting against the keys in the "pot-scrubber" cycle might scrape off the letters.

[Dick Miller]

How much is your time worth?  As you said keyboards are cheap, just buy a new one.

[D76]

Good heavens. I used a browser with the animation turned off for my post prior to this one in this thread. I had no idea the smiley I used looked like that! I changed it.

[Parker]

keyboards... cheap??

not when you buy an apple one
:\

[D76]

Apple-brand keyboards aren't too expensive, $39 Cdn. at Toronto resellers.

[Parker]

i can get a keyboard that serves the same purpose for less than 10 bucks at tigerdirect;
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...508&CatId=0
or maybe we'll go wireless:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Se...520&CatId=0

Apple keyboards are still only 29 bucks here in the states:
and that's rather expensive (in my opinion) for a keyboard.

ZODRAZ, consider an iSkin for your next keyboard:
http://www.iskin.com/protouch/xt_features.html

Cheers,
Parker

[D76]

A Windows keyboard? You'd use a Windows keyboard?
 
 Next thing you know, you'll be shooting pool for nickels and saying things like "swell."

[Parker]

actually my logitech wireless keyboard is both windows and mac

yea when it comes to money, i'll shoot for the cheaper keyboard