Peculiar symptoms after water spill

I know there are so many of these questions, but I can't find one that has the same symptoms so I am going to post my question here:
I'm trying to figure out what happened to a macbook that had water spilled on it - I was not present for this incident, so I don't know if the computer was on at the time or how it was taken care of directly after it happened. All I know is that when the charger is plugged in, the green indicator light shows - however, if you press the button on the side that let's you know the battery status, there is nothing (not even one blinking light to say it is not charged). If you press the power button, you hear the drive ramp up for a moment and the light in the front comes on - then 1-2 seconds later it just powers back down and the light turns off, that's it.

You can never tell what sort of damage - or the extent of the damage - that a liquid spill may cause a computer. And it's impossible to diagnose exactly what's wrong without having an Apple tech test the machine.
SO, if I were you, I would take the computer to your local Apple Store or AASP and have them run diagnostics on the machine and an estimate for how much it will cost to fix. Unfortunately, these types of repairs can be very expensive and you may come out better just buying a new machine as liquid spills are considered accidental damage and will not be repaired under AppleCare.
Good luck,
Clinton

Similar Messages

What is the problem after water spill?

Hello forum. I recently spilt water on my macbook pro's keyboard. I dried it up and was using my mac once again. After a hour or so I went outside and when returned I found it off. Trying to turn it back on but no avail. The batter is good because the lights shown. The adapter flashes faint green and yellow when connected to mac. Why is that? My battery is good so I will not say to get another adapter/battery. Is my logic board dead or is it the dc board. The mac should be able to turn on without a dc board?

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
It may be too late now, but when you get a spill of any kind, you need to shut your Mac down and remove the battery and position your Mac upside down with the keyboard resting on a towel. leave the Mac off for several days so that any liquid can trickle out onto the towel. You do not want to put power to the Mac until it is bone dry inside.
However, water is probably the most innocuous stuff you can spill, and if you are patient and allow everything to dry thoroughly, your Mac may well run again without issue.
The problem with not going through this is that tiny droplets can wend their way deeper into the machine over time and eventually drip onto something else. So the Mac will work until a droplet works its way deeper and eventually hits something and causes a problem. I think this is what might have happened to yours.
Since the Mac won't start up at all, I'm guessing that a drop of water may have hit the left I/O Board, which is where the power adaptor plugs in. It is also under a lot of little holes, and a keyboard spill could have resulted in water going through some of these holes as well.
The best thing to do is to leave the Mac off for several days and see if it will start up after the water has completely dried. If not, then you may be looking at a new Left I/O Board, which fortunately is a lot less expensive than a logic board.
Good luck!

Estimate damage after water spill

So after almost 5yrs it was time for a shower,, almost 500ml of water...
I immediately turned it off, opened the bottom and let it dry.
First thing I noticed broken was the power button. It was stuck and I couldn't power it on. I jumpstarted it and it was working perfectly. Confirmation that the pwr btn was broken: "shut down" window was popping up every other second. A few times it shuted down completely, like when you keep the btn pressed.
Battery led indicators were working perfectly, and it was also charging.
So far so "good".
After a while it got stuck in a reboot cycle, so the only way to stop it was disconnect the battery. After connecting the battery again: 1) no battery indicators, not charging 2) starts up, chime, apple logo and dies. 3) fans are at full power.
Among other things I tried resetting the nvram. On that attempt it made it to login screen and then died.
Any idea what the **** happened? (On the visible side of the logic board at least there is no visible corrosion)
Right now I am abroad (Poland), and the only apple store is ~600km from here. Do you think it is worth it?

