I just spilled a glass* of water on my... motherboard

[Hans Lauring]

... Now I must go get a... a... what the hell would you use to mop up a motherboard?








*not a glass per se, A leaking watercooling-tube.

[Lunch of Kong]

.
*not a glass per se, A leaking watercooling-tube.

You could say "a cupful of water". This indicates the amount of water you spilled without making a reference to its origin.

[playingwithknives]

Kitchen towel, a hairdryer and a few days in the airing cupboard ?

[Major Icehole]

dunk the whole thing in denatured alcohol and allow to dry.

[JPR]

"Airing cupboard?"

[Skipper]

For the most part if it wasn't powered on you are okay. You just have to let it dry. Low heat on a hairdryer will help, but do NOT rush it.

[unbongwah]

Is there any reason not to just wipe it off and let it air-dry (after unplugging it, natch)? Anything which might, I dunno, rust or corrode or whatever on the MB?

[Skipper]

Is there any reason not to just wipe it off and let it air-dry (after unplugging it, natch)? Anything which might, I dunno, rust or corrode or whatever on the MB?

Unless you drenched it, no. Not in the 1-2 days time it will take to completely evaporate (less if it wasn't much water or you use something to help dry it.)

[Kirian]

"Airing cupboard?"
Cupboard which contains a heater of some kind wherein linen is placed after being washed and hung on the line. It keeps them dry.

Linen being towels, pillow and duvet cases and other sundry items.

[Tortilla]

The real key in this situation is patience. Let that thing air dry for several days minmum. Three if you have any rainy/humid days during the dryout period. If you let it dry before re-powering up you are good. If you go to fast and power it up before all the hidden water in the tiny nooks and crannies has gone, it will fry.

[Dan_Theman]

dunk the whole thing in denatured alcohol and allow to dry.
Although I had to look up what "denatured" means, I would seriously consider that as a unique possiblity. Any residual water should evaporate along with the alcohol. My only concern would be any functional residue such as heat sink contact fluid that may still be attached to the board. You'd have to remember to reapply it after the fact.

[Joel]

Don't dump alcohol on it. The alcohol, being a solvent, may cause anything fastened with glue to dissolve. Instead, hit it with a cold hair drier or compressed air, then let it air dry. Some people put wet gear into dry rice, but I've always been worried about rice dust.

[Machfive]

I had a client accidentally spill a can of pop on their computer. Not only did it keep working (mind you, buggily), but they didn't bring me in until it had been running for over a month. So I tear the computer apart, and there's a Coca Cola glaze on the motherboard that's causing the intermittent crashes.

I pulled the board, spray it with warm, soapy water, until the pop starts to rinse off, and I dried with cool air from a hairdryer, gave it another 2 days to air dry, and it worked perfectly.

They were pretty darn lucky that there was no permanant damage, but if I can save a motherboard from Coke, you can save yours from water.

[Major Icehole]

You may be right about the glue, but the reason for the alcohol is it displaces the water and when water dries it may leave deposits of salts (depending on how hard your local water is) that may short circuit parts of the board.

[Machfive]

Dilute solution of mild dishsoap ftw.

[Hans Lauring]

You may be right about the glue, but the reason for the alcohol is it displaces the water and when water dries it may leave deposits of salts (depending on how hard your local water is) that may short circuit parts of the board.

Well it was deminiralized (or as a student once accidentily called it in my chem class: Demoralized) water so residues shouldn't be a problem,

But it was at the end of building my new quadcore system, so waiting a few days suck... but burning out the mobo sucks more.

And Roger, I used 'glass of water' for an intertextual reason.

[Case]

Don't dump alcohol on it. The alcohol, being a solvent, may cause anything fastened with glue to dissolve. Instead, hit it with a cold hair drier or compressed air, then let it air dry. Some people put wet gear into dry rice, but I've always been worried about rice dust.

Things are attached to motherboards with glue?

I've used isopropyl alchohol on laptop motherboards, with good success. Takes up the water (and coffee, in my case), dries without residue. The problem with water is that it can leave conductive salts behind if it's not distilled water.

[dermot]

I spilt my breakfast on my Macbook the other morning. I'm pretty sure that the subsequently improved performance is down to the added iron in Kellogg's Corn Flakes (TM).

[RepoMan]

You overclockers and your pipes and hoses and fluids and gewgaws and knickknacks. I just hope the thing actually runs faster enough to be worth it.

[Gendal]

Where you at least using distilled water? If it's clean enough and doesn't pick up any contaminants while flooding your motherboard, your system can actually keep running wet. Not that I would want to try it, leaving your motherboard to dry for several days is definitely the safest option.

[Mr_PeaCH]

I used 'glass of water' for an intertextual reason.

I saw waterthread you did there.

[Hans Lauring]

You overclockers and your pipes and hoses and fluids and gewgaws and knickknacks. I just hope the thing actually runs faster enough to be worth it.

Quiet, not fast.
I'm badly obsessed with silent running but I also want some power, so I went with the Zalman Reserator. A near silent aquarium pump and no fans anywhere. At all.

And yes, deminiralized water is apparently the same as distilled. I think I have some isoprophyl alcohol somewhere. Otherwise I'll just soak myself in malt whisky and sulk while I wait.

[Major Icehole]

. Otherwise I'll just soak myself in malt whisky and sulk while I wait.


Ah yes, the reason for and answer to all of life's problems.

[Lunch of Kong]

I used 'glass of water' for an intertextual reason.

And I had to look in the dictionary because of your intertextual reason.

[André Costa]

My advice is to go to the doctor immediately!!

[Lorini]

I spilled water into my case while it was on and the $400 Nvidia card took it on the chin instead of my $200 MB. Unfortunate. I'm now very very careful of liquids around the top of the case....

[Hans Lauring]

And I had to look in the dictionary because of your intertextual reason.

What did you find?

[John Many Jars]

What did you find?

An "intertextual" is a guy who likes to have sex with the gaps in bookcases.

[Omniscia]

A bibliophiliac?