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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 ...

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 15, 2012 9:15 AM

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Posted on Oct 15, 2012 9:56 AM

You my friend, are a VERY lucky person.......

17 replies

Oct 15, 2012 10:27 AM in response to hicham

Usually what occurs is because liquids reached the electronics, they may work for some time after drying but oxidation and corrosion sets in and then that finishes the machine for good.


It very well might be that Apple designed the keyboard area of the new machines to be less vulnerable to liquids, we don't know this currently.


Strangley what has occured to others is the Mac would boot up fine into Windows or Linux, but never into OS X ever again.


I hope for the best for you.

Jan 12, 2014 6:00 PM in response to hicham

I had an accident tonight myself with my MacBook Pro 13 retina.... The dogs fault anyway my drink (water with cordial) was 1/4 full and 1/2 of it spilt onto my macbook. Anyway as soon as it happened I tried to turn it off but I couldn't log back in (as the keyboard was too wet) and I didn't think about holding the key down. Anyway I cleared it up quick and then was able to switch it off. Then I phone my brother and he said to put it in rice but then he text me to say not to yet. Anyway I googled it and found I shouldn't and that I should turn it upside down and put something to absorb the water so I put a tea towel underneath it. I've turned it on twice since then... Once foolishly at 40 minutes after to find it worked fine... then a second time 5 hours after to find it still works fine, but I shut it down after and I'm going to continue to dry it until around 12pm tomorrow which will be minus 7 hours from 24. I think it should be alright as there is no liquid coming out of it at all so I think I'm pretty lucky fingers crossed!

Jan 12, 2014 6:23 PM in response to hicham

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.

User uploaded file


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. 😊

Jan 13, 2014 7:27 AM in response to hicham

Yea I mean it wasn't fizzy or anything like that it was just a drink that you add water to and the amount was not a lot at all. Less that 1/4 of my glass and it was only a half pint glass. I've got it on now and I'm running an apple hardware test. Seems to be alright and it didn't do anything really when the drink was spilt and as I got to it straight away I managed to get most of the drink off it it and the tea cloth has no water on it what so ever. So it's looking good. Thanks

Jan 13, 2014 7:36 AM in response to Sonicchild86

Keep in mind as well that there is a static shield or plastic sheet (or whatever materiel it is made of) seperating the logic board from the keyboard....see link from ifixit...


http://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/SQgPYSxLgGQMc3Lx.huge


that being said, the downside for liquid spill is that you have voided your warranty... humidity sensors inside the Mbp change color to indicate that the computer came into contact with water...so when apple guys open up to service the laptop for future repairs, they will notice that and void your warranty.


Best

Jan 27, 2016 11:04 AM in response to hicham

Wanted to contribute to this discussion because I hate it when an important topic just peters out without solution. It's a really annoying problem so here is how I solved the issue for myself.


The issue:

I spilled water on my macbook. It was a small to medium sized spillage. Just tap water, no fizzy drink etc. I immediatley flipped the macbook upside down so the water dropped off the keys. I held it high up in the air and grabbed a textile towel to dab on the keys and speakers etc. I realized then the electronics might be affected or short circuit if the machine is running. I turned it off until i had gotten rid of all the liquid I could visible see. I then left it to dry in an upside down flipped open fashion.


After half an hour I turned the laptop back on to assess the damage. All seemed fine initially however I discovered the speakers were not working anymore. All keys were and are fine (for the moment). The headphone port did work however so I hoped the hardware wasn't irreperably damaged. I decided to dry out the laptop over a normal house heater. I cranked up the heater and left the laptop again in a flipped open upside down fashion (turned off of course).


I left it to dry there for 2-3 hours. Then I turned it back on and amazingly the speakers are now working again. One thing to note was even before the speakers were properly working before in the OS (no sound when videos or sounds files played) the bootup sound did come up whenever I started the machine so this also gave me hope.


In summary:

turn off as soon as you can

flip upside down allowing gravity to force liquid off keys/front

dab down immediatley after spill with thick textile towel

then rest near/on top of heater (of course not crazy high temperature that could break the equipment)

restart after a few hours



good luck. worked for me.

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

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