That's a violation . . . .
 

. . . . of the manufacturer's warranty.

http://kbarger314.smugmug.com/photos...9_WALQQ-XL.jpg

Some of you may remember I got an EEE PC 900 a while back. This morning I spilled coffee into it. (I knocked my arm into the mug, and was treated to a Hollywood-style slow-motion moment where the mug teetered at a 45-degree angle, as I brought my hand around to try to catch it, only to be a fraction of a second late and see the coffee slop all over the computer.) I thought some of you would be interested in the guts of it after I took it apart in an effort to swab everything dry and get it working again. It wouldn't boot before, but it now seems to be fine. (I am in fact using it to type this.)

How interesting to see the guts of my precious little machine. I do love the thing. You wouldn't believe how many people stop to marvel over it when I'm at school. It sure is heartwarming to hear that it's so sturdy!

But how the heck do you manage to type on the thing? If I have to type anything in, I have to stop and consider if it's THAT important to be worth struggling with the tiny keyboard. Probably a good thing, considering how verbose I can be. ;)

wow...good job

How was the coffee?

What was left was kind of lukewarm by the time I was done taking the computer apart. Fortunately I don't take it with sugar.. I think that would have made it a lot harder to clean up.

When the chips heat up, do you get that burnt coffee smell?

- Is it a better smell than the room before the spill?

thats awesome...good thing you dont use coffee...cause cleaning sugar off electronics is a bitch...only reason i know is cause i have a 7 year old and a 15 month old that always decide to spill shit on everything electronic i own LOL

Stop making me wonder how his room smells, and why you know that.

Oh You are SOO On Report Steve !!!

Not so's I'd notice, but then the coffee got on my desk too. (I did wipe it up, but there's still a frisson of coffee around.) I'll know more tomorrow when I have to go off to some meetings.

Also not covered by a warranty.

He paid less than $6. Buyer beware.

I've heard from a computer repair tech that most electronics are a good chance to survive contact with pure water provided you get the power off before any shorting occurs. Plain coffee is also not so bad, but sugar and especially milk are usually fatal.

Looks like you rolled a natural 20 on that one, Steve. Good work on the quick rescue!

Too many know without first learning how electronics are even made. Once a PC board is assembled, a dishwasher cleans the electronics. Water is not destructive to electronics - despite popular myth. However electronics (due to those low currents) can temporarily fail if powered when still wet.

Keyboards are a perfect example. That soft plastic membrane means water remains trapped and conducting electricity. Remove the cover, wash electronics in clean water, and dry. Then electronics should work OK.

These well understood concepts are not understood when one does not learn why. Many assume water destroys electronics. Then make another assumption - declare that mistake as a fact.

Coffee in a keyboard (even with sugar) is not destructive. Coffee creates a temporary problem that (unfortunately) requires significant labor and some basic knowledge. Hardest part is removing the moisture and other contaminates.

Again, how do we clean newly soldered electronics? Wash it in water. Water is not destructive once myths are exposed by simple questions such as 'Why?'.

Yeah, but the problem is 99% of the time they're already powered on when something spills on them. What are the chances it will short during the time it takes you to turn it off?