Yes, your logic board got soaked, thats what happened,...
determining EXACT damage remotely online is not possible, however after much laptop repair, the "cost of repair to value of unit" isnt that great on that 2009 model...IF the logic is fried,...the fix cost total is highly likely to exceed the fixed cost of the unit.
dont turn it on, water / liquids migrate.
Turning it back on is BAD, damage A can lead to B leads to C etc.
Also water migrating around, especially while on, can wreck havoc worse than initial damage.
Nobody here can speculate on damage on something they cannot see.
Having repaired laptops in the past, even IF you got it completely dry, residue from water (iron particles etc), and wet spots under fine contacts is nearly impossible to "dry out", its just doesnt work that way.
Lots of people try to "dry it out", most to learn little was solved in doing same, and sometimes further damage occurred.
Taking it apart, youll just about never "dry out it out" due to the all the hidden spots that will REMAIN wet for some time, even IF you dry to "dry it out"
Make appt. with Apple store fore repair / diagnostic.
dont turn it on again. Sorry about the spill

Macbook Pro battery stopped working after water spill.

Hello,
I own a Macbook Pro 13 inch mid 2010 that suffered water damage, after that it stopped functioning so I unplugged and plugged again the battery, the computer than turned on and now it's working well. The only issue I'm having is that now it only works when connected to a power source, there is a message telling that my battery has to be replaced (Condition: Replace now). My question is: If I replace the battery would the problem be solved or it may be a problem in my logic board due to the liquid spill? Can anyone help me?
Battery Information:
Model Information:
Serial Number: 9G01804RUD3MA
Manufacturer: DP
Device Name: bq20z451
Pack Lot Code: 0
PCB Lot Code: 0
Firmware Version: 201
Hardware Revision: 2
Cell Revision: 158
Charge Information:
Charge Remaining (mAh): 0
Fully Charged: No
Charging: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 0
Health Information:
Cycle Count: 231
Condition: Replace Now
Battery Installed: Yes
Amperage (mA): 0
Voltage (mV): 4064
System Power Settings:
AC Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 0
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Wake on AC Change: No
Wake on Clamshell Open: Yes
Wake on LAN: No
Current Power Source: Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes
PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep: 0
Battery Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes): 10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes): 2
Wake on AC Change: No
Wake on Clamshell Open: Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim: Yes
Reduce Brightness: Yes
Hardware Configuration:
UPS Installed: No
AC Charger Information:
Connected: Yes
ID: 0x0100
Wattage (W): 60
Revision: 0x0000
Family: 0x0085
Serial Number: 0x00a1c4ce
Charging: No

You have "killed" your Macbook.
If you let it dry out, it MAY start working again, but if it does, this will inevitably be temporary as corosion sets in and does futher (and almost certainly terminal) damage.
The only benefit of letting it dry is that IF it works again, you will be able to save what is on the HDD. Only important if you don't have a backup.......you DO have a backup don't you???
Irrelevant whether you have AppleCare or not - water damage isn't covered. And the cost of repairs is likely to exceed the value of your MBP. It is worth taking it in for a free evaluation of the cost of a repair.
Your best option may be to sell it for spares and invest in a new computer - which will be kept a long way from any drinks or other sources of liquid damage!

Satellite MX30: After water spilling the notebook boot without the display

Hello,
i have a satellite mx30 notebook and the problem is at some point someone had spilled a liquid of some sort onto the keyboard, i think it may have been water.
anyway i noticed that the laptop would not boot up after this and yes it was still plugged into the mains socket so im guessing it could have caused a short and blown a chip.
i took it apart and noticed that there was a build up of gunk obviously thats where the spillage was. So i grab me some cotton wall buds and carefuly cleaned it away with the help of a tiny amount of contact spray.
i waited several hours to make sure all was dry and still have no boot screen as there wasnt before.
however the notebook powers up and stays on with mains (no display) and without battery in. If i put the battery in and plug mains it boots up (no display) it stays on for a few seconds then shuts off.
I'm thinking that the display could be due to system board failure or memeory module failure.
anyone else have any ideas.
thanks

I know it's not going to be much use to you now, since it sounds like it's been a while in this condition. Electronic equipment is often more durable than we imagine when subjected to nasties like water damage. The trick usually is to remove all batteries, unplug from mains, disassemble as much as possible without breakage, dry as much as you can with a towel (if it was something sticky like coca cola, you might want to wipe it away with cold kettle water), then leave all the pieces out overnight under a lamp positioned about 12 inches away. Reassemble, then try it out, but get someone to hold a wooden broom handle to push you away from the electricity if it all goes kaka.
If you've got gunge, there's a chance it's meant to be there, some sort of paste and you may not want to wipe it away. If there's any obvious, or not so obvoius water, hiding between screen cable (something that might look like 35mm film) try drawing it away with some absorbant toilet paper and very gently clean any contacts you may be able to see surrounding it.
The other thing, you might want to do is check that no cables have come loose during dismantling and reassembly. Give everything that received a tug during taking apart a strong but gentle push back in, or if you can pull things out and push them back in so much the better. Stress word is GENTLE though.
Chances are though, it's going to cost you some money.

