Here is an interesting case study where we had a customer whose Macbook was damaged by seawater ingress. While he was sailing with his friends, their boat encountered some freak waves, and the seawater entered the cabin soaking his MacBook completely. Unfortunately , he had to wait for a month to take it to a professional for service, sufficient time for the internal components to develop corrosion. Saltwater poses a greater risk than freshwater as they are the natural best conductor and one of the most corrosive liquids.
DoctorITFixing has wide experience and a high skill set in saving several laptops and Macbooks damaged by liquid. Our sound technical know-how, specialized tools, extensive knowledge and exposure to Apple logic board design helped this time too to save the Macbook without losing the customer’s data.
Let’s take a deep dive into various reasons behind why laptops fail when liquid seeps in and what are the immediate actions to be taken.
1. Switch the water-damaged laptop/MacBook The first thing you must do in the event of a liquid spill is to drain the water off and cut off the power supply from the logic board and if possible, remove the battery immediately. Removing the battery from the latest model Macbook is complicated and requires special tools and expertise.
2. Do not shake the water-damaged laptop, as by doing so, the water would seep through the vents between the keyboard and spread over other internal components, particularly the motherboard. Protecting the motherboard from water is the foremost precaution that has to be taken to minimize the damage.
3. Immediately clean the surface of the keyboard, screen, and the entire laptop with a dry cloth to absorb the liquid and prevent it from seeping in through the vents. Keep the laptop/Macbook with the screen facing down to prevent liquid from moving inside the screen and keyboard.
4. Close the lid and do not open it again — Once you clean the laptop with a clean cloth and drain the liquid, close the lid. Opening the lid of some model laptop/Macbooks will automatically power up again (unless you have already removed the battery) and can become fatal.
5. The rice myth — Many times we have found rice inside the laptops which is brought in for repair after liquid damage. In fact, storing the laptop in a bag of rice to save from corrosion is not going to be helpful. It would rather cause additional problems by rice and dirt getting stuck in the ports and other parts of the laptop.
6. Safeguarding your laptop from the liquid spill — Thin transparent keyboard protector made of silicone can be used to protect your laptop while you can still enjoy sipping your coffee or eating your snacks.
Conclusion :
As laptops and smartphones have become a vital part of our lives and living, there is no doubt that these devices need utmost care and protection from accidental damages, but it is always good to seek professionals before the damages become irreparable.
