Saving a waterlogged computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter David Starr
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David Starr

My father in law's pc got drowned during some recent flooding in
Florida. It's a mini-tower & roughly the bottom half of the case was
under water. I'm thinking that taking it apart, washing all the
boards in warm water with a mild detergent, rinsing in distilled water
& letting it air dry for a few days may save it.

I'd appreciate the group sharing their expertise in this.

Thanks


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Professional Shop Rat: 14,052 days in a GM plant.
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Submerge & wash the boards in Glass cleaner (windex) instead of
detergent/water, & don't use anything more than a soft bristled 1"wide
new paintbrush to remove any obvious water stains on the board. Then let
the boards air dry, use a small amount of lubricating Contact cleaner on
the PCI/AGP/ISA slots BUT...make sure the Cleaner is "safe on
plastics"!!!!!!or you are in deep trouble!
At this stage you have nothing to lose by trying.
Rainer
 
| My father in law's pc got drowned during some recent flooding in
| Florida. It's a mini-tower & roughly the bottom half of the case was
| under water. I'm thinking that taking it apart, washing all the
| boards in warm water with a mild detergent, rinsing in distilled water
| & letting it air dry for a few days may save it.

Water and electronics don't mix!

You may be able to save any parts that weren't actually under the water line if
water was in the case for only a short time and the parts were removed quickly.
But a saturation humidity level can kill some computer components even if they
haven't been "drowned." I'd definitely consider the motherboard and anything
else the water reached to be history. The cleaning routine you plan probably
wouldn't save anything that's not already OK, and it could further damage
components. Also, there is a strong possibility that trying to turn the system
on after cleaning would destroy parts that otherwise might have been
salvageable.

I'd start with a new motherboard and power supply, then try adding salvaged
components one at a time — first RAM, then the graphics card, then the hard
drive, etc.

Good luck! But I wouldn't expect too much.

Larc



§§§ - Please raise temperature of mail to reply by e-mail - §§§
 
David Starr said:
My father in law's pc got drowned during some recent flooding in
Florida. It's a mini-tower & roughly the bottom half of the case was
under water. I'm thinking that taking it apart, washing all the
boards in warm water with a mild detergent, rinsing in distilled water
& letting it air dry for a few days may save it.

I'd appreciate the group sharing their expertise in this.
Click to expand...


if the machine was not powered on at the time of the flooding, there is a
chance it can be saved.

it needs to be thoroughly dried before and attempt is made to repower it

any motor such as cooling fan or floppy drive may not be any good
but water alone probably won;t hurt any electronic components

note: water can remain under socketed IC's such as cpu's and bios chips...
also, if there is an on-board relay of any type... moisture can remain
inside...
 
I had a very similar situation not to long ago. While it is true that some
components can be destroyed by a humidity level, there is a very good
chance your stuff is fine, if it wasn't powered on at the time of the flood.
Make sure to remove EVERYTHING that you can possibly remove, and rinse with
distilled water so you don't get any mineral deposits. Also you want to
make SURE the whole boardd and all cards are COMPLETELY dry before trying to
power them. I would recommend a hair dryer on cool setting, not HOT! Let
the board air dry in a warm, dry enviroment for a number of hours.
Someplace with a decent amount of airflow to help with evaporation. Don't
forget to remove heatsinks! Hope this helps. OH BTW my computer was
salvaged even thought it was completely submerged for a couple of hours.
 
I hope it's rainwater. All bets are off for salt water.

OR sewerage..... REMOVE EVERYTHING, if the ZIF socket went under the water,
the board may be outa here, as the water will work its way in to the
microcircuitry and there you will find it hard to remove any conductive
debris left behind. A hair dryer on high 2 to 3 feet away can dry things
nicely ( never up close).
 
My father in law's pc got drowned during some recent flooding in
Florida. It's a mini-tower & roughly the bottom half of the case was
under water. I'm thinking that taking it apart, washing all the
boards in warm water with a mild detergent, rinsing in distilled water
& letting it air dry for a few days may save it.
Click to expand...

