Hot Milk On T23

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Ade · #1 Post by **Ade** » Wed May 10, 2006 4:12 pm

A friend just directed me to this site. After going thru, I think it is a lovely piece of work. Keep it up.
I spilled a full Glass of warm milk on my Thinkpad T23. I followed all the usual protocol, turned it upside down, switched it off, dried it. Even too out my hard disk to ensure my data was intact.

Now, my problem is, It is now dry, the keys are sticking to the ground, the dvd drive wouldnt open (never realised milk was such a powerful adhesive.)
I want to know if the laptop is gone for good, or if there is anything I could use to clean it up and have my thinkpad back.

Highwayman · #2 Post by **Highwayman** » Wed May 10, 2006 4:32 pm

See the posts under "Is it Spill Damage"?

Take the T23 apart (if you can).

Hose it off good with non-conductive, electronic parts cleaner/spray.

Good Luck!

Ade · #3 Post by **Ade** » Wed May 10, 2006 5:13 pm

Thank you,
WIll do that by the weekend, hope it wont be too late by then?

ThinkPad · #4 Post by **ThinkPad** » Wed May 10, 2006 5:20 pm

There should be a service manual available somewhere. Remove the main parts and clean up, if its powering up and functions basically then you should be able to save it.

Ade · #5 Post by **Ade** » Thu May 11, 2006 12:59 pm

ThinkPad wrote:There should be a service manual available somewhere. Remove the main parts and clean up, if its powering up and functions basically then you should be able to save it.

Thanks it is powering up.
The milk residue is now powdery. I am about to open it up. The problem I have now is that the keypads do not have the soft fluid motion, and dont comeback up proomptly when pressed.

WIll let you know how it goes.

Website · #6 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 1:08 pm

Have you located the Hardware Maintenance Manual, yet?

I would recommend cleaning it out before you turn it on anymore. You might have been lucky so far, but if some of the powdery residue shifts around, it could short something out. Then you are looking at a systemboard replacement. (~$125)

Ade · #7 Post by **Ade** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:02 pm

Thanks a lot for all your comments. I havent turned it on since then. What i did was to take out the harddisk and put it into a dead T23 I have, mainly for the purpose of backing it up. I dont want a systems board damage. Everyone that knows how durable a Thinkpad is would understand if I said, I have developed a sentimental attachment to this machine.

I am presently opening it up. Stuck at removing the keyboard.

Website · #8 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 2:05 pm

Did you remove the screw that hold the CMOS, or the screws that hold the mini-pci card in?

Nolonemo · #9 Post by **Nolonemo** » Thu May 11, 2006 3:05 pm

In you shoes, I'd consider just replacing the keyboard, I think.... $25-ish on ebay?

tp23 · #10 Post by **tp23** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:45 pm

Yeah, replacing the keyboard is worth spending $25 on a T-23.

skou · #11 Post by **skou** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:39 pm

I have done extensive work with desktop computers, (I'm a Mod at ABIT's Forum, and a senior member at Overclockers Forums) some advice I've repeatedly seen, is giving the motherboard an alcohol bath.

Strip ypir T23 down, all the way, and soak the motherboard in a tray with enough rubbing alcohol, to completely cover it. Do the same with the keyboard, and any electronic parts, like the modem card. Do NOT soak any mechanical parts, like ANY of the drives.

After soaking for a few minutes, and all the residue is dissolved, put the electronic parts in a sunny place to dry out, FOR A COUPLE DAYS.

Another thing that I personally do, is to get some "Rawnclean Cleaning solvent." This is the same stuff I used in the Army, to clean electronic connections on Army helicopters. (The active ingredient, is Trichloroethylene.)

Remove everything, spray it down, letting the spray run off of the part, and it will dry in a few minutes. Again, let it dry for about 3 times as long as you think it will take. As a word of warning, this stuff can haze or dissolve some plastics. Test everything on a small corner, if you plan on using it on the covers or something. I have used this personally, on numerous desktop motherboards, usually after having a water-cooling "incedent."

steve

Ade · #12 Post by **Ade** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:17 am

Update...
I thionk this is goodnew. I was finally able to remove the keyboard. As far as I can see, none of the milk got to the motherboard. I am giving it a good hosing down right now.
Any recommendations on cleaning the keyboard? Or should I just get a new set.