Video issue- 1/3 screen is banded after water spill

My daughter spilled water on the keyboard of the PB, and now the the bottom third of the screen is just a series of broad vertical bands, colored depending on the picture/icons on the screen. The banding developed over several minutes (she didn't turn the PB off) and now is permanent.
Aside from this, the computer works fine, and external display mode is fine. The hardware test found no problems; logic board and video RAM passed.
Any ideas on what the problem may be?
Thanks!!

If you have a homeowners insurance policy, I suggest making a claim against it, and also doing a full backup asap. The damage now is from something inside shorting out (possibly the connector). There will be secondary damage in the coming weeks from corrosion, which may well render the system inoperable.

Keyboard not working after water spill

Ok, so a while back I spilt some water on my MBP and I shut it off immediately and took it in to have it looked at. I was told it was pretty much hopeless and that it'd be cheaper to buy a new one. So I just left it alone and would periodically test it to see if it would work. For the longest time it wouldn't do anything. After a couple of months the battery light would come on but the computer wouldn't turn on. So, it's been about 10 months since the accident and I decided to check to see if anything would happen. Surprise! The computer turned on with the start up screen and everything! But the problem now is the keyboard doesn't work. Every time I hit a key, it makes that beep noise. The keyboard lights up and a few keys do work but not the ones I need to type in my password. I'm debating on waiting another couple of months to see if anything changes.

The non-functional keyboard is likely just a portent of things to come... the techs that originally looked at the machine are probably correct in their assessment that it would be more costly to repair the machine than to buy a new one.
You could always take it into an Apple Store or an AASP and get an estimate for repair - but when they see that the liquid sensors have been activated, they will probably hit you with an estimate that will be more costly than a new machine.
Best of luck, though!
Clinton

Macbook not starting up after water spill - beeping sounds

I was cleaning the keyboard with water while it was turned off and accidently spilt about 50-100ml of water onto the keyboard, also accidently turning the computer onto sleep mode at one point. I tried cleaning up the water by letting it drain, but it started coming out of the sides of the computer. That's when the computer started making a strange beeping sound like it was an alarm sound so I quickly pulled the battery out and left it to dry out, took a night for the water to stop dripping out of the sides. In the morning I used a haridryer on coold settings to try and evaporate any remaining water, and tried plugging the power cord in and turning on, but it's not starting up!
My macbook was the 2008 model so it's past warranty, but it's only 2 years old and I really can't afford to buy another one right now because I'm just a poor college student
If anyone has advice on what I could do I would be really greatful...

Have you tried turning the computer on while the computer was plugged in?

Confusing battery trouble after water spill. Not quite sure what the problem is but would rather not have to pay for diagnosis.

