is it ok to "wash" a motherboard?

[wchou]

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

a solution would be to buy a new one, it cost so little from 5.00 to 10.00 online.

 

[bladephoenix]

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

a solution would be to buy a new one, it cost so little from 5.00 to 10.00 online.

True, but people generally don't like to buy new stuff just because its dirty ... even if its only a few bucks. Human nature is funny that way. Also, I do know some people who will not get a new keyboard because they are so used to it. My old typing teacher from way, way back told me one time that she even recorded the serial number of her keyboard when she was a student just because she couldn't adapt to any other board.

On a different note, just to make a point about "disposable electronics", I have yet to figure out why they don't make inkjets out of cardboard, and thus better for the environment when it comes to recycling. I mean an ink cart costs about 30 + 80 for black + color respectively. You can get a new printer for cheaper, each time you need to get more ink. People will not throw away keyboards/printers/mice, unless they are a) broken; or b) labeled "DISPOSABLE".

 

[CrispyFried]

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

a solution would be to buy a new one, it cost so little from 5.00 to 10.00 online.

Some touch typists are very picky about keyboards.. once they find one with the pefect feel theyll die before getting a different one. and good keyboards arent 10 bucks.

 

[1Dark1Sharigan1]

Originally posted by: BigCoolJesus
Water only ruins if it conducts a current between 2 points that shouldnt be connected.......IE, you can pour all the water you want on a mobo, hell you could pitch it in a lake for a week, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS COMPLETELY DRY WHEN A CURRENT IS APPLIED, IT WILL BE FINE.
(meaning, as long as your not trying to clean it while its plugged in, its all good)

Only water with dissolved ions in it will conduct electricity . . . distilled water won't. Of course, once you pour that distilled water on that dirty motherboard, it ain't pure no more . . .

 

[cryptonomicon]

Originally posted by: BigCoolJesus

Originally posted by: Crescent13
use canned air. water will kill the mobo the instant it touches it.

Not true at all


to answer your question........yes, you can wash it with water



BUT, first you must unplug it from everything and any source of power, and leave it unplugged. wait about 10 minutes (for any remaining power "stored" up to dissipate)

Then, you can run as much f'ing water over it that you want

BUT WAIT AGAIN...........Now you have to dry the mother off, and i mean dry.
By this, i mean completely dry it with cloths/hair dryer/ air...... and when you think its dry, leave it sit (without plugging it in) for 4-5 days.... then dry it a little more.



Then, and only then, can you plug it back in and it will work without shorting out.


Just in case some n00b or uninformed person doubts me, think of it logically. Water only ruins if it conducts a current between 2 points that shouldnt be connected.......IE, you can pour all the water you want on a mobo, hell you could pitch it in a lake for a week, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS COMPLETELY DRY WHEN A CURRENT IS APPLIED, IT WILL BE FINE.
(meaning, as long as your not trying to clean it while its plugged in, its all good)

agreed, but ... i believe that DISTILLED WATER here is critical! tap water retains small amounts of ionized salts or other trace materials which just is a bad idea in general imo.

 

[Polish3d]

What about the danger of static discharge from the vacuum (air/dust circulating etc...)

 

[bladephoenix]

Originally posted by: Frackal
What about the danger of static discharge from the vacuum (air/dust circulating etc...)

True, but if you don't touch the MB with the vaccum, how could there be a discharge?

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: bladephoenix

Originally posted by: Frackal
What about the danger of static discharge from the vacuum (air/dust circulating etc...)

True, but if you don't touch the MB with the vaccum, how could there be a discharge?

static discharge can be in the thousands of volts, even hundreds of thousands. the permitivity of air is around 10,000 volts, so you can shoot sparks at 1/2 or even up to an inch if you have a big enough charge on your skin. your body acts like a huge dielectric and can store massive amounts of charge on the skin.

 

[Overkiller]

It's a good idea not to use a vacuum cleaner due to all the air particles being energized, and blah blah blah. yeah. dont' do it.

 

[alimoalem]

why use water at all?? if it's gonna take u days to air out and you're trying to fix your comp, just get a can of air (maybe even off of ebay if the money's an issue) and spray

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
I was about to say to use a regular vaccum with the curtain cleaner attachment. It will be good enough to take off the big blotches of dust bunnes. Just be gentle with it so you don't accidently scratch it (if possible don't touch it with the curtain cleaner lips, just 'hover' it above the board.)

By the way, if it really is that dusty, rising it with water may not take out all the dust you would think it would. The only reason I know that is because, believe it or not, I clean my keyboard occationally with water (I take it apart, including the individual keys, separate the electronic stuff and rise all the plastic. -- Never does fully remove the dirt.)

And while on the topic of washing keyboards, there is nothing really sensitive inside a keyboard other than a single chip that controls the LEDS and handles all the electronic signals. It is basically a bunch of keys that spring up using cheap thin rubber cups. There is a plastic sheet with some *silicon?* wiring that simply passes the signal to a chip located where the LEDS are. Even the key part of that is simply a sandwich of cheap flexible magnets similar to those you put on a fridge.

Keyboard made with such cheap materials!

NOOOOOOO... NEVER vacuum electronics. The air rushing into the nozzle creates static... if you get too close to the motherboard, that static charge is released into the motherboard. BAD BAD BAD idea.

*EDIT* It is ok though to use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out, and have the vacuum near by to collect the dust so it doesn't just settle around and inside the computer again.

