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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Disaster! Spilled beer on new macbook pro!

Disaster! Spilled beer on new macbook pro!
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:11 PM
 
I have had my macbook pro for 2 days and I love it! Then my friend knocked over my beer and it went all over my new macbook ! Probably about a quarter of a cup went on it. I unplugged it and removed the battery put it upside down and let it drain and of course wiped the screen since it happened to get some beer on it. Once everything seemed dry I set up a fan and put it on my powerbook for 24hrs. Then I turned it on and it works! The only problem seems to be the lcd screen. Some must have leaked through the frame it is the bottom right. It seems a little lighter than the normal screen. But seems to be drying out a little as the corner is the normall darkness. Above all I am happy it is nothing catastrophic and I can live with my computer!

Another thing is my friend who is really aggravating me hahah. Thought he knew how to take the keys off so we could clean under the keys broke my tab key and the scissor . Does anyone know if the keys are the same as the 15" powerbook? Thanks
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:16 PM
 
Did you break his legs? Or at least punch him in the face?
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by Chris Grande
Did you break his legs? Or at least punch him in the face?
yes, take my advice and kill your freind
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:19 PM
 
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:37 PM
 
Sell it! I'll be the first to offer $200 for it. Lol..
On a serious note.. i'd try to take it apart and clean it off with alcohol.
15" 2.33 MBP 2GB Ram, 120GB HD - Main Rig
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:44 PM
 
1. dont drink beer near your notebook, unless said notebook is on an icurve or other stand of some sort.

2. dont try to fix things you dont know how to fix.

3. take care of your $2000 toy.

this has been a lesson in 'taking care of your macbook pro' with iREZ.
NOW YOU SEE ME! 2.0 MacBook Pro
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by ryanbrown345
I have had my macbook pro for 2 days and I love it! Then my friend knocked over my beer and it went all over my new macbook ! Probably about a quarter of a cup went on it. I unplugged it and removed the battery put it upside down and let it drain and of course wiped the screen since it happened to get some beer on it. Once everything seemed dry I set up a fan and put it on my powerbook for 24hrs. Then I turned it on and it works! The only problem seems to be the lcd screen. Some must have leaked through the frame it is the bottom right. It seems a little lighter than the normal screen. But seems to be drying out a little as the corner is the normall darkness. Above all I am happy it is nothing catastrophic and I can live with my computer!

Another thing is my friend who is really aggravating me hahah. Thought he knew how to take the keys off so we could clean under the keys broke my tab key and the scissor . Does anyone know if the keys are the same as the 15" powerbook? Thanks
i would do is i would take it to apple store. ask them how much it would cost for a full repair. and ask your friend pay that. and then make him sign a contract - legal and binding - where he promises to pay for this and any future repairs directly related to this beer spilling incident.

its harsh but thats what you have to do. i had a friend who broken something brand new of mine (not a laptop, it was worth $500), i didnt make them pay for the repair and just "put it back together" as best i could. and when i continued to have problems down the line this "friend" refused to do anything or provide any $$$ help.
Computers:
Macbook Pro: 17in, 2.16Ghz, 120GB HD, 1.5 GB ram.
iBook G4: 1.07Ghz, 60GB HD, 756mb ram (on sale for parts)
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:52 PM
 
Just disassemble it and wash off the beer residue with distilled water and canned air. Let everything dry for at least 3 days (24h is NOT enough!) and then reassemble.

As for the keyboard... did he actually break the parts, or did they just come apart? The big keys like tab are a little more complicated, but you can just put everything back in place and off you go.

tooki
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 12:53 PM
 
someone spilled wine all over my Ti 667 powerbook back in the day on new years eve, it never ran again.. and I never found out who was responsible for it (It was setup recording abunch of friends putting on a concert at my cousins house)... I took it apart adn cleaned every part of it, applecare wanted $900 to fix it... instead I jus stripped it apart and sold it part by part on ebay except the mother board, I think I got about $900 for it in total......... too bad it had cost $2200
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 01:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by ericssonboi
... i'd try to take it apart and clean it off with alcohol.
He already tried to clean it with alcohol, Doh!
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 01:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by tooki
Just disassemble it and wash off the beer residue with distilled water and canned air. Let everything dry for at least 3 days (24h is NOT enough!) and then reassemble.

As for the keyboard... did he actually break the parts, or did they just come apart? The big keys like tab are a little more complicated, but you can just put everything back in place and off you go.

tooki

hey yes, he actually broke the key and the scissor part and there is no way of putting it back together, when i get back to college this weekend I will take it to an apple store and see how much it will cost to get a new key.
(Last edited by ryanbrown345; Mar 3, 2006 at 08:07 PM )
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 01:12 PM
 
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 06:27 PM
 
Your homeowners or Safeware.com will cover it under accidental damage. Safeware has no deductable!
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 07:13 PM
 
I recommend soaking the Powerbook in a bucket of fresh water. This will remove any residues of the beer, and leave your Powerbook smelling good!
     
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Mar 2, 2006, 08:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by BroadwayTJ
He already tried to clean it with alcohol, Doh!
Maybe i wasn't clear enough...

"take it apart" and clean it off with alcohol
15" 2.33 MBP 2GB Ram, 120GB HD - Main Rig
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 12:12 AM
 
So I let my computer dry for 3 days. The screen looks a lot better. When the computer starts up the grey screen is the only time i can see were it is a tad bit darker on the bottom right corner. But when I am using it I can not tell at all.

The only real problem I am seeing right now is the back light of the the keyboard. The letters t,h,f,c,b are really bright and all the other ones are really dim. Unfortunately I can not turn in any insurance claims through my homeowners insurance as I had my 12" pb stolen about a month ago and lost my cell phone last week and I did claim both of them. But a family friend said to check with your credit card company because they do sometimes cover within 30days accidental damage or stolen items. So since my dad put it on his credit card (master card) it looks like they will pay for a repair and may even get me a new one! But I have a feeling it will take a long time for apple to repair it as parts will be scarce for the next couple months.
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 12:43 AM
 
OK, I nominate ryanbrown345 as the unluckiest person on the MacNN boards with the worst friends ever. But I think I speak for everyone here when I say we are really sorry about your awful luck recently. No one got hurt (yet), so things can only get better.

Steve
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 01:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by ryanbrown345
So I let my computer dry for 3 days. The screen looks a lot better. When the computer starts up the grey screen is the only time i can see were it is a tad bit darker on the bottom right corner. But when I am using it I can not tell at all.

The only real problem I am seeing right now is the back light of the the keyboard. The letters t,h,f,c,b are really bright and all the other ones are really dim. Unfortunately I can not turn in any insurance claims through my homeowners insurance as I had my 12" pb stolen about a month ago and lost my cell phone last week and I did claim both of them. But a family friend said to check with your credit card company because they do sometimes cover within 30days accidental damage or stolen items. So since my dad put it on his credit card (master card) it looks like they will pay for a repair and may even get me a new one! But I have a feeling it will take a long time for apple to repair it as parts will be scarce for the next couple months.
yes some cards do, all mastercard CHARGE cards, (not credit cards) do. and many more "elite" card like platinums, blacks, premier passes, and others. basic cards, like student, greens, silvers, golds, and many others usually do not.

wow i am long winded.
Computers:
Macbook Pro: 17in, 2.16Ghz, 120GB HD, 1.5 GB ram.
iBook G4: 1.07Ghz, 60GB HD, 756mb ram (on sale for parts)
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 02:05 PM
 
I knocked a margarita into one of the first "clamshell" iBooks or whatever - it was my roommate's. I had cleaned and fixed to the tune of $300. A month after it was fixed, she herself poured coffee all over it and ruined it, and just tossed it out. Sigh.
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 02:17 PM
 
You think it should be able to withstand a spill. I've been researching a lot on laptops and have read a lot about how the IBM thinkpads can take all kinds of abuse. They are made of titanium too. Why can't Macs be made that well?
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 02:42 PM
 
We had titanium a few years ago, remember? It's expensive (both materials cost and machining) and doesn't really work any better than aluminum for this purpose.

What Apple and many others use internally for the structural frames is magnesium alloys.

Regardless, what combinations of titanium, aluminum or magnesium alloys are used is irrelevant to water resistance. For that, circuits and other components need to be sealed (which I think would raise cost and possibly make cooling more difficult, and certainly increase size).

tooki
     
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Mar 8, 2006, 03:19 PM
 
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