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timih124 · Sep 28, 2010, 03:08 PM

So today I was typing paper and I had about half a water bottle left and it tipped over and i would say about 2-3 table spoons got spilled. the screen shut off but i tried it again and it went on but then came off. what should i do let it dry and just pray? I spilled in the upper left part right at the tab key. let me know what u think and if u think ill be okay

Big Mac · Sep 28, 2010, 03:28 PM

http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-noteb...r-beer-liquid/

macnixer · Sep 28, 2010, 06:16 PM

You should have just shutdown the machine and then used a strong vacuum cleaner to suck out the water. After that leave the mac flipped over overnight. It would be ok. Actually that is what I did with my brand new MBP when I spilled half a bottle of Land Shark.

Growlydidge · Sep 28, 2010, 06:54 PM

For the majority of machines I have seen that have come through my shop they don't recover if liquid hit the internal components while power was running through it. You may have a functional machine for months before it finally quits on you but unless you pulled all power (including the battery) and let it dry at least overnight don't expect much. If you've one of the newer MacBook or MacBook Pros the water spilled near the MagSafe dc-in board which can start corroding very quickly.

Using a vacuum to suck water out is also risky, the vacume can create and release a static discharge (unless it's an ESD safe vacuum) which can fry your logic board.

If you have home owners or renters insurance you can often get the repair covered, unfortunately the terms of the AppleCare agreement deny coverage for any accidental damage to a machine. Though sometimes calling and crying to an AppleCare rep can help. Apple does have a flat rate repair program, 879ish for MacBooks and 13inch MBPs and around 1400 for the larger. The cost will vary by service provider or AppleStore depending on markup.

ghporter · Sep 28, 2010, 06:59 PM

Was this a "Mac Pro," or a "MacBook Pro?"

reader50 · Sep 28, 2010, 07:42 PM

Since he posted it in MacPro and PowerMac, I assume it is a Mac Pro or a PowerMac G5 / G4. All those have separate keyboards.

Most keyboards are not that expensive. If you pulled the USB cord right away, you should be OK. Vacuum out all the water you can, set a fan blowing on the keyboard overnight, and use a spare keyboard if you have one. The keyboard should survive, and if it doesn't, get another for ~$50. More if it's a Tactile Pro keyboard.

macaddict0001 · Sep 28, 2010, 07:51 PM

I like this thread more.

Growlydidge · Sep 29, 2010, 10:11 AM

I doubt it was a tower, he's saying his screen shut off. If the liquid hit where he says it hit there is a major power component there as well as the LVDS connection. He's likely fried the MLB.

Liquid hitting a desktop keyboard wouldn't affect video performance. I've plenty of customers who have no idea what they have, the amount of people who come in with MacBook Pros calling them Powerbooks may surprise you.

Waragainstsleep · Oct 1, 2010, 07:27 AM

"Its a silver one."

ghporter · Oct 1, 2010, 07:35 AM

Growly, if water got into one of the special function keys, such as the brightness keys, it COULD make the screen look like it shut off. The OP says he spilled the liquid on the upper right portion of the keyboard, near the Tab key. And on my first gen thin aluminum keyboard, that's pretty close to where the brightness keys, F1 and F2, are.

But I really wish our OP would chime in again and tell us exactly what computer he has. If it's a Mac Pro, he should be happily surfing away already. If it's a notebook, maybe not so much...and we could probably help him out, at least a bit.

dkahn369 · Jan 23, 2011, 05:41 PM

Have a question: My daughter spilled a 1/4 cup of water on her macbook pro. it shut itself off. was not plugged in. She shook all the water out, turned upside down, and laid it for 3.5 days on the top of her dorm refrigerator letting the heat dry it out. she could not get the back off her macbook to take out the battery. When she turned it on, it worked. Here are some issues, and wondering if anyone has ANY advice:
1. there is general slowness with typing and scrolling
2. any video is slow, delayed and jerky
3. when we try to skype, she can hear us clearly, but she is too garbled to understand
4. when her computer is closed and she reopens it, she has to hold down the power button a few times to get it to come out of sleep. Any ideas how to fix these things, or what it might be?

Cold Warrior · Jan 23, 2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by dkahn369

Have a question: My daughter spilled a 1/4 cup of water on her macbook pro. it shut itself off. was not plugged in. She shook all the water out, turned upside down, and laid it for 3.5 days on the top of her dorm refrigerator letting the heat dry it out. she could not get the back off her macbook to take out the battery. When she turned it on, it worked. Here are some issues, and wondering if anyone has ANY advice:
1. there is general slowness with typing and scrolling
2. any video is slow, delayed and jerky
3. when we try to skype, she can hear us clearly, but she is too garbled to understand
4. when her computer is closed and she reopens it, she has to hold down the power button a few times to get it to come out of sleep. Any ideas how to fix these things, or what it might be?

Yes, tons of advice in this thread. http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-noteb...r-beer-liquid/