Emergency, Please help!

**krycha010** · September 9th, 2012, 04:58 PM

I Accidently spilled a small amount of energy drink on top of my PC case and some of it went inside my fan hole which splashed some of it onto my graphics card and possibly other parts, i turned the pc off as fast as i could and waited about 5 - 10 minutes, to test if it is working, the pc started perfectly however there was no video so i knew that there was a problem with the graphics card, i decided to take it out and saw small amount of sticky liquid on the technical side..... does this mean that it is definatly broken? or is there a possible way to fix this and how could i test if the rest of my pc is still working, also wanted to kno if i have warranty on the card would it cover it? Somebody please help i know it is my fault but i just want to atleast try to fix it and hopefully just the graphics card has a problem.... Could someone tell me what to do with the card? or perhaps the whole system!

**JLK03F150** · September 9th, 2012, 05:19 PM

First off, unplug the PC from the wall & don't plan on plugging it back in today.

Get some 90% rubbing alcohol & Q-tips from the drug store. Use Q-tips wetted with alcohol to clean off the spilled liquid. Remove the video card from the PC to do this. After all the drink has been cleaned up give the alcohol several hours to dry/evaporate.

Check the video card slot on the motherboard and clean it too if any of the spilled liquid got in there.

**krycha010** · September 9th, 2012, 05:28 PM

i Live in the uk, im not sure what 90% rubbing alcohol is? is there a specific name so that i can find it? also im not sure if some of it may have gotten onto the mobo, so shall i dismount that too and check for sticky parts?

**ShyguyXPC** · September 9th, 2012, 05:50 PM

Jesus titty flipping Christ, its the same thing in UK as us.

90% rubbing alcohol, says on the bottle. Isopropy alcohol, antiseptic, its the shit you put on cuts and burns.not hydrogen peroxide but the other stuff.

Any drug store should sell the stuff.

**JLK03F150** · September 9th, 2012, 05:52 PM

It is widely available in the US as Rubbing or Isopropyl Alcohol at most drug stores or grocery stores. It is either 70% alcohol or 91% alcohol. You want the higher percentage.
CVS 91% Isopropyl Alcohol - CVS pharmacy

**krycha010** · September 9th, 2012, 05:54 PM

Ok mate i know now thanks alot! Im not sure if i shud take out the mobo and see if that has any problems ( sticky stuff ) but the pc booted perfectly which should mean that it is fine? there was only no video.

edit: i have also been told that you can clean it with contact cleaner wouldnt that be better? as im unsurel.

**JLK03F150** · September 9th, 2012, 06:02 PM

If there is any possibility that there is spilled drink on the motherboard, pull it and inspect it. IMO better safe than sorry.

**krycha010** · September 9th, 2012, 06:22 PM

Somebody told me there might be risk of it catching fire due to the alcohol being flammable? is that possible even though i leave it to dry for a day or 2? Dont want to risk burning my whole pc...!

**Chuckiechan** · September 11th, 2012, 10:25 AM

Yup. Clean it and dry it.. or... BOOM!

**ShyguyXPC** · September 11th, 2012, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by krycha010

Somebody told me there might be risk of it catching fire due to the alcohol being flammable? is that possible even though i leave it to dry for a day or 2? Dont want to risk burning my whole pc...!

it only takes a few minutes at most for the alcohol to evaporate and dissipate at room temperature... just put a few drops on a metal spoon or something, and watch it evaporate. the stuff evaporates faster than gasoline does.

a whole day is not necessary, if you want to play it over cautiously safe, then a couple hours, but no more than that would be needed.

just air out the room/and case, just to be safe, so as to not contain an alcohol/air pocket mixture to ignite as that would be more dangerous than pure liquid alcohol. But you would need a HELL of a lot of alcohol to saturate the room before going boom from a spark.