rolf@sparc1 (Rolf Wilson) (06/07/91)
Someone I work with spilled some beer into a Mac Plus keyboard, and it has stopped working. He tried cleaning it with distilled water, but that did not work. Can anyone suggest a better method or solvent? -- Rolf Wilson Illinois State Geological Survey rolf@sparc1.isgs.uiuc.edu
ric@netcom.COM (Richard Bretscheider) (06/07/91)
rolf@sparc1 (Rolf Wilson) writes: > Someone I work with spilled some beer into a Mac Plus keyboard, >and it has stopped working. He tried cleaning it with distilled >water, but that did not work. Can anyone suggest a better >method or solvent? >-- In removing beer from a keyboard I usually try to reason with the keyboard, convince I'm working in it's best interests and that it's had enough. If I can't do that I steal its keys so it can't drive. Seriously, sounds like you've done bad damage to the board. I think you'll find that the time spent repairing it could be better justified by getting one of a gazillion used and unwanted Mac Plus keyboards from users who have upgraded. Make me an offer on mine for example. -- "If you're not going to kill me, I've got things to do." Ric Bretschneider apple!netcom!ric BWAH-Ha-ha!
weiss@babbage.seas.ucla.edu (Michael Weiss) (06/10/91)
In article <1991Jun6.212840.20166@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> rolf@sparc1 (Rolf Wilson) writes: > Someone I work with spilled some beer into a Mac Plus keyboard, >and it has stopped working. He tried cleaning it with distilled >water, but that did not work. Can anyone suggest a better >method or solvent? Well, I'm a-gonna tell you a story. I used to work at the UCLA Bookstore, in the computer division. A guy came in with an ADB keyboard, which had the "1" key (above the QWERTY) broken off, and told me how he and his girlfriend were having a romantic dinner with champagne, and she accidentally dropped the bottle, NECK DOWN, onto the keyboard. After that, the keyboard behaved as if it were drunk :)! You type a character, and it sends a different code. Net result: It was still covered under AppleCare, so it got replaced for free. The tech laughed when he read the form (I put on it that the board behaved as if it were drunk...I liked that), but he did say that when you have something like that, your chances of fixing it properly are VERY slim at best, and at worst you may do some damage to the ADB controller. Granted, you have a Plus, but I would suspect that you are risking similar damage. -- \ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | / - Michael weiss@seas.ucla.edu | School of Engineering & Applied Science - - Weiss izzydp5@oac.ucla.edu | University of California, Los Angeles - / | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | \
sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG) (06/11/91)
Maybe spilling some coffee will help it :-) After you've given it up for dead, you might try this: Dip the entire thing in distilled water for a while, then hang it out for a while and then put it into a low temp. regulated oven (not sure what temp, but chips should be << 70 C; I'm not sure about the plastic. ) for a day or two. Another method may be to: open it up, wipe up as much liquid as possible. Note the orientation (write it down!) and remove and chips in sockets and connectors, wipe, let dry for a day, put back together. If it still doesn't work, you might take it apart again and take the keycaps off carefully and drying each one (Be sure to remove debris; it's amazing what collects inside of a keyboard!). Or try a combination. Don't forget to unplug it first :-). If nothing works, I'd recommend a keytronics 105 plus; it's a full keyboard and costs around $110. I have the 105 and it works nice. good luck -george
krweiss@ucdavis.edu (06/11/91)
In article <1991Jun11.131710.20086@sci.ccny.cuny.edu> sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG) writes: >Maybe spilling some coffee will help it :-) > >After you've given it up for dead, you might try this: > > Dip the entire thing in distilled water >for a while, then hang it out for a while and then put it into a A residue-free electronic solvent like Electrowash might work. We've had good luck using it to clean boards with V-8 juice and Pepsi spills.
johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu (06/12/91)
In article <13230@aggie.ucdavis.edu>, krweiss@ucdavis.edu writes... >In article <1991Jun11.131710.20086@sci.ccny.cuny.edu> >sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG) writes: >>Maybe spilling some coffee will help it :-) >> Dip the entire thing in distilled water >>for a while, then hang it out for a while and then put it into a > >A residue-free electronic solvent like Electrowash might work. We've had good >luck using it to clean boards with V-8 juice and Pepsi spills. My experience with "residue-free" cleaners is that they make things worse when it comes to keyswitches. I spilled coffee on a Mac keyboard and ended up with one intermittently sticky key. After spraying an electronics cleaner I had 5 sticky keys. All the solvent did was move the dirt around; most of it ended up somewhere where it could do even more harm. It would have been much easier to replace the single bad keyswitch at the outset. Bill (johnston@minnie.me.udel.edu)
peter@suntan.viewlogic.com (Peter Colby) (06/12/91)
In article <56023@nigel.ee.udel.edu>, johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu writes: |> In article <13230@aggie.ucdavis.edu>, krweiss@ucdavis.edu writes... |> >In article <1991Jun11.131710.20086@sci.ccny.cuny.edu> |> >sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG) writes: |> >>Maybe spilling some coffee will help it :-) |> >> Dip the entire thing in distilled water |> >>for a while, then hang it out for a while and then put it into a |> > |> >A residue-free electronic solvent like Electrowash might work. We've had good |> >luck using it to clean boards with V-8 juice and Pepsi spills. |> |> My experience with "residue-free" cleaners is that they make things |> worse when it comes to keyswitches. I spilled coffee on a Mac keyboard |> and ended up with one intermittently sticky key. After spraying |> an electronics cleaner I had 5 sticky keys. All the solvent did |> was move the dirt around; most of it ended up somewhere where it |> could do even more harm. It would have been much easier to replace |> the single bad keyswitch at the outset. |> |> Bill (johnston@minnie.me.udel.edu) I concur with Bill, I had an (original 128K) mac keyboard that developed a sticky "D" key - probably due to that popular substance - beer. I got a spray can of solvent (freon based - this was before the "ozone" problem was publicised). After dismembering the board and cleaning it off, I had lost function of about 6 or 7 keys. In the end it actually cost me less to get a refurbished keyboard than to have the problem keys replaced. However, I did successfully unstick my beer-laden mouse. I'm still using the same mouse 7 1/2 years after buying it and 5 years after fixing it. (My 7 1/2 year old Imagewriter I still works great, too - Of course I didn't manage to spill beer into that). I suppose the moral to this story is "don't drink and drive" PC -- (O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O) (O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O) (O) !the doctor is out! (O) (0) peter@viewlogic.com (0) (O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O) (O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)
davison@unity.ncsu.edu (John Davison) (06/15/91)
It's too late to prevent it, but "SafeSkins" are silicone(?) membranes which are formed to fit nicely on various computer keyboards. ALL OF MINE have them, especially since about 5 min after I installed the first one on my Plus, I spilled a Coke on it. Several vendors sell 'em and I heartily recommend one. I have no connection with any vendors except as a customer. 8-) John D.
mark_silbernagel@mentorg.com (06/29/91)
In article <13230@aggie.ucdavis.edu> krweiss@ucdavis.edu writes: >In article <1991Jun11.131710.20086@sci.ccny.cuny.edu> >sukenick@sci.ccny.cuny.edu (SYG) writes: >>Maybe spilling some coffee will help it :-) A long time ago in a job far, far, away I faced this with an HP2645 keyboard which had been in the path of some coffee. I took the cover off, (I forget if I removed the keycaps) rinsed with water (water is a good solvent for most things), dried with compressed air, rinsed with Isopropyl alcohol (removes traces of water, other forms of alcohol should work as well e.g. ethanol) and then sprayed with compressed air again. Did the job for me. I was impressed with HP's stuff too. Once the thing had become wet, it glued all the built-up dust to the board. Plain rinsing may not remove it... I think the air helped. Additionally, removing the key caps and brushing lightly with a hobbyist's paintbrush may help deal with the crud. Good luck.