Hello there!
So a few weeks ago now I made a schoolboy error and spilt a small amount of water over my 2009 macbook pro while it was closed. It wouldn't wake up when I opened it so I decided to try and open it up, although it took me forever to find a screwdriver small enough to get the back off. When I finally managed to take a look, there was a small amount of moisture on the battery. I left it to dry for a day or so, although probably not as long as I should have done and then when I tried to boot it up again it worked!
However!
Since its been working again, the battery has permenantly said that it's 'not charging' although often it does seem to charge in spite of this. I had thought / hoped that this might be fixable simply by replacing the battery, but I dont want to spend a load of money on a battery, should there be more to the problem than this. Also I have noticed that the battery says 'replace soon', rather than 'replace now' which makes me wonder if the problem could in fact be something do with the logic board instead.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do next? Of course I would like to be able to fix it and have a normal working battery again, but failing that, some insight as to where the problem might lie would be extremely helpful.
Here is all the battery info, which doesnt really mean much to me, but may be of some use. Many thanks to anyone who helps!
Battery Information:
Model Information:
Serial Number:          9G*****VNA
Manufacturer:          DP
Device name:          bq20z451
Pack Lot Code:          0000
PCB Lot Code:          0000
Firmware Version:          0003
Hardware Revision:          0002
Cell Revision:          0100
Charge Information:
Charge remaining (mAh):          2185
Fully charged:          No
Charging:          No
Full charge capacity (mAh):          3545
Health Information:
Cycle count:          1174
Condition:          Replace Soon
Battery Installed:          Yes
Amperage (mA):          -1156
Voltage (mV):          11241
System Power Settings:
AC Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          16
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          180
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          15
Wake On AC Change:          No
Wake On Clamshell Open:          Yes
Wake On LAN:          Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
Battery Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          16
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          16
Wake On AC Change:          No
Wake On Clamshell Open:          Yes
Current Power Source:          Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
Reduce Brightness:          Yes
Hardware Configuration:
UPS Installed:          No
AC Charger Information:
Connected:          No
Charging:          No
<Edited by Host>

Do you know how easy it would be to just take the battery out......
That depends on your MacBook Pro variant, which we don't yet know (don't know your OSX version either). Different variants and screen sizes have different battery specs. If you need to find out your model before replying, you can enter your serial number in this Apple web page:
Check Service & Support Coverage
And it will translate to a model. If that doesn't work (I'm having to give options here because I don;t know your OS version):
1) For Mac OSX 10.7 "Lion" and later, do "About this Mac" and, in the resulting window, press the "More Info..." button to get this:
The red arrow I added indicates your model and screen size.
2) For Mac OS 10.4 through 10.6, do the same except the "More Info..." button will bring up this screen:
Again my red arrow poiints to pertinent data. Please post that code BUT not any serial numbers. With these OS versions you need to provide the screen size separately, either 13, 15 or 17 inch.
Once you've gone to this trouble it is a very good idea to add it to your equipment line in your forum profile so helpers don't ahve to go through this again for future questions. See my equip line below for an example of enough info to get fast help.
Allan

Macbook Pro unibody freezing up on startup after light water spill!!

Hello Everyone,
I have a macbook pro that i bought last summer and after almost a month of using it i had a light water spill and now the computer turns on and before the login screen is supposed to come up the computer freezes, tried booting with safe mode i can see the mouse pointer briefly and then it goes right to sleep and wont wake back up, is it an obvious logic board problem?or could it be maybe something else?
Thanks in advance!!

Some liquid has just spilled into your Mac. What should you do?
Do
Immediately shut down the computer and unplug the power cord.
Remove the computer's battery if it's a portable Mac.
Disconnect any peripherals (printers, iPods, scanners, cameras, etc.)
Lay the computer upside down on paper towels to get as much liquid as possible to drip out.
Note what was spilled on your Mac.
Bring the computer into an Apple store or AASP as soon as possible.
Don't
Don't try to turn it back on. Liquids can help electrical current move about the components of your Mac in destructive ways.
Don't shake the computer (this will only spread the liquid around).
Don't use a hair dryer on it (even at a low setting a hair dryer will damage sensitive components).