And to the OP... don't be a moron, go buy a can of compressed air and blow it off. Whatever doesn't come off by doing that is ok to leave.

 

[Stretchman]

Mobo's these days are tough, but not that tough. I accidentally scratched the surface of the PCB on my Asus P4C800-E, and although it continued to function, there were some strange things that started popping up, errors and such.

Best to be as delicate as possible, most likely used canned air.

 

[AnandThenMan]

I washed the entire motherboard several times without ill effects. You MUST dry it totally before using it though. Putting it in the Sun for a day works best.

 

[imported_Akira]

Washing a mobo in water sounds damn crazy to me

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: Akira
Washing a mobo in water sounds damn crazy to me

:thumbsup:

 

[Viper96720]

Blue Shower
http://www.techspray.com/

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by: BigCoolJesus

Originally posted by: Crescent13
use canned air. water will kill the mobo the instant it touches it.

Not true at all


to answer your question........yes, you can wash it with water



BUT, first you must unplug it from everything and any source of power, and leave it unplugged. wait about 10 minutes (for any remaining power "stored" up to dissipate)

Then, you can run as much f'ing water over it that you want

BUT WAIT AGAIN...........Now you have to dry the mother off, and i mean dry.
By this, i mean completely dry it with cloths/hair dryer/ air...... and when you think its dry, leave it sit (without plugging it in) for 4-5 days.... then dry it a little more.



Then, and only then, can you plug it back in and it will work without shorting out.


Just in case some n00b or uninformed person doubts me, think of it logically. Water only ruins if it conducts a current between 2 points that shouldnt be connected.......IE, you can pour all the water you want on a mobo, hell you could pitch it in a lake for a week, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS COMPLETELY DRY WHEN A CURRENT IS APPLIED, IT WILL BE FINE.
(meaning, as long as your not trying to clean it while its plugged in, its all good)

True, though you forgot to mention he should remove the BIOS battery as well. That would be a critical mistake if not done.

 

[redhatlinux]

Don't even think about washing your mobo. Blow off the dust, use a small brush and all will be well.

 

[xylem]

Use isopropyl alcohol, as pure as you can find (preferably 99%). After you rinse, residual alcohol evaporates *much* faster than water, and will not kill your motherboard if there happens to be some left that you can't see. I have washed a couple motherboards in this manner (even gently scrubbed them with a toothbrush), left out in the sun for an hour or two to dry, then hooked back up and powered on.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

Not new:

http://www.grandtec.com/vik.htm

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: BigCoolJesus

Originally posted by: Crescent13
use canned air. water will kill the mobo the instant it touches it.

Not true at all


to answer your question........yes, you can wash it with water



BUT, first you must unplug it from everything and any source of power, and leave it unplugged. wait about 10 minutes (for any remaining power "stored" up to dissipate)

Then, you can run as much f'ing water over it that you want

BUT WAIT AGAIN...........Now you have to dry the mother off, and i mean dry.
By this, i mean completely dry it with cloths/hair dryer/ air...... and when you think its dry, leave it sit (without plugging it in) for 4-5 days.... then dry it a little more.



Then, and only then, can you plug it back in and it will work without shorting out.


Just in case some n00b or uninformed person doubts me, think of it logically. Water only ruins if it conducts a current between 2 points that shouldnt be connected.......IE, you can pour all the water you want on a mobo, hell you could pitch it in a lake for a week, BUT AS LONG AS IT IS COMPLETELY DRY WHEN A CURRENT IS APPLIED, IT WILL BE FINE.
(meaning, as long as your not trying to clean it while its plugged in, its all good)

Well, you forgot to mention about the CMOS battery, so you just friend your motherboard.

Secondly, using "pure water" is pointless, because you are cleaning dust off with it. The second water becomes impure, it is considered conductive. It gets more conductive depending upon what is in it, but nonetheless, using pure water is useless in this example, as the dust will obviously make it no longer pure.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Crescent13
use canned air. water will kill the mobo the instant it touches it.

:thumbsup:

A clean but dead motherboard is always better than a dirty working board.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: Ricemarine
Wouldn't the mobo rust?

Typical keyboards are all plastic. Last time I checked, plastic doesn't rust.

:roll::frown:

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: CrispyFried

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

a solution would be to buy a new one, it cost so little from 5.00 to 10.00 online.

Some touch typists are very picky about keyboards.. once they find one with the pefect feel theyll die before getting a different one. and good keyboards arent 10 bucks.

/me glances at his IBM Model M. (With AT connection )
Best keyboard ever made, and my brother even found a PS/2 one...

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Captain_Howdy

Originally posted by: CrispyFried

Originally posted by: wchou

Originally posted by: bladephoenix
New idea!

A dishwater safe keyboard!

I know it sounds funny, but you'd be surprised how many people want to wash their keyboard ... it is the dirtiest part of most systems after all, next to the mouse.

a solution would be to buy a new one, it cost so little from 5.00 to 10.00 online.

Some touch typists are very picky about keyboards.. once they find one with the pefect feel theyll die before getting a different one. and good keyboards arent 10 bucks.

/me glances at his IBM Model M. (With AT connection )
Best keyboard ever made, and my brother even found a PS/2 one...

IBM made fantastic keyboards in the '80's. Always wanted one, but never got one. Downside to them was they were frickin heavy!