[tavilach]

Well, it's been about eight months since I got my PowerBook, and I had my first spill. Even though I do eat and drink around my PowerBook, I always try to be as careful as possible. Accidents will happen, though.

I was sitting at a table in my common room, feeling that I was invincible. The grip that my hands had on my iced tea loosened, and it started to fall. I instinctively picked it up before it fell all the way, and it took me a second before I actually realized that it wasn't just an ordinary spill: It was on my PowerBook. I stared at it for a few seconds, not knowing what to do. I then picked it up, and held it upside down, hoping that the liquid would fall back out. Some of it seemed to, but I of course knew that some was still inside.

I then thought that I should turn it off immediately before anything shorted, and that's what I did. I then set it down on the floor, in this shape: /\ (upside down, standing up via the screen and the body). I started tapping it, hoping that more liquid would come out.

It then turned on again, and I turned it off, and removed the battery. I couldn't afford a short. I finally decided that even though more liquid would no doubt be a risk, I had to get the iced tea out of the keyboard. I figured that if a little iced tea didn't hurt it, the chances that a few drops of water to dilute it and let it fall out wouldn't be a huge, huge risk. I took a wet paper towel and applied it to the keyboard, purposely getting some water under it. I then stood it upside down, tapped it, and repeated the process several times.

I then figured that before I turned it on, I had to make sure that it was completely dry. I used a blow dryer for about ten minutes on it, put the battery back in, and turned it on. It worked.

My keys feel slightly strange, but I'm 99% sure that it's just my imagination. If not, there has to be a way to remove the keys and wipe 'em down, correct? I don't think I need to do that, though, as they're responding quite well (and I tested every one of them). There's no strange delay of the spring or anything.

The computer seems to be working just fine, too.

So, my question is: If I had to go through the same thing again, what should I have actually done? Did I do the dumbest thing possible, and just get lucky? Also, is there a chance that it might not be fine? Not too much of the iced tea got under the keyboard, but it was definetely some. Does that mean that it got into the logic board, too? Should I just leave it alone, since it's working?

I'm actually starting to get really nervous, and now my keys seem to sound louder when I type. Again, I think it's just my imagination, as I'm a nervous wreck. All those horror stories! I'm grateful that I survived, but did I?

Hmm...should I keep it off for a few days? It really seems fine, and I desperately need to use it for homework right about now. So, um, crap.

Edit: Wow. I was searching other spill threads, and it seems that eight months is the time that everyone spills. Before of your eighth month, people!

Update: Some of my keys are making stickiness noises, and are therefore louder than normal. Will this go away after use, or should I bring it into a store? Crap.

[siflippant]

This isn't the 'white elephant' figure all over again is it?

[tavilach]

Originally posted by siflippant:
This isn't the 'white elephant' figure all over again is it?

I knew that was coming. I think you can answer that one for yourself.

[siflippant]

Originally posted by tavilach:
I knew that was coming. I think you can answer that one for yourself.

Sure I can, I'm sure ANYONE can (who read that post) - you load 'em, we'll fire 'em... (this is the bit where you fire back right? or decline the 'firing' and just 'respond') - it's of your own making, no-one else's...

[tavilach]

Originally posted by siflippant:
Sure I can, I'm sure ANYONE can (who read that post) - you load 'em, we'll fire 'em... (this is the bit where you fire back right? or decline the 'firing' and just 'respond') - it's of your own making, no-one else's...

Can we get back to the topic, now?

[siflippant]

Originally posted by tavilach:
Can we get back to the topic, now?

k

[Maflynn]

Originally posted by tavilach:
Edit: Wow. I was searching other spill threads, and it seems that eight months is the time that everyone spills. Before of your eighth month, people!

Update: Some of my keys are making stickiness noises, and are therefore louder than normal. Will this go away after use, or should I bring it into a store? Crap.

Don't say everyone - I don't eat around my PB so there's little chance that I will spill or drop anything on it. your first mistake was eating/drinking around it, the way you venerated the PB and asked so many questions I'm surprised that you'd be that casual about eating/drinking around it.

My guess is that some of the ice tea mixture is underneath the keys and it has mixed with the oil that is used to lubricate the key mechinism. If it were me that this happened too and the keys were sticky/noisey. I'd take it to an authorized apple repair shop. I'd be too worried that I would make a bad situation worse, i.e., breaking the keys/keyboard or unable to put it all back together.

Do a search and I'm sure there's plenty of solutions of the braver souls because your right that the spills do happen too much - just not to everyonel.

Mike

[tavilach]

Originally posted by Maflynn:
Don't say everyone - I don't eat around my PB so there's little chance that I will spill or drop anything on it. your first mistake was eating/drinking around it, the way you venerated the PB and asked so many questions I'm surprised that you'd be that casual about eating/drinking around it.

My guess is that some of the ice tea mixture is underneath the keys and it has mixed with the oil that is used to lubricate the key mechinism. If it were me that this happened too and the keys were sticky/noisey. I'd take it to an authorized apple repair shop. I'd be too worried that I would make a bad situation worse, i.e., breaking the keys/keyboard or unable to put it all back together.

Do a search and I'm sure there's plenty of solutions of the braver souls because your right that the spills do happen too much - just not to everyonel.

Mike

I learned to treat it like a machine, rather than a baby. And until now, that's worked just fine for me. All I have is a few scratches on the bottom, but aside from that, it still looks mint. I've been blowing a USB fan on the "M" key for hours, and I think it's sounding better. Woot .

Edit: "M" key is crackling again. I guess it was just the moisture.

[jamil5454]

I did the same thing with coffee and a month old iBook. Except only a little bit of coffee seeped into the keyboard. I immediately turned off the iBook, removed the battery, removed the keyboard, and took a moist paper towel to the area underneath the keyboard. Good thing it was only on the right side of the keyboard, because had it been on the left then my Airport Extreme card would have been toast and possibly my RAM too. My right Shift key cracks every now and then but even that is almost completely gone now.

Also, your PB may be fine now but in a few years that iced tea may cause rusting/corrosion to build up. I would periodically check it every now and then and sell it as soon as you notice any foreign substance where it shouldn't be

That's horrible, I know.

[emil]

This page might be useful to you: http://tekserve.com/service/spill.html

What should I do now?
The first thing you should do is shut down the computer immediately and disconnect the power cord. Don’t try to turn it on. Spills can allow electrical current to move about the components of you Mac in destructive ways. If it is a PowerBook you should also remove the rechargeable battery. Disconnect any peripherals and note what was spilled onto your Mac. Don’t shake the computer (this will only spread the liquid around) or use a hair dryer on it (even at a low setting a hair dryer will damage sensitive components). Don’t wait for the damage to be evident. Bring the Mac to Tekserve as soon as you can. It doesn’t take a big spill to cause a significant failure.

[steel84]

To help prevent this problem in the future they have a skin that can cover you keyboard to help dust, oils, drinks, etc... from getting in you keyboard. I bought one from the apple store and it took me a day to get used to it but its great.

[tavilach]

Uh oh. I used a blow dryer on high for ten minutes...

And I do have an iSkin. I just don't use it .

[steel84]

Originally posted by tavilach:
Uh oh. I used a blow dryer on high for ten minutes...

And I do have an iSkin. I just don't use it .

I guess your kicking yourself now then. LOL

[tavilach]

So, I tried to blow a USB fan on the keyboard for hours, and this somehow managed to remove the stickiness. After the fan stopped blowing, though, the stickiness resumed. I guess it was just the moisture in the air?

Anyway, I should probably start using my iSkin, since I'm not going to stop drinking near my PowerBook. Can I close the PowerBook with the iSkin still on, without unwanted side affects?

As for the damage done, what should I do? I believe I have Safeware insurance. How would they deal with something like this? What would a repair entail, considering that the machine seems to be functioning perfectly?

[teknopimp]

Originally posted by tavilach:
Well, it's been about eight months since I got my PowerBook, and I had my first spill... Crap.

congratulations.

[vinster]

Spilling's a rite of passage.

...I'm typing this reply on my beloved Pismo which took a projectile spray of Coke a Cola (accidently kicked a cup of it across the room and the liquid hit the back of the display then ran down into the ports at the back of the computer, nasty electronics frying smell and shutdown ensued). Cost about $450 for a new logic board and bottom case but good as new once fixed.

Anyways, if I were you I'd send your unit back to the mothership for a check up, and be as detailed as possible in reporting the spill and clean-up attempt so the techs know what to look for. Sticky keys are definitely a sign that some residue remains and could lead to further problems down the road.

[Vi0]

Originally posted by vinster:
Spilling's a rite of passage.

...I'm typing this reply on my beloved Pismo which took a projectile spray of Coke a Cola (accidently kicked a cup of it across the room and the liquid hit the back of the display then ran down into the ports at the back of the computer, nasty electronics frying smell and shutdown ensued). Cost about $450 for a new logic board and bottom case but good as new once fixed.

Anyways, if I were you I'd send your unit back to the mothership for a check up, and be as detailed as possible in reporting the spill and clean-up attempt so the techs know what to look for. Sticky keys are definitely a sign that some residue remains and could lead to further problems down the road.

haha! you've got the worst luck of anybody. why would anybody spend $450 on an old computer.

[teknopimp]

Originally posted by Vi0:
haha! ...why would anybody spend $450 on an old computer.

pismo's rock! definitely worth fixing, it's irreplaceable.

[finboy]

Originally posted by teknopimp:
pismo's rock! definitely worth fixing, it's irreplaceable.

You bet. My questions were always 1) why would anyone want a computer without expansion bays, and 2) why would anyone buy a computer if they couldn't replace the drives themselves?

[tavilach]

Originally posted by vinster:
Spilling's a rite of passage.

...I'm typing this reply on my beloved Pismo which took a projectile spray of Coke a Cola (accidently kicked a cup of it across the room and the liquid hit the back of the display then ran down into the ports at the back of the computer, nasty electronics frying smell and shutdown ensued). Cost about $450 for a new logic board and bottom case but good as new once fixed.

Anyways, if I were you I'd send your unit back to the mothership for a check up, and be as detailed as possible in reporting the spill and clean-up attempt so the techs know what to look for. Sticky keys are definitely a sign that some residue remains and could lead to further problems down the road.

I'm not able to be without my PowerBook until two months from now, but I don't want to wait that long for support. Is there any way that I could make a quick video of the sticky key problem I have, along with an explanation, and email an Apple technician to see what he/she recommends? I can't figure out what address I'd email.