Tea spilt on Ibook G4!!!! Help! Quick Reply, please!

sarai73 · 05-31-2006, 07:19 PM

I'm gutted, absolutely!

Earlier today I suddenly jumped off my chair which caused my tea cup to spill all over laptop keyboard. I immediately tried to turn it off, but it kind of did it on its own (just shut down); I then turned it upside down so that tea could drip out of keyboard (and boy - it really did!). Then I removed the battery and continued to hold it upside down - even more liquid came out through the battery hole; I then started to get really worried.

I attempted to sort of dry it out with hair dryer, but this seemed silly, and I was worried that heat may further damage it. Then tried to switch it on, but just got fans spinning. I thought, silly as I am, that this was the computer trying to dry out on its own - so left it like that for about 5-6 hours.

Have just, through brother's computer, done a search on the issue and have seen that under no circumstances should you turn the computer back on again, but instead leave it off for 24 hours....and I just feel really miserable now, because, although trying to dry it out for an hour, I then did turn it back on - although I just got the fans....It's definitely completely unplugged now, battery wise and all, and I'm going to leave it for at least 24 hours from now but the question is: have I just made the biggest mistake of my life with this?! Was my turning it on and getting the fans the making or breaking of it?

...I'm so upset....my computer is my baby....there is no way I can afford a new one...

...What do you guys reckon? Please help!!!

schwartze · 05-31-2006, 07:34 PM

As I move my cup of water away from my laptop I will say wait the 24 hours and see what happens. As the Black Crowes covered Bob Marley the song goes "Only Time Will Tell".

It can be frustrating and the impatience might be unbearable, but I have found these things are damn durable.

Let's just hope you don't like sugar in your tea.

sarai73 · 05-31-2006, 07:48 PM

...thanks...! Fingers crossed. No, luckily I really hate sugar in my tea.

To be continued....

S

voldenuit · 05-31-2006, 10:02 PM

Given the fact that you completely soaked it, 24 hours are probably not nearly enough.

You may want to flip open the keyboard, pick up all accessible moisture with a lint-free cloth and wait a couple of days more. The machine must be completely dry, otherwise turning it on will damage it even more.

sarai73 · 06-01-2006, 07:49 AM

Ok - but how do I 'flip open' the keyboard? That's not easily done, if you're not an engineer, with an ibook G4....it's a very compact design. It's all stuck together...

...and the thing is, did turn it on yesterday, although just got the fans and nothing else.

But ok - will take your advice and let it rest for a few days before trying again.

Still to be continued.

roncross@cox.net · 06-01-2006, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwartze


	Let's just hope you don't like sugar in your tea.

Sugar is sticky but doesn't conduct electricity. Water itself has enough conducting ions that it poses a problem all by itself.

thx
RLC

Photek · 06-01-2006, 03:14 PM

Quote:


	but how do I 'flip open' the keyboard?

you will see 2 buttons along the top of the keyboard in between all the F keys, push and move them and the keyboard will lift.... carefull coz its attached to some cables!

soak up any Tea with a bit of kitchen towel and reside the sick iBook to a warm dry place.... airing cupboard?...... If it was me I would force myself to leave it for at least 48 hrs.

just outta interest what kinda tea was it? English Breakast.. Chai... Earl Grey?

ThreeDee · 06-01-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roncross@cox.net


	Water itself has enough conducting ions that it poses a problem all by itself.

This is where my science skills come in.

Water is a really bad condutor of electricity, but the bits of stuff in it (minerals, metals, or w/e) are good conductors. If you were to get 100% pure water, even purer than distilled water, it wouldn't conduct almost any electricity!

Next part is a guess: This is probably because the atoms in the H2O are already stable (have a full valence shell of 8 electrons[Aufbau's principle?], because the bonds of the atoms are very strong ionic bonds.

Any one here that thinks im wrong please correct me.

Catanea · 06-01-2006, 03:46 PM

Well, I dumped champagne (actually cava) all over my iBook about a year ago. Nobody had told me not to turn it back on. I did all the other things recommended - turn it upside down to drain for a l o n g time, take all removable bits out (keyboard, battery) blot everything.

But the screen, although it displayed the desktop image displayed it without illumination, and the cursor was unresponsive.

I had to take it to the local Mac people (k-tuin in Barcelona - whom I do not like) and the said they could fix it for about €140. BUT after they'd sent it to their repair centre, they rang me back and upped it to about €500.

It was a debate whether to just buy another one. In the end, I accepted their bid (it had to be paid up front) and they returned it working, but with some new glitches (like the CD tray can't pop out without a manual assist!). And they were S L O W, too. But with what I "saved" by not buying a new iBook, we bought a second-hand iMac. So now we have a "back-up" computer.

I hope it wasn't MILKY tea. Cava is sticky.
I believe for about €300 you can take an Apple Repair-person training course. That'd be cheaper.
Good luck!

roncross@cox.net · 06-03-2006, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreeDee


	Next part is a guess: This is probably because the atoms in the H2O are already stable (have a full valence shell of 8 electrons[Aufbau's principle?], because the bonds of the atoms are very strong ionic bonds. Any one here that thinks im wrong please correct me.

H20 is indeed stable, but pure water doesn't conduct electricity because the Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms don't dissociate easily. H2O bonds are covalent, not ionic. Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic bonds. NaCl (table salt) is an electrolyte and will dissociate into Na+ and Cl- ions which makes them conduct electricity. NaCl also satisfies the octet configuration rule so having a valency of 8 doesn't guarantee it stability.

