Damp Laptop

[gbeal]

Ended up washing my iPhone a few years back, and Googling seemed to suggest sealing it in a bag of rice for a week, the plan being the rice absorbs the damp. Worked, although 30 minutes on a deep wash had made it an uphill battle before I started. Worth a try though, but as others have suggested, open it up as much as you can and dry, off what you can first, then into the bag of rice.
Good luck,
Gary

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by gbeal

Ended up washing my iPhone a few years back, and Googling seemed to suggest sealing it in a bag of rice for a week, the plan being the rice absorbs the damp. Worked, although 30 minutes on a deep wash had made it an uphill battle before I started. Worth a try though, but as others have suggested, open it up as much as you can and dry, off what you can first, then into the bag of rice.
Good luck,
Gary

Done that one , 15 years ago dropped the mobile phone down the toilet (before any business had been done). Fished it out, dried it out, and worked for another 2 years.

[AstralTraveller (David)]

If you sare going to use desicant packets make sure they aren't already soaked. If they have been sitting around for yonks they will be in equilibrium with the atmosphere. They can be dried in a wrm oven - up to 100 should be OK. The beads (if you can see them) have colour codes but the colour depends on the type. The newer ones are clearish when dry and yellow when damp.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by AstralTraveller

The newer ones are clearish when dry and yellow when damp.

Hmmm, sure you aren't confusing that with kitty litter crystals?

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by AstralTraveller

If the humidity is high, as I imagine it is up there, perhaps you could help things along by placing it in a warm oven. If you just put the oven on for a minute you can get it to 50-60 degrees which should be OK for the lappy. Don't have the oven on with the lappy in it!

I once did that with a power tool which had been left out in the weather. So far so good.

Then I went away and forgot about it

New power tool

Cheers

[alistairsam]

J,

depending on whether you can get all the screws back, I'd suggest opening the back and leaving it open for a while to dry out. also depends on whether it has a warranty which will be void if you open it.
I'd avoid direct heat.

water will eventually evaporate but can also re-condense in corners or tight spaces if not aired out. main concern would be water condensing on dense exposed tracks or smd chips on the MB. most pcb tracks are covered, exposed areas would be high density smd ic pins.

most hard disks do have a pinhole in them, so hard to say what could happen if it was completely immersed for a while.
if it was coffee, IPA is the best to remove sticky stains as it evaporates without residue.

[alistairsam]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

If only it was a snow angel. (insert little green sick emoticon)
I've got the battery and lappy sitting in a cross breeze in the astro storage room, I mean dining room

if the hard disk bay is removable which it usually is (just one screw), i'd remove the hard disk and let it air as well. also the cd drive as that lets air circulate.
was the power adaptor soaked as well?

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

As water is not pure some of the impurities can start to corrode so at best will have to open it up. If water has gone in then it will void warranty anyway.

Isopropol Alcohol is the best cleaning solution and can be bought for the chemist (Rubbing Alcohol) with a non static brush. Toothbrushes are used sometime but with todays electronics a finer brush with stiff bristles would be appropriate.

But all said an done best take it to someone with experience.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I have the damp laptop sitting on a cooling stand. (it's used to keep your lappy cool in summer) I have blocked the air intake on one side, so it's drawing in the heated exhaust from the old lap top I'm using.
I'd take a photo and show you but I can't upload images on this laptop.
I wish technology would stop hassling me.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

I find it really funny to walk around at Camp and see all the laptops sitting out in the night air all night absolutely ringing wet.

I remember one particular night when I was watching Bird doing a Saturn capture.
His laptop monitor was so wet with dew that he couldn't read the settings so he wiped the water off with his hand. Where did he wipe the water to?
Straight down onto the keyboard where it vanished into the gaps around the edge of the keyboard panel and into the laptop.

I queried the danger and Birds reply was a very nonchalant "it will be ok".

[Jen]

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

I find it really funny to walk around at Camp and see all the laptops sitting out in the night air all night absolutely ringing wet.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

LOL
I keep a towel over mine on really dewy nights. But it has had a few dribbles get into the works. Figured that the heat it was generating would dry it out.
But sitting in a puddle for a few hours is probably a bit more serious.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Thunderbirds are GO!
She fired up no problems, no funny smells or anything.
.................yet.
Thanks for the input everyone.

[Jen]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Thunderbirds are GO!
She fired up no problems, no funny smells or anything.
.................yet.
Thanks for the input everyone.

Woooohoooooooo great stuff JJJ

[OzRob (Rob)]

Originally Posted by alistairsam

if the hard disk bay is removable which it usually is (just one screw), i'd remove the hard disk and let it air as well. also the cd drive as that lets air circulate.
was the power adaptor soaked as well?

I would also backup the hard drive before replacing it if there is any data on it that you want.

[hotspur (Chris)]

Glad to hear its 'at take off'

At the sawmill I work at a few days a month,they have various pieces of electronic equipment,such as moisture meters and digital measuring devices connected to the saw benches.These items are not in the open-but very close-basic open sheds that have rain blow in, moisture drop off roof,lots and I mean lots of dust.They look no different to a hand controller on a go-to mount-not a lap top but similar-I am amazed how these electronic devices work perfectly fine all the time.I think these similar items all must be able to handle a little bit of 'out in the field use'.Someone mentions lap tops been left out in the open at star parties.Many of these owners are computer engineers,and it appears they feel safe using them in such conditions.I think I tend to 'baby' my gear a bit too much.

[alistairsam]

Originally Posted by hotspur

Glad to hear its 'at take off'

At the sawmill I work at a few days a month,they have various pieces of electronic equipment,such as moisture meters and digital measuring devices connected to the saw benches.These items are not in the open-but very close-basic open sheds that have rain blow in, moisture drop off roof,lots and I mean lots of dust.They look no different to a hand controller on a go-to mount-not a lap top but similar-I am amazed how these electronic devices work perfectly fine all the time.I think these similar items all must be able to handle a little bit of 'out in the field use'.Someone mentions lap tops been left out in the open at star parties.Many of these owners are computer engineers,and it appears they feel safe using them in such conditions.I think I tend to 'baby' my gear a bit too much.

Hi J,
good to hear its working well.

Chris, the reason those instruments work is due to the way theyre designed. they're designed with these environments in mind, so lots of differences in manufacturing processes to normal electronic devices.
HP and others make rugged laptops that are designed for extreme conditions and they can take amazing extremes.

i'm a computer engineer and i guess how much you push it depends on ones experience with different types of failures.
in our data centres, they use a non conducting fire suppresant thats a liquid like water. but ive seen demonstrations where they take an operating electronic board, with power applied and dunk it in the liquid and it still operates fine.
was weird to see that.

i was in snake valley camp and didnt think of the dew in the night.
had my laptop off and on and noticed hard disk errors erratically. it was because the disk platters were below their operating temp. thats the last thing you want in the field.

so I just left it on. the heat kept it operable, but its always better to be careful.
the simple box that most keep their laptops in for light shields actually help a lot with the lappys ambient env.