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Laptop got wet in the rain. Help

  • 28-07-2011 10:20am
    #1
    kearneybobs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,923 ✭✭✭


    I somehow managed to leave the skylight open last night and wasn't at home to close it and when I came home this morning I found a puddle of water on my bed, a book SOAKED through and my laptop at the edge of the puddle. The water damage doesn't seem too extensive, I hope.
    The laptop is a Dell Studio 1558 and the part of the laptop that had gotten wet was the right hand side as I look at the open laptop, i.e. the side with the single USB port, the power button and the disk drive slot. I didnt turn it on and removed the battery immediately.
    I currently have the laptop sitting on it's wet side on top of a towel trying to drain some, if any water that is left inside.

    I'm really not sure what to do next. Should I put the laptop into a bag of rice and seal it? what's the best wat to check that it has been dried out before I attempt to turn it on again?


Comments

  • #2
    sellerbarry
    Closed Accounts Posts: 776 ✭✭✭sellerbarry


    Hi. Take battery off and then leave ur laptop upside down open like an A for about 24 hours. Try to dry off as much as you can before this. If it powers up after that time with the batery alone, it should be safe to plug in to mains. If you are tech savvy, then i would take out the drives before doing all of this. Good luck


  • #3
    KERSPLAT!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31,152 ✭✭✭✭KERSPLAT!


    Could also use a hairdryer on low heat to dry out some parts?


  • #4
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    IPAM wrote: »
    Could also use a hairdryer on low heat to dry out some parts?

    No, please don't! Try the bag of rice to soak up the moisture. Just don't plug it in for a few days.


  • #5
    CSU
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 459 ✭✭CSU


    IPAM wrote: »
    Could also use a hairdryer on low heat to dry out some parts?

    make sure the hairdryer is on the LOWEST heat setting...you'd be surprised at just how quick some components deform and melt with very little heat.


  • #6
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    7up split on one mine. Cleaned as much as I could with a wet wipe and removed the keyboard as the liquid was caught in a plastic membrane underneath it. Then left mine in the airing cupboard for about 2 days. Then it started fine. Keyboard was sticky, and was too hard to clean as the 7up is stick, so I just bought a new one for about €20. Worked perfectly from then on.


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  • #7
    kearneybobs
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,923 ✭✭✭kearneybobs


    The keyboard is fine, I think, as the lid of the laptop was closed all night. I'm fairly sure that water got into the hinge of the laptop, near the power button. Gonna give it a few hours in a warm room and try out the bag of rice too.
    Like I said, I dont think it's too bad since most of the laptop was outside of the puddle but the disk drive is wet. The felt on the disc drive (or whatever it is) is definitely wet and when I unplugged the usb connection from the port there was some water on the connector.

    Thanks for all the replies.


  • #8
    Serephucus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,181 ✭✭✭Serephucus


    Your best bet is to leave it in a hot press for a few days. If you power it on, all it needs is one droplet of water in the wrong place to short something, and you're fooked. As long as it's completely dry the first time you turn it on, it'll be fine.


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