Chances are even if you have pure water (with no ions), there are enough ions on the computer surfaces and wires that conduction would start as soon as there is a potential different to force the ion to move in one direction or another thus causing current flow and shorting of sensitive electrical circuits.

The best thing to do is to never bring fluids around your computer.

thx
RLC

olej24 · 06-03-2006, 03:56 AM

Quote:


	H20 is indeed stable, but pure water doesn't conduct electricity

It will if you put a high voltage through it, say 240 Volts.

Quote:


	you will see 2 buttons along the top of the keyboard in between all the F keys, push and move them and the keyboard will lift.... carefull coz its attached to some cables!

You need to undo the lock between the F5 and F6 key forst, get a screwdriver or small coin, 5p, 1p etc. and turn it, if you look above you willl see the latch move when you can't see the latchit is unlocked. Have a look in the manual if you don't understand. At least it wasn't copper sulphate or Conc. sulphuric acid you droped! (Don't know why you would be drinking those).

ThreeDee · 06-03-2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roncross@cox.net


	H20 is indeed stable, but pure water doesn't conduct electricity because the Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms don't dissociate easily. H2O bonds are covalent, not ionic. Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic bonds. NaCl (table salt) is an electrolyte and will dissociate into Na+ and Cl- ions which makes them conduct electricity. NaCl also satisfies the octet configuration rule so having a valency of 8 doesn't guarantee it stability. thx RLC

Oh well. need to brush up on my chemistry skills...

05-31-2006, 07:19 PM	#1
sarai73 Prospect Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Tea spilt on Ibook G4!!!! Help! Quick Reply, please! I'm gutted, absolutely! Earlier today I suddenly jumped off my chair which caused my tea cup to spill all over laptop keyboard. I immediately tried to turn it off, but it kind of did it on its own (just shut down); I then turned it upside down so that tea could drip out of keyboard (and boy - it really did!). Then I removed the battery and continued to hold it upside down - even more liquid came out through the battery hole; I then started to get really worried. I attempted to sort of dry it out with hair dryer, but this seemed silly, and I was worried that heat may further damage it. Then tried to switch it on, but just got fans spinning. I thought, silly as I am, that this was the computer trying to dry out on its own - so left it like that for about 5-6 hours. Have just, through brother's computer, done a search on the issue and have seen that under no circumstances should you turn the computer back on again, but instead leave it off for 24 hours....and I just feel really miserable now, because, although trying to dry it out for an hour, I then did turn it back on - although I just got the fans....It's definitely completely unplugged now, battery wise and all, and I'm going to leave it for at least 24 hours from now but the question is: have I just made the biggest mistake of my life with this?! Was my turning it on and getting the fans the making or breaking of it? ...I'm so upset....my computer is my baby....there is no way I can afford a new one... ...What do you guys reckon? Please help!!!

05-31-2006, 07:34 PM	#2
schwartze MVP Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 1,005	As I move my cup of water away from my laptop I will say wait the 24 hours and see what happens. As the Black Crowes covered Bob Marley the song goes "Only Time Will Tell". It can be frustrating and the impatience might be unbearable, but I have found these things are damn durable. Let's just hope you don't like sugar in your tea. __________________ Many things are easier to break than to fix. - Craig R. Arko

05-31-2006, 07:48 PM	#3
sarai73 Prospect Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Guess you're right... ...thanks...! Fingers crossed. No, luckily I really hate sugar in my tea. To be continued.... S

06-01-2006, 03:46 PM	#9
Catanea Prospect Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2	oops Well, I dumped champagne (actually cava) all over my iBook about a year ago. Nobody had told me not to turn it back on. I did all the other things recommended - turn it upside down to drain for a l o n g time, take all removable bits out (keyboard, battery) blot everything. But the screen, although it displayed the desktop image displayed it without illumination, and the cursor was unresponsive. I had to take it to the local Mac people (k-tuin in Barcelona - whom I do not like) and the said they could fix it for about €140. BUT after they'd sent it to their repair centre, they rang me back and upped it to about €500. It was a debate whether to just buy another one. In the end, I accepted their bid (it had to be paid up front) and they returned it working, but with some new glitches (like the CD tray can't pop out without a manual assist!). And they were S L O W, too. But with what I "saved" by not buying a new iBook, we bought a second-hand iMac. So now we have a "back-up" computer. I hope it wasn't MILKY tea. Cava is sticky. I believe for about €300 you can take an Apple Repair-person training course. That'd be cheaper. Good luck!

05-31-2006, 10:02 PM	#4
voldenuit League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Old Europe Posts: 5,146	Given the fact that you completely soaked it, 24 hours are probably not nearly enough. You may want to flip open the keyboard, pick up all accessible moisture with a lint-free cloth and wait a couple of days more. The machine must be completely dry, otherwise turning it on will damage it even more.

06-01-2006, 07:49 AM	#5
sarai73 Prospect Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5	Ok - but how do I 'flip open' the keyboard? That's not easily done, if you're not an engineer, with an ibook G4....it's a very compact design. It's all stuck together... ...and the thing is, did turn it on yesterday, although just got the fans and nothing else. But ok - will take your advice and let it rest for a few days before trying again. Still to be continued.