# Water damage to laptop keyboard



## kr651129 (Jun 20, 2012)

So I have water (beer) damage to a laptop keyboard a while back on one of my laptops, I let it dry and some keys work, others don*'*t, some make the system reboot.  The laptop functions fine as long as I use a USB keyboard. I want to spend the $35 for a replacement keyboard but I don't know if it's worth the gamble.  What would you do?


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## wblock@ (Jun 20, 2012)

What model is the computer?  Sugar makes things stick, and can be an insulating barrier on contacts.  Since the rest of the computer works, it didn't get on anything else that would cause a short-term problem.  Probably not long-term either.

If you have nothing to lose, remove the keyboard and wash thoroughly in hot water only, _do not use soap_.  Let dry for several days in a warm, dry location, maybe in front of a fan.  It still may not work.  The design of the contacts on many low-profile keyboards allows liquid in but makes it nearly impossible to clean out.  (Usually little rubber domes, glued down at the corners.  Liquid hits the sides and gets sucked in through surface tension.)

Replacing laptop keyboards isn't too hard.  There are several cable connector latch styles, and some are fragile.  $35 for a replacement is not a bad price.


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## Beeblebrox (Jun 20, 2012)

The source of the problem is that you did not let it (keyboard) dry long enough - you should have used a hair-dryer on medium temp setting. Because there was humidity left in the keyboard circuit (which contains very thin and delicate circuit tracks laid on a layer of plastic), any humidity present will have shorted-out the circuitry under the keyboard (you can see the circuitry if you decide to dismantle the old keyboard).

Normally I would say it's wort*h* trying and not much risk, but you should also check for any short-circuiting at the keyboard -> Mobo connection point. *T*he fact that the USB keyboard works has no relevance as the circuitry path through the Mobo for USB devices and normal keyboard can be different. Aren't there any third party laptop repair shops in the phone book? They can test for any Mobo circuitry damage and usually charge very little for testing.

Finally, use low-water-content, higher alcohol content liquids in the future (vodka comes to mind). That way, any spillage will evaporate quicker. This precaution will also allow you to break things more quickly and harshly on your system, thereby accelerating your learning curve for the OS.


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## kr651129 (Jun 20, 2012)

I agree, $35 isn't bad for a keyboard but I'm pretty frugal even though I'm an IT guy.  I only buy parts when I need them (side note: which is why I love FreeBSD because it doubles the usable life of my machines)

This happened in winter and I turned off the machine at the time, turned it upside down and let it dry, at the time I didn't have any tools available.  After a day or two I turned it back on and it worked, kind of.  I put it in my closet and forgot about it because I bought a used laptop.  The mobo on that went out and now I'm forced to either fix this laptop or buy new, which I don't have the money for.

wblock -- it's a dell dell inspiron 1545

Here's the only thing that worries me, now this may or may not be a symptom of the beer being spilled but you never know.  The power light incicator on the front of the laptop no longer works (white when charged/charging and orange when almost dead) now that tells me one of two things either that is the only part outside of the keyboard that was effected (unlikely) or....what, FreeBSD isn't 100% compatible with the BIOS?  Even then the light should still turn on while charging when the machine is off.

As far as getting the keyboard tested, if I'm going to spend money doing that I'd rather just buy a new keyboard


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## Beeblebrox (Jun 20, 2012)

> The power light incicator on the front of the laptop no longer works (white when charged/charging and orange when almost dead) ...... As far as getting the keyboard tested, if I'm going to spend money doing that I'd rather just buy a new keyboard


I was advising you have the Mobo tested - NOT the keyboard!


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## rabfulton (Jun 20, 2012)

Lost many a keyboard this way. Try ebay for a cheaper replacement. The tracks on keyboards are incredibly delicate.


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## wblock@ (Jun 20, 2012)

The motherboard is already tested.  It runs.  Seems counterproductive to pay someone to test it more.

Did the charge indicator work before _Beerpocalypse: The Splashening_?


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## Beeblebrox (Jun 20, 2012)

> The motherboard is already tested. It runs.


Not necessarily, if you consider the circuit line starting at the keyboard plugin jack, ending at the controller. The Mobo could have partial damage limited at that sub-circuit. In that case a new keyboard would resolve nothing.


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## kr651129 (Jun 20, 2012)

wblock & Beeblebrox you guys are the external version of the debate I've been having in my head for the following reason

The charge indicator worked before _Beerpocalypse: The Splashening_ and I don't want to waste money just to see the sequal _Beerpocalypse: The Keyboard Strikes Back_.

I think the charge indicator could be symptom of the motherboard having gone bad or just a weird coincidence 

And the block thickens with the track pad rabfulton -- it works but when I "tap" the track pad for a click opera views this as me wanting to go backwards so I'm assuming it's emulating the "backspace" I don't know if that's an x11/xorg or hardware?  Because x11/gnome2 treats it as a click
So I have no idea....


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## wblock@ (Jun 20, 2012)

My guess would be the charge indicator is attached to a connector under the keyboard, and dried beer is insulating it.  Take the keyboard out and check.
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/replace-keyboard-dell-inspiron-1545-laptop/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhW9f1NpEps


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## kr651129 (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks!  I've already got those bookmarked, what do you think about the track pad?  x11/xorg config or hardware?


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## wblock@ (Jun 20, 2012)

For the charge indicator, see picture #2 here: http://mayohardware.blogspot.com/2011/04/dell-1525-no-power-shorting-power.html.  See that cable with the blue connector near top center?  Cleaning beer residue off the cable is easy enough, cleaning it out of the connector may be more difficult.  Maybe a paint brush with 90% rubbing alcohol, or possibly just a piece of paper.

Trackpad could be related, there's a similar connector for it.  How likely that is depends on whether it was "oops, splash" or "oops, bounce, splash, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle".


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## kr651129 (Jun 20, 2012)

It was an "oops, splash, pickup, power off, hold upside down, remove battery and yell at friend" kind of splash  I'll take a look at that, thanks!


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## kr651129 (Jun 21, 2012)

So I removed my keyboard last night and I'm pretty sure I should just replace it at this point.  The track pad looked fine but I removed the connection and I think that cleaning the contacts will fix that.  The keyboard on the other hand is a different story.


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## wblock@ (Jun 21, 2012)

I'd still try washing it.  Nothing to lose but time and hot water.


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## kr651129 (Jun 21, 2012)

I'll try but I don't expect it to work, I found a replacement online today for $10 that I grabbed.


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## kr651129 (Jun 21, 2012)

And I found the track pad hand rest with all new tested ribbon cables for $15, so I grabbed that, might as well.


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## TheStrategerist (Jun 21, 2012)

When you are putting it back in, be _incredibly careful_ with the keytabs on the top. I replaced the keyboard on a Dell 1525 a few months ago and inadvertently broke one of them. 
Just the keyboard is easy, but the frustration of replacing that keytab made me question the existence of good in the world.


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## kr651129 (Jun 21, 2012)

So I had to know where the problem was, I tore apart the keyboard and found this short (and dog hair)


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## kr651129 (Jun 29, 2012)

The plot thickens, I replaced the palmrest/track pad and it's doing the same thing, is this an Xorg issue at this point?


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## wblock@ (Jun 29, 2012)

Only if some software changed at about the same time.


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## kr651129 (Jun 29, 2012)

Is there a way to disable "tapping" the track pad so I would just use the buttons in Xorg?


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## swirling_vortex (Jul 15, 2012)

Yes, try this command:

```
# sysctl hw.psm.tap_timeout=0
```


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## rdlfree (Jul 15, 2012)

Very interesting good luck.


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## kr651129 (Jul 16, 2012)

swirling_vortex said:
			
		

> Yes, try this command:
> 
> ```
> # sysctl hw.psm.tap_timeout=0
> ```



This didn't do anything for me, I did find something out on accident the other day.

When using x11/gdm my mouse wouldn't work at all about 30% of the time.  It would work fine when dbus was enabled at start up but when GDM started it would become disabled or something?  No error messages on anything

I moved over to x11/xdm and my mouse is so far working with a 100% sucess rate.  So I'm starting to think that this is an /etc/X11/xorg.conf issue.  I'm having problems with that as well, I have another thread open regarding this (http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=33203)


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