Desktops forum: Wet Desktop Computer. Please help

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by ac1818 - 1/14/13 3:15 AM

In Reply to: Wet Desktop Computer. Please help by ac1818

The rain was quite heavy, so the computer was close to soaked.
I have left it out to dry for 24hours, and plan on waiting for at least 3 days before I turn it on.
I have not powered on the computer

Any suggestions ...?

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user ac1818

Crap shoot

by bob b - 1/14/13 8:03 AM

In Reply to: Wet Desktop Computer. Please help by ac1818

We've had data centers get flooded.
Guys were in there for days with fans running and using hair dryers.

You must get all the water out of the machine before you apply power.

After that......keep you fingers crossed.
Don't be surprised your chasing bugs for a while.

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user ac1818

If data recovery is a must.

by R. Proffitt - 1/14/13 8:19 AM

In Reply to: Wet Desktop Computer. Please help by ac1818

You would NEVER power this PC up. You would try to save it but first you would pull the HDD and after it's been dried and you cleaned it with canned air and let dry again them you would put that onto a working PC to get your data out.

That water logged PC could have issues with the power supply and upon power up destroy all the components in the case.

Your seasoned tech would not have the HDD or maybe nothing attached to the PSU on first power up. That is, they would do the GREEN WIRE PSU TEST (see google) along with a Volt Meter. No Volt Meter? Then you are not ready to do this work.
Bob

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Data recovery is not an issue.

by ac1818 - 1/14/13 8:09 PM

In Reply to: If data recovery is a must. by R. Proffitt

Thanks for your responses everyone.
Firstly, the PC does not have a hard drive at the moment. Lucky!. So data is not an issue at all and I don't have to worry that much

I am just trying to make the most out of the other components motherboard, CPU, RAM and graphics card.

I have not turned the PC on yet, since this occured. It is still drying now

In reply to Bob B. When you had data centers flooded, was there any luck with the hardware and how did you dry it?

In reply to Bob, thankyou for mentioning the fact that the power supply could destroy all the components in the place. What do you recommend I do. Disassemble and dry parts out individually ? I have no voltmeter but I have a two spare power supplies I could use? Please advise what I should do?

My aim is to at least be able to keep the motherboard, cpu and ram .

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I would get a Volt Meter.

by R. Proffitt - 1/14/13 8:20 PM

In Reply to: Data recovery is not an issue. by ac1818

They are cheap compared to what costs you can incur if the PSU fails. Here's an example.
http://www.amazon.com/Innoo-Tech-Digital-Voltmeter-Multimeter/dp/B0086TK8EA/

This along with google on the GREEN WIRE PSU TEST and you are ready.
Bob

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Will Consider. Thanks. In the mean time....

by ac1818 - 1/14/13 9:46 PM

In Reply to: I would get a Volt Meter. by R. Proffitt

I will consider that to test this power supply. Since it is cheep why not.

In the mean time, should I plug in my spare [power supply and test the other components that way? What should I do before? I do not want to damage the components

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Your choice.

by R. Proffitt - 1/14/13 10:43 PM

In Reply to: Will Consider. Thanks. In the mean time.... by ac1818

I have my methods and it's from too many years of burnt out gear arriving at the shop.
Bob

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I'm a bit confused

by ac1818 - 1/15/13 2:14 AM

In Reply to: Your choice. by R. Proffitt

What are the choices?
I agree that to test that power supply, I need to get the voltmeter. But what about the other hardware?

Sorry. Please explain. I am keen to try whatever you think is best.

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You test as you know how.

by R. Proffitt - 1/15/13 8:30 AM

In Reply to: I'm a bit confused by ac1818

The reason I test the PSU is simple. A failing PSU can fail in ways that send way too much power out the supply lines and fry everything in the box.

No other part has that capability so for the rest you do what you can and even if a video or other card is bad, I've only seen one instance in decades that caused other failures. So I discount that one issue since it was on parallel printer ports that are now history,.
Bob

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Dry it

by bob b - 1/15/13 12:37 PM

In Reply to: Data recovery is not an issue. by ac1818

The water is the easy part.....fans/hair dryers.
The problem is with all the crud that was floating around in that water.
When it dries it's all over everything.

Back to the pc.
If you can do the stand alone psu test.....that's good.
I'm thinking all that's needed to power up the machine is a psu and a mobo.
I've never tried it so perhaps someone can put a ya or nay on that.

If that's true strip it down to those two parts.
If you power it up and things go bad the most you can croak is two parts.

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Thanks. That makes more sense

by ac1818 - 1/15/13 1:47 PM

In Reply to: Dry it by bob b

But you mentioned that if the power supply is bad, it could damage the motherboard.

That is why I was thinking of plugging my spare power supply with the motherboard. Do you think that is a goo idea?

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Sure

by bob b - 1/15/13 4:27 PM

In Reply to: Thanks. That makes more sense by ac1818

Take the wet psu and bin it.

Fit in your dry spare.

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(NT) Great. Will try that as soon as I ensure every thing is dry.

by ac1818 - 1/15/13 5:39 PM

In Reply to: Sure by bob b

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Answer Best answer as chosen by user ac1818

Wring it out

by Willy - 1/14/13 9:01 AM

In Reply to: Wet Desktop Computer. Please help by ac1818

Dry it out first, formost. I suggest you pull the innards out that are easily swapped out. Dip the PC case to drip as easily as possible. Then using a "hair dryer" blow dry it out as best as possible(vary as required). Do the same for other items. If you like, make a hot box, place in box so it can vent then allow air in as well. You create airflow and with a eletric heater(w/fan) place inside the hot box on low. You can also mount the items in a screen/mesh support in order to allow to circulate all around. If you have an old home furance that has a floor vent, place PC there for as long as you like, wait until happy its dry. Understand, tight or confined areas will take longer and/or during the process become corroded or rusted, even. You take your chances once you feel its all OK to return to PC. You may want to keep the HD out of the loop in order to mount in another PC to retrieve data, testing that alone and hoping for the best. I suggest all after you feel it's certain to be dry, and drying will take time. Of course verify and inspect and once ready, you have a 50/50 chance of it working or better even. Waiting is going to be the hardest part.

tada -----Willy

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Forgot to read the last post. Sorry for the duplicates

by ac1818 - 1/14/13 8:12 PM

In Reply to: Wring it out by Willy

I will consider your advise Willy. Data recovery is not a must

Thanks for your responses everyone.
Firstly, the PC does not have a hard drive at the moment. Lucky!. So data is not an issue at all and I don't have to worry that much

I am just trying to make the most out of the other components motherboard, CPU, RAM and graphics card.

I have not turned the PC on yet, since this occured. It is still drying now

In reply to Bob B. When you had data centers flooded, was there any luck with the hardware and how did you dry it?

In reply to Bob, thankyou for mentioning the fact that the power supply could destroy all the components in the place. What do you recommend I do. Disassemble and dry parts out individually ? I have no voltmeter but I have a two spare power supplies I could use? Please advise what I should do?

My aim is to at least be able to keep the motherboard, cpu and ram .

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Pitch the PSU

by Willy - 1/15/13 7:19 PM

In Reply to: Forgot to read the last post. Sorry for the duplicates by ac1818

I should have mentioned that value of the PSU was comprised since it got wet. You have no meter and even if you test it, it's really something you want to walk away from. As for mtrbd. cpu and ram, at least these may give the appearance of looking good once dry. Don't rush this, allow things to dry out and then test. -----Willy

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(NT) Thanks so much. I will take note of that.

by ac1818 - 1/16/13 3:31 AM

In Reply to: Pitch the PSU by Willy

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