Water spillage - please help

amy kemp

amy kemp

amy kemp

Associate
Joined
8 Dec 2021
Posts
82
Location
uk
So.... Spilt water on pc tower, on the power switch and usb ports.
Switched it off immediately.
Fully dried it out.
Now it won't switch on.
Any advice on where we go from here. My husband is technically minded, can take things apart etc so wondered what you would try first?

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Thank you in advance
 
amy kemp said:
We used a hairdryer to dry everything and removed the switch panel and dried it all out. But thinking it may have shorted out something in the PSU?
Click to expand...
It's possible. Whatever you do, do NOT open the PSU - very dangerous. You can get PSU testers very cheaply- much cheaper than buying a PSU only to find it makes no difference.
Here are a selection:

Amazon.co.uk : Power Supply Tester

www.amazon.co.uk
 
There is a thing you can do where you put a paper clip/wire in the PSU main 20/24 pin ATX connector which will allow the PSU to power up at least. You could have a look at that first and see if you see any life out of the PSU like the fan starts spinning. I would recommend you disconnect the PSU from everything when you do this. That will allow you to see if the PSU works. If it doesn't, replace it. If it does work, start connecting one component after another to test. Start with the cheapest stuff first like fans, working up to full boot up.

 
jaybee said:
There is a thing you can do where you put a paper clip/wire in the PSU main 20/24 pin ATX connector which will allow the PSU to power up at least. You could have a look at that first and see if you see any life out of the PSU like the fan starts spinning. I would recommend you disconnect the PSU from everything when you do this. That will allow you to see if the PSU works. If it doesn't, replace it. If it does work, start connecting one component after another to test. Start with the cheapest stuff first like fans, working up to full boot up.

Click to expand...
I can't work out how to remove this from the circuit board, it looks like the pins have been removed from the original block connected and then pushed into this?
Looking at images of this PSU all of the plugs are black. Where as this one is white?

(Just trying to add a pic)
 
Last edited:
amy kemp said:
I can't work out how to remove this from the circuit board, it looks like the pins have been removed from the original block connected and then pushed into this?
Looking at images of this PSU all of the plugs are black. Where as this one is white?

(Just trying to add a pic)
Click to expand...
See the little plastic clip in the middle of the connector in the image from the video, squeeze the top of it (it releases a lock) and then pull the whole plug up. The connectors can be black or white, don't worry about the colour.
 
amy kemp said:
I can't work out how to remove this from the circuit board, it looks like the pins have been removed from the original block connected and then pushed into this?
Looking at images of this PSU all of the plugs are black. Where as this one is white?

(Just trying to add a pic)
Click to expand...
You have to compress the plastic lug thing which is like a lever. In the thumbnail of that youtube video it's at the BOTTOM of it where you would press, but that is orientated upside down. With it in place plugged into your motherboard, you need to be compressing the top part of it (furthest away from the motherboard) and then pulling it quite hard, rocking it back and forward from side to side to get it out. You can grab the handful of wires going into it to help pull it out.
 
jaybee said:
You have to compress the plastic lug thing which is like a lever. In the thumbnail of that youtube video it's at the BOTTOM of it where you would press, but that is orientated upside down. With it in place plugged into your motherboard, you need to be compressing the top part of it (furthest away from the motherboard) and then pulling it quite hard, rocking it back and forward from side to side to get it out. You can grab the handful of wires going into it to help pull it out.
Click to expand...
Agree with all of that apart from "You can grab the handful of wires going into it to help pull it out". Don't do that, too much risk of pulling a wire out unnecessarily.
 
amy kemp said:
Sorry i meant if I replace this PSU. How do I remove the pins (as in the picture above) from the power switch?
Click to expand...
Sorry Amy, not sure I understand you. You aren't removing any pins you are just testing the PSU connector with it disconnected from the motherboard by creating an electrical short with a piece of wire to fool the PSU into thinking that it is connected to a working motherboard.
 
Can you post a picture of the insides of your computer? If you aren't sure, probably worth getting someone that knows computers to have a look. The youtube video above is showing like the main connector which comes off of your power supply unit. This plugs into a large circuit board bigger than anything else. That's the main PSU connector. Make sure you unplug from the mains before you go prodding around inside a potentially water damaged PC.
 
Blueball said:
Sorry Amy, not sure I understand you. You aren't removing any pins you are just testing the PSU connector with it disconnected from the motherboard by creating an electrical short with a piece of wire to fool the PSU into thinking that it is connected to a working motherboard.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm about to do, thank you.

I've jumped ahead thinking If I do have to replace the PSU how do I even disconnect that? (my picture above)
 
It's possible you have just water damaged the area you posted a picture of which sends a signal to the main board (motherboard) which in turn, turns the actual PC on. There is a bypass you can do manually using a screwdriver to get it to turn on, but that's difficult to talk you through without showing you pics in detail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom