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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > Apple wireless keyboard warranty? Put it through dishwasher

Apple wireless keyboard warranty? Put it through dishwasher
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Rev2Liv
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Jun 23, 2011, 01:49 AM
 
My Apple Wireless keyboard recently had some issues with some keys not working; when i push down on certain keys, no input is shown on the screen.

My first action was to run it under the kitchen faucet with some cold water and let it dry for a few days. That didn't help.

So I then put it through the dishwasher w/o any soap. This actually made it worse. In retrospect, the superhot water, and drying cycle probably didn't help. The keyboard still powers up and most of the keys still work.

My main question is how does/would Apple handle the warranty? I'm going to bring it in to the Genius Bar and wonder how they will handle it. Will they replace it on the spot? Deny me warranty? Is there a replacement fee?

Obviously i'd like this issue remedied since it's such a pretty keyboard, and it'd be a shame to have a $69 useless keyboard lying around.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 23, 2011, 01:57 AM
 
If they can see that it got wet, there is no warranty. They might still replace it though.

If it was still under warranty, why on earth did you try to "fix" it yourself?
     
Rev2Liv  (op)
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Jun 23, 2011, 02:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
If they can see that it got wet, there is no warranty. They might still replace it though.
It still powers up, connect and most keys still work. No sign of getting wet.

QUOTE=Spheric Harlot;4088542]If it was still under warranty, why on earth did you try to "fix" it yourself?[/QUOTE]
Because i'm an idiot? Instant gratification? I did try compressed air first. I suppose the thought of waiting in line for hours wasn't a nice thought.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 23, 2011, 02:13 AM
 
Fair enough.

Get a genius appointment - then you won't have to wait in line. Explain your predicament and hope for sympathy.
     
subego
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Jun 23, 2011, 07:18 PM
 
You might conveniently forget to mention the dishwasher part.
     
angelmb
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Jun 24, 2011, 01:31 AM
 
Go to the Apple Store on a rainy day.
     
Big Mac
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Jun 24, 2011, 02:54 AM
 

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
KJMcSpray
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Jun 24, 2011, 02:57 PM
 
This has got to be a fake post right? I'm reminded of the old stories that circulated around the internet about the person that thought their CD Drive was a cup holder. Why would you think putting water on an electronic device would be a good idea for any reason? It's conductive and can cause rusting. If you have gunk in your keyboard use the highest % rubbing alcohol that you can find at the store.

It's also a good idea that if you have an item that doesn't work properly and is still under warranty to let the manufacturer handle it. Messing around with it like you did voided your warranty.

My guess is that you're hosed and will have to buy a new one. But the guys at the genius bar have been known to be nice so I'd suggest at least trying them. You'll probably have a better shot at getting a free replacement if you're honest. If you go in and play dumb, and they look at your keyboard and can see it's got water damage on it they're going to think you spilled something on it and tried to wash it off. Just tell them it wasn't working right, you thought it might be gunked up so you tried cleaning it and that didn't fix it. Only tell them you used water if they ask (you did take the batteries out right?) and don't mention the dish washer.

eesh
     
subego
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Jun 24, 2011, 03:44 PM
 
Conduction is only an issue if you have electricity to conduct.

Every semiconductor gets washed before it's installed. Droughts have caused semiconductor shortages.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 24, 2011, 03:51 PM
 
Originally Posted by KJMcSpray View Post
This has got to be a fake post right? I'm reminded of the old stories that circulated around the internet about the person that thought their CD Drive was a cup holder. Why would you think putting water on an electronic device would be a good idea for any reason? It's conductive and can cause rusting. If you have gunk in your keyboard use the highest % rubbing alcohol that you can find at the store.
Water isn't damaging to electronics unless it causes a short circuit and fries something. In UNPOWERED devices, it's undramatic and can be recommended to get gunk off circuit boards, for example.

However, if it isn't dried off immediately, it can indeed lead to corrosion.

Also: keyboard dishwasher - Google-Suche
     
Wiskedjak
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Jun 24, 2011, 04:18 PM
 
I have the same problem with my wireless aluminum keyboard (except for the washing it part).

+, [, Right Command, Right Arrow, Up Arrow and Volume Up worked intermittently for a while but have pretty much completely died at this point.

Purchased it in early '09, so pretty much no hope of replacement (though, I should still try).
     
amazing
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Jun 24, 2011, 04:21 PM
 
When your first thought was to stick your keyboard in the dishwasher?

I'm wondering if the OP didn't suspect that something had been spilled on it?
     
Rev2Liv  (op)
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Jul 10, 2011, 02:25 PM
 
keyboards get alot of grit and grim that builds up over time. In the old days when keyboards were more mechanical and less electronic, it was more commonplace to throw a keyboard in a dishwasher if any problems arose.

Well this story has a happy ending. I brought the keyboard along with the receipt from my new iMac. Guy at front of store greeted me and took care of the issue on the spot.

He checked the receipt, asked about the problem and then grabbed a new keyboard off the retail shelf, took it out of the package and swapped it with my broken one.

Go Apple!
     
angelmb
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Jul 10, 2011, 03:55 PM
 
It's nice to hear that. Go customers !
     
tooki
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Jul 18, 2011, 07:46 AM
 
Apple is often willing to do a so-called "retail swap" of simple parts like that. They've done it for me a couple of times, esp. on third-party products where a manufacturer warranty process takes ages.

Bear in mind that AppleCare covers accessories (mice, keyboards, AirPort), so as long as you have some Mac with AppleCare on it, the coverage of the Apple accessories is also extended. (People have used this to get ancient AirPort Base Stations replaced, yeeeeaaars after the original warranty expired.)
     
kelvinzach
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Dec 11, 2012, 10:59 PM
 
This is an awful thing, it is better that I only broke my dishwasher. I did not recognize I loved using my dishwasher so much until it broke. I believed it did not matter that much and that I might wait a couple of days, but I was certainly wrong. I had to get a new dishwasher quickly or else I might have gone crazy. However, I love apple but this report lessen it.
     
cgc
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Dec 13, 2012, 08:12 AM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
I was close to buying the Matias Tactile KB 2 about four or five years ago as I typed so much at the time my fingers would get sore. I started using my wife's laptop keyboard and found a keyboard like that which conveniently was an Apple aluminum keyboard w/ numpad. Fantastic keyboard.
     
   
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