Sharing my experience, water spill accident on my Retina Macbook Pro

I would like to share my experience to the community and to fellow mac users regarding my water spill accident on my 1-week fresh Retina Macbook Pro.
Before begining, i appologize for gramar or spelling mistakes since I am French and English is not my first language.
So lets begin ...
My 2006 macbook pro started giving away and i knew that i had to replace it very soon. So i opted for a high end machine because i knew i needed something for at least 5 years.
After much thought, i bought a Retina Macbook Pro since for work i needed a 15 inch screen laptop and portability was key for me.
Normally at work the Retina Macbook Pro sits on an aluminum Rain Design stand, but on thursday, i was at a co-worker office brain-storming for an important presentation. So i had my Retina macbook pro sitting on a small conference table and next to it i had a cup of water (THE CULPRIT), 200 ml to be precise.
I know, i know ... i shouldn't have been drinking a beverage while using my computer at the same time but i'm always careful with my stuff (proof my 2006 macbook pro still lives).
So enough introduction ... After taking a sip from that cup of water i accidently spilled the cup on my keyboard. To be precise i spilled around 160 ml of tap water on the keyboard while the computer was ON (on battery).
I froze for 5 seconds cursing in French, looking at the puddle of water on my keyboard, then i immediatley FORCED shut down the computer.
I ran for paper towels and started absorbing as much as i can, while absorbing the water my fellow co-worker was helping me, and since the power button is so tiny and placed on the keyboard, he accidently turned it back ON again ... I immediatly turned it back off (forced) and kept on absorbing as much liquid as i can.
To my surprise, we kept on bringing paper towels and absorbing ...The water was just sitting on top of the computer and i had the impression that not a whole much was making it inside.
After finsihing the first cleaning process ... i placed two dry paper towels on the keyboard and closed the screen, fliped the computer upside down so it was sitting on the screen. This was on thursday. I DID NOT DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (since i did not have the necessary tools for Apple's alien screws).
Friday morning, when i arrived at the office, i checked the laptop (still haven't turned it on) ... Paper towels were wet, so i changed them ....
I left it over the weekend at work .... doing some research on water spills ... i decided not to use rice or hair dryers or opening the machine ... i estimated that what could've made it through the inside of the laptop was roughly 20 ml of water that was absorbed by a plastic sheet seperating the keyboard from the logic board.
Monday, D-day, i tried turning the laptop ON and it booted normaly ... i was a bit skeptic, i was thinking maybe the RAM modules were fried or certain keys on the keyboard or the sound controller ... but nothing everything seemed normal.
I just finished running the Apple Hardware Extensive Test and everything seems running fine.
So to all persons who will be in the same case as mine - WATER SPILL - (not coffee, cola, or sugary acidic beverages spill). Turn off the machine as fast as you can, absorb water as much as you can, flip the computer on its screen side while placing paper towels to absorb humidity, time is on your side so the more you wait the better, in my case 3.5 days, and PRAY .
The waranty is probably voided since black sensors inside the machine turns to red as soon as they contact water, (like litnus paper with acids or bases)
Hope my experience will help you get through yours ...

9 times out of 10, you cannot, will not, shall NOT get thru same,.......corrosion sets in.
Many people suffer the pain of a "dried out and working notebook".......... only to learn corrosion will soon ruin it.
Liquid spills, why your MacBook chassis is a one-way valve for spills
After a substantial spill many people will turn their notebook upside down and shake it, not only does this not work, but it spreads liquid havoc throughout your machine and makes things often as bad as possible.
The keyboard itself acts like a one way valve in the case of a substantial liquid spill. While liquid pours into the bottom chassis easy, it does not come out easily at all, and in the case of any spill, most of it will not come out by turning it upside down. Disconnect all power and contact Apple for diagnostics and repair.
Do not attempt to, after a spill, ‘dry out your MacBook’ and test it
After a spill most people invariably try to “dry out” their notebook by various methods, including hair dryers and otherwise. This both does not work, and after a substantial spill of any magnitude, even if the liquid was water, residue is left behind.
There are additionally many very tight places inside your notebook where liquids will linger for a very long time, and cause corrosion or worse.
Immediately unplug your notebook and contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and parts replacement.
In the case of very minor spills people will “dry out” their notebook and feel success that their notebook is working ok, however invariably in nearly all instances after 4-14 days an error / fault pops up and is usually followed by more.
In case of a spill, damage estimates are impossible,.....anything can be fixed, without question.......the question is cost.
contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and cost estimation ....possible parts replacement.