Pull out anything that water can get in the works of such as the drives and
speaker and anything else that water will ruin . If the power supply did
not get wet to start with pull that out too. Then run it through the
dishwasher if you have one. If not detergent and water will be fine. The
place it in an oven set at about 120 to 130 deg F. Crack the door so the
moistuer can get out. This time of year you can leave it in a car in the
hot sun. Leave a window open an inch or so.


Here is something that was posted in another group just the other day :
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Tektronix used to use the same procedure with their tubed oscilloscopes
during servicing. With upwards of 75 tubes and forced air cooling they
could hoover up a lot of dirt. So Tek used to wash them with a low power
jet washer and detergent, followed by drying in an oven. Only then would
they try and fix them. Stan Griffiths, who worked for Tek for decades and
now owns upwards of 2000 Tek instruments (he has the collecting bug in the
worst possible way!) uses this technique with dish washing liquid "simple
green". He's adapted an old chest freezer with a muffin fan and simple heat
source to dry the instrument afterwards, although some folks have used the
sun (in hot climes like Australia). Here's a quote:

"Stan's book contains a detailed procedure on washing an old scope. The
procedure is essentially what you have outlined : protecting certain parts,
removing others, then drenching/blasting/scrubbing the entire thing with
D.I. water and detergent. Lots of scrubbing and suds, everything soaked
inside and out, final rinse with D.I. water followed by blowing out as much
"free water" as possible with compressed air. The final ingredient is a
thorough dry-out in an oven for 24 to 48 hours at 110 or 120 degrees
F, with the hot air circulating inside the oven. It's all covered in the
first chapter of his book. For home use I think Stan used an old
refrigerator as an oven, with a muffin fan for circulating air, some sort
of simple heat source and a thermostat. I recall also that a small vent
was cut into the fridge so that mositure laden air could escape, and
another hole allowed fresh air in to replace the escaping air. Stan has
the first hand experience not me, but the procedure has been done many
times (hundreds ?) with complete success."
 
The computer's at my sister in laws now. She's very software
knowledgable and a complete hardware dummy. She said she turned it on
once in Florida & got a "no operating system found" message. She
packed it up & shipped it back here (Michigan). When she tried it
here, she got nothing. I suggested the cleaning above & added a
Windex washdown per another poster on this ng (thanks). When I called
about the Windex, she had already used the mild soap & water, but said
she'd spar everything down with Windex. That's where it stands now.

I'm concerned about the socketed chips; water in the sockets. I told
her to bring it over so I could remove the socketed chips & try to dry
the sockets as well as clean the connectors on the MB. Whether she
will or not, I don't know. She "works with computers every day" (data
entry) & seems to feel she can handle it. Time will tell.

I'll update the group as I find out more. Personally, I think it's a
lost cause, but we'll see.


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Professional Shop Rat: 14,052 days in a GM plant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Should have dipped the whole motherboard/cards in Isopropyl Alcohol.
-
David Starr stood up, at show-n-tell in
(e-mail address removed) and said:
 
While dipping everything in Isopropyl alcohol may
be a little difficult, it is a very good suggestion,
particularly for driving water out of sockets.
 
David Starr said:
My father in law's pc got drowned during some recent flooding in
Florida. It's a mini-tower & roughly the bottom half of the case was
under water. I'm thinking that taking it apart, washing all the
boards in warm water with a mild detergent, rinsing in distilled water
& letting it air dry for a few days may save it.
Click to expand...

That's not a bad way to go about it, but it's safer to use an
electronic parts cleaner spray designed to be safe for all plastics.
Some aren't and will dissolve vinyl and styrene, so first test on a
styrofoam cup (not packing peanuts, which are not always styrofoam
now). Harsh chemicals can also corrode electrical connections,
including CPU socket pins, and window cleaner should always be avoided
because of its corrosive ammonia.

The boards should be dried for several days, preferrably at 90 deg. F
or warmer.
 
Pen said:
While dipping everything in Isopropyl alcohol may
be a little difficult, it is a very good suggestion,
particularly for driving water out of sockets.
Click to expand...

Except Isopropyl is 30% water. Use methanol - commonly called denatured
alcohol- available at hardware/Wal-Mart. A better alternative for
displacing HOH. and it dries very quick.....

