How to Bring a Water Damaged MacBook Back To Life

902 3 minutes read

There is a general rule regarding electronic devices: “no food or drinks allowed nearby”.

While this is the case in many workplace and school settings. But it isn’t always observed in informal settings such as at home or out and about.

Water, or any other kind of fluid can cause any number of harms. After they have filtered through laptop keyboards, within the battery compartment. Or any other place where active circuitry can be found. The effects of liquids are not limited to shorts or even damage to batteries. However, rust that is not properly checked can also speed up the process of ageing of the MacBook. Particularly for parts which are costly to replace, such as the logic board. Fortunately, the harm caused by the spill of water, or even from the MacBook air water damage can be prevented by catching it in time.

Table of Contents

1. Disconnect the cable and switch off the power to your MacBook

This is a no-brainer: even the MacBook isn’t connected to its own power source. Other devices connected via wire can still generate the current. Take all gadgets and accessories off all port connections which includes external displays.

Step 2. Dry the outside of your MacBook

With a towel, soak the maximum amount of liquid you can from your laptop. Particularly from the keyboard, and any other possible way to get into the aluminum body.

Step 3: Detach the panel on the bottom.

As terrifying as this may sound it is, there is a good chance that water and other liquids are accumulating inside the laptop in enough quantities to cause harm. Even if the laptop is turned shut down, however, the battery remains in use and is residing inside the laptop. The battery is among the most difficult parts to take apart on the MacBook and it’s crucial to do it right by removing the cover at the bottom allowing the water to drain faster and allow for better airflow for parts inside to get dry.

The best method is to use gravity as the method of draining as much water out of the MacBook as you can, which is why the laptop needs to be propped with its back against the laptop stand, or any other surface that creates an area between the laptop’s keyboard and the surface that the laptop is resting on. While the display is open and hanging to 90°, let the liquid flow through the keyboard as well as other crevices.

To speed up the process, an air blower may be utilized, but at the lowest setting. You must make use of your own judgment whenever blowing warm air onto any type of electronic in the event that the airflow is too hot and could cause damage to contacts or other circuits vulnerable to excessive temperatures.

Fourth step: the waiting

Because of the complexity of electronic equipment of any kind particularly laptop computers, any type of water will require some time to completely dry. It’s essential to take your time when you are using your laptop, since activating it even one day earlier than is recommended could result in moisture causing damage through shorting contacts. Two or three days should suffice, so long as you ensure that the MacBook is kept cool and dry area.

Step 5: Put your fingers together and turn on your MacBook

After a couple of hours have been passed your MacBook is likely to be completely dry and ready for testing. Don’t immediately connect the MacBook to a power source. This may sound suspicious but the need for precaution is too much when it comes to electronics and water. The laptop remains disconnected, and its lower cover is put back together, turn it on. If your laptop isn’t responding connect it to its power source, and then try again to see if the battery has started to be running low. At this point, the MacBook is required to turn off and restart its normal operation.

Still nothing?

If your MacBook isn’t yet functioning, there may be a variety of issues, such as the MacBook or short circuits. If that’s the case, nothing else is possible, other than letting the experts of Portable One handle it!

louisemarsh

902 3 minutes read