Z60t keyboard design issue, fluid / spills.

[amitra]

I recently bought a Z60t 2511-EAU. Unfortunately I happened to spill some water on the keyboard. Instead of the water draining out from the drain holes at the bottom, it flowed into the system and destroyed the system board rendering the laptop useless.

Apparently it was returned back without being repaired under warranty. Repairs said it would cost me 800 - 850$ to repair.

I also happened to spill water on the keyboard of my old T30 and the water had drained out of the drain hole below the laptop surface without reaching the internals.

I think it would be wise to check out this problem before going in for a Z60t.

here are the pictures

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/deadZ60t

[snife]

2 small drainage holes may help in some situations but they don't guarantee that you can spill liquid on your ThinkPad and it will be OK.

Maybe it would be wise to invest in a cup holder given this is the second ThinkPad you have drenched. Don't get me wrong - accidents can happen but I cannot see how you could expect this to be covered by warranty; same thing if you drop it - APS might help save your HDD in some situations but it couldn't be guaranteed.

[christopher_wolf]

This is what TPP was also meant for; while the drainage holes are meant to drain away liquids that get into the keyboard, all it take is more fluid to overwhlem them and that is it. It is stated that they can handle 1.5 OZ of fluid and drain it successfully, but it is anybody's gues as to what happens if you go over that limit.

[ericssonboi]

1.5 OZ of fluid isn't a lot... and on top of that.. I'd expect it to drain all my fluids.. too bad it had to turn out that way..

I thought the whole purpose of the drain holes was so that it would save your Mobo.. and everything on it...

[pizzaboy_2000]

hey buddy, i think the two drain holes on the bottom side was desiged for "SPILL proof"

[amitra]

The laptop was dismantled part by part by referring to the Hardware Maintenance Manual (HMM). On the bottom side of the system board, the buck regulator controller viz. MAXIM part MAX 1901 was damaged along with a couple of electrolysed PCB tracks. After replacing with a new part, and also using the opportunity to overclock the Celeron 1.4GHz to 1.86GHz the system is up and running. Super PI benchmark is within 4 % of a 1.86Ghz Pentium M. ALSO the backup battery was drained and was replaced with a CR2032 wrapped in duct tape

way to go......................

[amitra]

hey buddy, i think the two drain holes on the bottom side was desiged for "SPILL proof"

if the level of water is more than the depth of keyboard it spills right into the system board. talk abt rubber / silicone seals, design flaw, false advertising, mis-information, etc etc,

from thinkpad brochures ->

1) "www5.pc.ibm.com/us/me.nsf/webdocs-L/ Brochure:Think+family:En
glish/$FILE/XBB01734-WWEN-00.pdf"
ref " ThinkPad Legendary Keyboard Already a marvel of ergonomics, it now
features twin drain holes to divert spills through the machine, away from the
battery and motherboard."

2) "http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/lenovo/about/agenda_042605.pdf" Page 9,
ref:" A sealed keyboard that helps keep spilled coffee from destroying your
data".

[Kyocera]

Electronic parts especially small circuit boards are negatively affected by any amount of liquid, that includes high condensation, high humidity, etc, liquid creates a path for current to travel, half a teaspoon on the right spot and it is history. I have seen plastic keyboard covers at some offices, they are kind of funky looking but would keep spills out, cigarette ashes, jelly, coffee, etc, maybe you could get something like that.

I would consider drain holes in a thinkpad as protection the same way i would consider going over niagra falls with a life jacket as protection.

[amitra]

I would consider drain holes in a thinkpad as protection the same way i would consider going over niagra falls with a life jacket as protection.

'Maid of the Mist' doesnt make a hue and cry about how great of a lifesavers their life-jackets are. They are there, thats' it..

contrast this to the drain holes.. the extra drain holes are being portrayed as the next big thing to happen to the Thinkpads.

[christopher_wolf]

I would consider drain holes in a thinkpad as protection the same way i would consider going over niagra falls with a life jacket as protection.

'Maid of the Mist' doesnt make a hue and cry about how great of a lifesavers their life-jackets are. They are there, thats' it..

contrast this to the drain holes.. the extra drain holes are being portrayed as the next big thing to happen to the Thinkpads.

The drain holes have been in Thinkpads for awhile now, from the T4X Series at least.

Given that, they are there in the case of an emergency; not an instance where you would dump a cup of fluid on it and expect it to drain whist the system was on and no counter-actions being taken.

[IBM Thinkpad]

I recently bought a Z60t 2511-EAU. Unfortunately I happened to spill some water on the keyboard. Instead of the water draining out from the drain holes at the bottom, it flowed into the system and destroyed the system board rendering the laptop useless.

Apparently it was returned back without being repaired under warranty. Repairs said it would cost me 800 - 850$ to repair.

I also happened to spill water on the keyboard of my old T30 and the water had drained out of the drain hole below the laptop surface without reaching the internals.

I think it would be wise to check out this problem before going in for a Z60t.

You should not try to switch on that thinkpad. Let it dry for a few days before trying to switch it on and pray for it to be all right. I spilt some coke onto my Z60t also and my first reaction is to switch off that thing to prevent further corrosion to the OS and motherboard and quickly wipe it dry and left it under a fan. Waited for 3 days then i start to switch on that thing and while waiting for it to turn on, i prayed and haha that thing is all right. Try this if you ever got water into your system. That 2 holes is useless. Don't think you see 2 holes then you can spill some more water over it and switch it on and nothing will happen. Hope you learnt your lesson and while using your computer try not to have any liquid or food next to your computer, whichmeans don't eat and drink beside your thinkpad. Bye. Any problem send me a private message. All the best to your Z60t.

here are the pictures

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/deadZ60t