Water Spilled on 2011 MacBook Pro

Hi all,
I need help as to what to do next and whether or not I have a chance at saving my laptop.
I had a thermos of hot-ish water with a tea bag on my desk next to my 2011 MacBook Pro. My Mac has a keyboard cover, and a hard plastic case on both parts of the laptop.
About 3 ounces of water spilled onto my computer on the left between the keyboard and screen. At contact, the screen went immediately black and within a couple seconds I dried up the water with paper towels. I also removed the cases and cover and dried up the few drops that had leaked through that.
Now my computer is in a cool dry place and I haven't attempted to turn it on at all. I've already made an Apple Store appointment but I want to hear from other users as to what I can do from home.
Thank you for your help!

Youre out of luck, considering the spill and immediate blackout, trying to "dry it out" is a lost cause.
Everyone likes the "dry it out and turn it on" ploy, but it doesnt work, after major damage, not a chance.
Make a service call to Apple for likely logic board replacement and otherwise.

Water spilled on the table and it had contact with a macbook air:(

Hi people!
I was at Starbucks and I spilled 1/3 glass of water on a table and it had a little contact with someone's macbook air... The person tried to turn it on but it did not turn on... He said its ok and i gave him my phone number but im really concerned about it. Do you think that there might be a serious problem? I dont want him to lose his documents...
In the worst case, i ll of course pay the fees for reparing it but... I feel so bad about it...

someone's macbook air
Oh, someone elses macbook eh?
Yes, everyone tries to turn it on,.... always a horrible idea. Electricity and water destroys.
Liquid spills, why your MacBook chassis is a one-way valve for spills
After a substantial spill many people will turn their notebook upside down and shake it, not only does this not work, but it spreads liquid havoc throughout your machine and makes things often as bad as possible.
The keyboard itself acts like a one way valve in the case of a substantial liquid spill. While liquid pours into the bottom chassis easy, it does not come out easily at all, and in the case of any spill, most of it will not come out by turning it upside down. Disconnect all power and contact Apple for diagnostics and repair.
Do not attempt to, after a spill, ‘dry out your MacBook’ and test it
After a spill most people invariably try to “dry out” their notebook by various methods, including hair dryers and otherwise. This both does not work, and after a substantial spill of any magnitude, even if the liquid was water, residue is left behind.
There are additionally many very tight places inside your notebook where liquids will linger for a very long time, and cause corrosion or worse.
Immediately unplug your notebook and contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and parts replacement.
In the case of very minor spills people will “dry out” their notebook and feel success that their notebook is working ok, however invariably in nearly all instances after 4-14 days an error / fault pops up and is usually followed by more.
In case of a spill, damage estimates are impossible,.....anything can be fixed, without question.......the question is cost.
contact Apple for in shop diagnostics and cost estimation ....possible parts replacement.

Help! Water spill, can not power on!

I spilled water on my DV2715 last night. After I tried to drip the water all out, it would not power on. There is not a whisper of power whatsoever. How do I go about taking the laptop apart and find the problem? Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks.

If you EVER spill water on a notebook computer, Hope it was OFF when you did, cause if it was on at the time it probably just became a paper weight. If it gets wet, you want to set it in an area with lots of air flow for like a month. Do not plug it in, take the battery out, no not attempt to power it on. You have to allow time for ALL moisture to evaporate out of it, then turn it back on.
In your case there is little hope i'm afraid, if water spills onto the motherboard then it is fried. The only solution is to replace the motherboard along with any other component that may have gotten fried, and you might as well purchase a new notebook. IF you are in Warranty and have accidental damage protection, then it should entitile you to a fix on it.
The First Sacred Law of Computers: Fast, Reliable, Cheap.....Pick Two The Second Sacred Law of Computers: Ask not of others that which may be easier found by Google The Third Sacred Law of Computers: Thou shalt not ask about an error message one did not bother to write down

I have an accidental water spill on my iPhone. Is it repairable?

I have an accidental water spill on my iPhone. Is it repairable?

How long ago did this happen. If you powered the iPhone off immediately, then place it in a bag of uncooked rice for 5-7 days, then try it. If it works, then take the time to make a backup and be ready to replace the device. If it will not work after that, then it is not going to. Water and electronics don't mix. It is not a question of if it will fail, it is when. Apple has out of warranty replacements for this purpose.

Peculiar symptoms after water spill

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