Mark
 
What utter bullshit. Isopropyl is refined denatured alcohol,
and it is used extensively in industry precisely because
all the water has been removed. Don't use rubbing alcohol
as it has a high water count.
 
Pen said:
What utter bullshit. Isopropyl is refined denatured alcohol,
and it is used extensively in industry precisely because
all the water has been removed. Don't use rubbing alcohol
as it has a high water count.
Click to expand...

Really?

1. Take a look at a bottle of isopropyl alcohol 70% right there. Wonder
what the other 30 % is?
2. Formula for isoproply:
OH
|
CH3-CH2-CH3
3. Formula for methanol:
OH
|
CH3
OH

|
4. I do agree that I mis spoke slightly as denatured alc is actually ethanol
(CH3-CH3) - the good stuff (grain alcohol) with methanol - the poisonous
stuff - added to make it non-drinkable.

5. I was merely using small words so people like you could understand. I
don't think the isopropyl will damage anything. It's just that I feel the
denatured is better at displacing water.

6. Isopropyl alcohol is in no way "refined denatured alcohol" - different
compound altogether. Never seen anhydrous isopropyl on the store shelf all
I have seen is rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl). I suppose one could order
it from a chemical supply, but as I was trying to offer a different
alternative. I suggested a product he could get a hold of conveniently,
because if figure 90% of the folks out there when told isopropyl alcohol
think of rubbing alcohol.

7. You may know something of computers, but if your knowledge of chemistry
is any indication, I doubt it. OTOH, I am a lab tech and chemistry teacher
of 20 years. I also own a computer repair business that operates at a
profit.

8. You are probably insecure in your knowedge of the subject and that is
what prompted you to reply with something like "what utter bullshit".

Anyway, I hope that fellow's sister gets it up and running. That's was the
newsgroup is for anyway - helping people with common interests and maybe
learning a thing or two along the way.

Regards,

Mark
 
Regardless of IPA's (rubbing alcohol) water content, it will still do the
job of aiding the drying of the components (coupled with mild baking, in an
oven), safely.

-
Mark stood up, at show-n-tell in
[email protected] and said:

5. I was merely using small words so people like you could
understand. I don't think the isopropyl will damage anything. It's
just that I feel the denatured is better at displacing water.

6. Isopropyl alcohol is in no way "refined denatured alcohol" -
different compound altogether. Never seen anhydrous isopropyl on the
store shelf all I have seen is rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl). I
suppose one could order it from a chemical supply, but as I was
trying to offer a different alternative. I suggested a product he
could get a hold of conveniently, because if figure 90% of the folks
out there when told isopropyl alcohol think of rubbing alcohol.
Click to expand...
Regards,

Mark
Click to expand...
<snip>
 
Jingleheimer said:
Very commanding. You seem to speak with authority. Apparently you have
experience washing electronic parts in methanol, or you know of somebody
who has done so. Or maybe you just want to know what happens when
electronic parts are washed in methanol. Please clarify.
Click to expand...

http://www.lmcomp.com/80009.html

MrToad
 
Jingleheimer said:
Very commanding. You seem to speak with authority. Apparently you have
experience washing electronic parts in methanol, or you know of somebody
who has done so. Or maybe you just want to know what happens when
electronic parts are washed in methanol. Please clarify.
Click to expand...

Isopropyl is safest thing you can use.
Although I might spot clean with tougher stuff (like lacquer thinner).
The damn thing sat in in solder pot (actually it passed over a solder wave :)
so it's tougher than you think.
(Of course you'll want to unplug anything that's un-pluggable first)

Technique counts.
Don't soak it, get it wet, a squeeze bottle does the job.
and Blow off as much as possible, out of cavities, etc.
Repeat a few times, and do a final blow dry till nothing comes
out of the holes and crevices any more.
(I use compressed air, blow dryer is too weak.)
Then let it air dry over night (Just in case.)

Be careful of power supplies..
They contain things encased in wax.
And transformers with oily insulation.
Strong solvents just don't make sense.
Isopropyl LOVES water.. So it's made to order to do the job.


----- My favorite quote -----
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
 
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