spilled water on my keyboard :(

[Winchester]

I have a logitech cordless (thank God) elite. I bumped a cup and of course it went directly onto the keyboard. It still typed but (Shift, Ctrl, Z and A) acted as my hotkeys in the top right corner. I let it sit in front of a fan for a while and now the Shift, Ctrl and F and J and a few others do not work. They did before I let it dry. I have put it back beside the fan to see if that helps. What should I do?

 

[stinger25]

Leave it be for 24 hours. After that you'll just have to buy a new one. Is it still under warrenty. No big loss, since at least it wasn't connected to the motherboard!

 

[GRIFFIN1]

Sugar in your coffee?

Since it's probably screwed anyway, you might as well run it through the dishwasher a few times.

I've killed two keyboards with just normal water. Lucky for me, they were both cheap, old keyboards, so I didn't worry about losing them.

 

[Shivatron]

If it doens't work in 24 hours, then you can try this:

1. Take the keyboard apart.
2. You'll find three pieces of plastic laminate under a rubber mat, if your keyboard is like the ones that I have worked on. The two outer pieces of laminate have circuits printed on them and the one in the middle has holes in it. The keyboard works by pressing the two outer pieces of laimate together though the holes when a key is depressed. Like this:
   
   ........................................force of key
   outer laminate>------------\......./------------
   plastic middle>--------------\__/-------------
   inner laminate>--------------**--------------
   
   The keyboard doesn't work becase the water is stuck between the two outer pieces, causing a short circuit... so...
3. Take a blow dryer. Seperate the laminate by hand, blow dry in between them...
4. Reassemble. Should work now.

This worked before for me when a drunk friend decided his kybd needed a drink too... so he poured gin and tonic on it.

HTH!

[Edit: I should mention that with the G&T I had to wash between the laminate before drying it...]

 

[Tret]

owned

 

[Winchester]

thanks for helping guys.

 

[Auric]

I have an IBM Active Response and the other day I slipped with a screwdriver and accidentally dissassembled it and rinsed it in the tub. Seriously, it is very simple to clean if it is the type with a seperate top piece with all the keys snapped in place. But if yours is then the beverage may not have reached the electronics cause liquid does not readily pass through. Check it out. It might save you $10 on a new one.

 

[grant2]

Water shorting the circuits can fry them- literally. I've seen portions the circuit on my plastic laminate burned away after I spilled a drink on it and tried to clean it.

You have to decide on the value of your keyboard vs. your time, this is definately a 1-2 hour job to dry it out!

 

[snidy1]

Just buy a new one.

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: snidy1
Just buy a new one.

$100

 

[Auric]

Oh right, I guess we all missed it was cordless and hence muy expensive or have diff'rent ideas of what is worth replacing at a whim. Since it still worked, but just not accurately, there is a good chance it was a temporary short due to the presence of moisture and will be okay after being dried.

 

[grant2]

that plastic will never dry on its own, you could take it apart in 3 months and still find moisture between those sheets.

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: grant2
that plastic will never dry on its own, you could take it apart in 3 months and still find moisture between those sheets.

So if it is not working properly within 24 hours, I should take it apart and try another 24 hours?

 

[Shivatron]

Originally posted by: Winchester

Originally posted by: grant2
that plastic will never dry on its own, you could take it apart in 3 months and still find moisture between those sheets.

So if it is not working properly within 24 hours, I should take it apart and try another 24 hours?

No... Like someone above mentioned, the water will not evaporate between those sheets of laminate... you really do need to take a blow dryer to it.

Hopefully, it's just surface water and will dry in 24hrs.

Oh, BTW, thanks for the ego boost Tret.

 

[0roo0roo]

always take a keyboard apart. water seeps between sheets of circuits and will corode them long before it ever dries. takes less then 24 hours to kill a board.