Melting down -- spilled water on laptop

Miriam_M · July 19, 2015, 10:08:16 PM

It's my MacAir. Not much water at all; seemed to be about 1/4 teaspoon. Called Apple Helpline. They tried the 3-key startup while holding power button down & then releasing. Since that moment the screen has been black. (Earlier, the keyboard was non-functional, but the machine could be turned on and off and the start up screen came on, and the trackpad was fine.)

He said he thought this could have damaged the hardware. I'm so terrified. Company computer, actually.

He suggested moving my data right away to another computer, or getting a professional service to recover the hard drive even before my appointment at the Apple Store on Tuesday.

Does anyone want to give me the bad news about the cost?

Kaesekopf · July 19, 2015, 10:20:21 PM

Was it running when on?

Did it shut down when you spilled water on it?

Is it completely and absolutely dry?

Is it battery operated?

Did it make noises or do anything weird after you spilled water on it while it was running?

Arun · July 19, 2015, 10:49:10 PM

Quote from: Kaesekopf on July 19, 2015, 10:20:21 PM
Was it running when on?

Hey is your MacAir running?

Yeah why?

Better go catch it then....

Gardener · July 19, 2015, 11:31:10 PM

If it fried the hardware, the data can be recovered, but it depends on how it fried the hardware... i.e., is it the keyboard only? did it short out the power connections? Too easy. If it jacked the hard drive, that's pricey.

Try to position it so the water drains out, and run a fan on it to assist in air flow. You can put it on the edge of the couch or something, keyboard on the cushion and screen perpendicular to the ground, i.e. "7" with the top of the 7 being the main portion and the leg being the screen.

Who knows. It might dry out and be fine.

Miriam_M · July 20, 2015, 12:59:51 AM

Quote from: Kaesekopf on July 19, 2015, 10:20:21 PM
Was it running when on?

"running when on?" Hmm. Did you mean, Was it on when water spilled? (Yes.)

QuoteDid it shut down when you spilled water on it?

No.

QuoteIs it completely and absolutely dry?

It feels so to me.

QuoteIs it battery operated?

It does have a battery. I also use a charger. At the time, the charger was not connected to it.

QuoteDid it make noises or do anything weird after you spilled water on it while it was running?

No. The first time I noticed anything -- after the small spill -- was when I tried to type my password to open my email. Some letters were non-responsive on the keyboard. Then eventually no letters were operative. It's been upside down (open) for a few hours, resting on a towel, but at one point it had turned itself back on, because I felt the machine warm, and the green Caps Lock light was on, and I couldn't unlock that (because keys weren't working).

The track pad was still working -- throughout this. I know because I was able to shut it down by using the track pad. Then I powered it back on with the power button, but could not log on because keyboard not working.

Miriam_M · July 20, 2015, 01:10:33 AM

Quote from: Gardener on July 19, 2015, 11:31:10 PM
If it fried the hardware, the data can be recovered, but it depends on how it fried the hardware... i.e., is it the keyboard only?

It appears to be.

Quotedid it short out the power connections?

I don't think so, but I don't know. I just know it won't turn on ever since the Apple Helpline guy told me to hold down the three keys + the power button and then release. After I did that, the screen went black and I can't get it back up. Until then, the machine would turn on and off, but I could not log on because I couldn't type in my log on identity.

QuoteTry to position it so the water drains out, and run a fan on it to assist in air flow. You can put it on the edge of the couch or something, keyboard on the cushion and screen perpendicular to the ground, i.e. "7" with the top of the 7 being the main portion and the leg being the screen.

I have had the machine open and face down for several hours. No more water seems to be coming out. I have a cushion on the floor beneath the lid, just in case. But even if there's no more water that can be drained directly from the keyboard, the fact that I can't turn it on is problematic. I read about the fan thing, but I'm too nervous to do that at the moment.

QuoteWho knows. It might dry out and be fine.

I wish, but I can't count on that.

OCLittleFlower · July 20, 2015, 01:31:19 AM

I showed this thread to my husband (tech guy) -- he said that items that have water spilled on them shouldn't be turned on right away. Too late in this case, of course, but he wanted me to post for people's future knowledge. $:-\$

As for this laptop, he basically says wait and see.

Greg · July 20, 2015, 02:02:18 AM

I think you mean turned off right away.

OCLittleFlower · July 20, 2015, 02:11:44 AM

Quote from: Greg on July 20, 2015, 02:02:18 AM
I think you mean turned off right away.

I don't know -- I think he'd assumed it was off when I asked him. I had to take a phone call and couldn't post right away, and now he's in bed.

Miriam_M · July 20, 2015, 02:13:45 AM

Yeah.

I think I read OCLF's post as meaning "off" without even thinking about it.

I am so upset about the black screen because it only happened when the guy from Apple Support told me to hold down those keys! At least I had a screen previously.

Miriam_M · July 20, 2015, 02:42:40 AM

I wonder if the black screen means that my battery shorted out.

Greg · July 20, 2015, 06:22:22 AM

Quote from: OCLittleFlower on July 20, 2015, 02:11:44 AM
Quote from: Greg on July 20, 2015, 02:02:18 AM
I think you mean turned off right away.

I don't know -- I think he'd assumed it was off when I asked him. I had to take a phone call and couldn't post right away, and now he's in bed.

With water around, the last thing you want to do is make electricity flow anywhere.

Heinrich · July 20, 2015, 10:47:39 AM

Have you tried the rice trick?

Miriam_M · July 20, 2015, 11:08:27 AM

Quote from: Heinrich on July 20, 2015, 10:47:39 AM
Have you tried the rice trick?

Being not a tech professional, I think I've done plenty of damage for now, I don't think I should try anything on my own at present.

Thank you, though. About to make some phone calls.

Kaesekopf · July 20, 2015, 11:21:48 AM

I would imagine that once it dries out, it should be fine... But, I'm not sure.

Do you have any tech-knowledgeable relatives or friends nearby? I'd ask them and see if they can poke around.

For what it's worth, a few years ago an acquaintance of mine spilled root beer on her keyboard while using her Mac laptop. It eventually started working again. And she spilled a bit more than what it sounds like you spilled.

In the future, though, don't use beverages near laptop and turn it off immediately and remove the battery/power cable if it ever gets water on it again.