Thanks a lot for all the inputs. They are greatly appreciated.

skou · #13 Post by **skou** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:11 pm

If it doesn't wash off, you might as well look into getting a new (well, used) one off of Ebay.

I ordered 4 from a guy in San Jose, and he sent me 5 of them, but one of them was missing a key. They were $9.99 each, plus shipping.

steve

Highwayman · #14 Post by **Highwayman** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:42 pm

skou wrote:I have done extensive work with desktop computers, (I'm a Mod at ABIT's Forum, and a senior member at Overclockers Forums) some advice I've repeatedly seen, is giving the motherboard an alcohol bath.

Strip ypir T23 down, all the way, and soak the motherboard in a tray with enough rubbing alcohol, to completely cover it. Do the same with the keyboard, and any electronic parts, like the modem card. Do NOT soak any mechanical parts, like ANY of the drives.

After soaking for a few minutes, and all the residue is dissolved, put the electronic parts in a sunny place to dry out, FOR A COUPLE DAYS.

Another thing that I personally do, is to get some "Rawnclean Cleaning solvent." This is the same stuff I used in the Army, to clean electronic connections on Army helicopters. (The active ingredient, is Trichloroethylene.)

Remove everything, spray it down, letting the spray run off of the part, and it will dry in a few minutes. Again, let it dry for about 3 times as long as you think it will take. As a word of warning, this stuff can haze or dissolve some plastics. Test everything on a small corner, if you plan on using it on the covers or something. I have used this personally, on numerous desktop motherboards, usually after having a water-cooling "incedent."

steve

Good advice, Skou. Nothing takes the place of good ole raw experience!

Ade · #15 Post by **Ade** » Tue May 16, 2006 10:08 am

UPDATE...

Thanks everyone. follwed the advice, stripped it open, hosed it down, soaked it in alchohol, and it is as good as New.

My next laptop is definitely going to be a Thinkpad.

Ted_E · #16 Post by **Ted_E** » Tue May 16, 2006 11:15 am

Ade wrote:A friend just directed me to this site. After going thru, I think it is a lovely piece of work. Keep it up.
I spilled a full Glass of warm milk on my Thinkpad T23. I followed all the usual protocol, turned it upside down, switched it off, dried it. Even too out my hard disk to ensure my data was intact.

Now, my problem is, It is now dry, the keys are sticking to the ground, the dvd drive wouldnt open (never realised milk was such a powerful adhesive.)
I want to know if the laptop is gone for good, or if there is anything I could use to clean it up and have my thinkpad back.

Glad you got it fixed! For future reference, a Tektonix (the oscilliscope people) service man told me (some years ago) that when a 'scope is sent to the factory for re-calibration, the first thing they do is take it apart and wash it. They use warm soapy water followed byt VERY thorough rinsing wit warm water followed byr final rinsing with distilled (or R-O) water. Let dry thotoughly and re-assemble.

Once a friend phoned me in the middle of the night to say he had just spilled a cup of hot tea (with sugar) on his keyboard. I gave him the above advice and the patient recovered completely.

Ted

shepseskaf · #17 Post by **shepseskaf** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:44 am

Ade wrote:The problem I have now is that the keypads do not have the soft fluid motion, and dont comeback up proomptly when pressed.

I experienced the same problem after spilling orange juice over a portion of my T21's keyboard. About 10 keys were sticking badly.

I solved the problem by spraying the affected area judiciously with WD-40. I did so once per day for about 4 days and it restored every key back to normal operation. WD is excellent at breaking down organic compounds.

WD might not work in every case, but it certainly did for me.

dsigma6 · #18 Post by **dsigma6** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:52 pm

next time make sure the milk is chilled!

dorin · #19 Post by **dorin** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:06 pm

as once ,long time ago, i killed an very very old thinkpad (dont know the model, but 12" and i think 3-4kgs but insanely loud speakers) by dropping coke on it, now i just wait to go back to my parents house in the cellar and dig it out and try your solutions-have past 6years since then though- but anyway nothing to lose.

but i just didnt get it: what kind of alcohool? the pure one you mean?! the one that doesnt smell and disolves things like the glue after you remove a labes and so?

thanks,

dorin

ps: will keep you post it if i bring it back from the dead

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