Ahhh, I think my graphics card is dead! Spilt water...

voodoomelon · Apr 12, 2006

Damn it!

I had finished upgrading my water cooling, and had water pumping round my system for about 5 minutes (no power going to any components) and i noticed water dripping from my CPU block onto my x800xt.

So i turned off the pump and dried up all the water i could see. I then waited about 10 minutes and turned on the machine with power going to all components. Flashing in red letters was "You have not connected the power cable to your video card". But it was connected.

I tried tens of times to boot but the same thing came up all the time.
I even connected a different power supply to my video card and still the same message was coming up. I then found tiny droplets of water on the AGP connector of the card when i took it out.

I dried it off, still nothing.

This was about an hour ago, the card should be dry by now, but it still asks for the power cord to be connected. I'm currently using an old Geforce 2 in the AGP slot, so there's no other damage.

Is my card more than likely damaged beyond repair? Or should I leave it a few days before trying again?

Thanks folks.

Steve,
Voodoomelon

Flip-Mode · Apr 12, 2006

Might be but there is still slight chance, I suggest alcohol bath for both the mobo and the card.

voodoomelon · Apr 12, 2006

I take it alcohol will seperate the water?
I'd need a lot of alcohol to do that, where would i get that much?

deathman20 · Apr 12, 2006

A pharmacy would be my guess. Still thats quiet a bit to get though.

Flip-Mode · Apr 12, 2006

voodoomelon said:
I take it alcohol will seperate the water?
I'd need a lot of alcohol to do that, where would i get that much?

Drug store I guess...
And you are bound to find one that works 24 hours

Most supermarkets sell alcohol as well, you can find it in the liqueur department.
Don't use Acetone or anything else! They melt plastics.

infinitevalence · Apr 12, 2006

try the alch bath and then pop it into a toster oven after its dried off for like 5 min to eveaporate any remaing watter or acl.

voodoomelon · Apr 12, 2006

I just spent 20 minutes wiping the card down very thoroughly with 8 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes.

I also wiped down the inside of the AGP slot etc.

Still nothing and i'm back to my Geforce 2.

Silversinksam · Apr 16, 2006

voodoomelon said:
Damn it!

I had finished upgrading my water cooling, and had water pumping round my system for about 5 minutes (no power going to any components) and i noticed water dripping from my CPU block onto my x800xt.

So i turned off the pump and dried up all the water i could see. I then waited about 10 minutes and turned on the machine with power going to all components. Flashing in red letters was "You have not connected the power cable to your video card". But it was connected.

I tried tens of times to boot but the same thing came up all the time.
I even connected a different power supply to my video card and still the same message was coming up. I then found tiny droplets of water on the AGP connector of the card when i took it out. I dried it off, still nothing.

This was about an hour ago, the card should be dry by now, but it still asks for the power cord to be connected. I'm currently using an old Geforce 2 in the AGP slot, so there's no other damage.

Is my card more than likely damaged beyond repair? Or should I leave it a few days before trying again?

Thanks folks.
Steve,
Voodoomelon

10 minutes wasn't long enough to wait, I would have taken the side panel off and out the entire case near a window that has direct sunlight, then let the sun dry out everything, and let it sit for 24 hours. At this point I would try the alcohol method a few people suggested and hope for the best. Also, unplug the graphics cards cord and replug it in after your convinced its fully dry. One last thing would be to clear the CMOS.

Bunny771 · Apr 16, 2006

Do you still have warrenty? Is warrenty still availible or is it void?

Yeh, you should have let it sit out for alot longer than 10 minutes.

deathman20 · Apr 16, 2006

Bunny771 said:
Do you still have warrenty? Is warrenty still availible or is it void?

Yeh, you should have let it sit out for alot longer than 10 minutes.

Ya a few hours on a nice hot summer day might do it. My first and last time I spilt water on my system it was off for a good day before I did anything with it. Then again I might of tried booting it up 6 hours later if I wasn't still cleaning the damn crap off my desk.

FlailBoy · Apr 17, 2006

Silversinksam said:
Also, unplug the graphics cards cord and replug it in

And after a suitable drying period, try a different lead to power the card. Also, could you have gotten some water into the card slot? Even with wiping it out, that would take a while to dry.

voodoomelon · Apr 17, 2006

First off, the card is out of warranty, yup.

I just tried the card again there after clearing the CMOS and waiting 3 days for the card to dry, nothing, same problem.

I've tried different molexes as well as a different PS, nope.

Only thing left to do is this alcohol bath, but I doubt it will work, even if i can get hold of that much alcohol.

Can I used white spirit or methylated spirits or similar instead?
How long does the card have to soak? And how would i dry it?

Thanks

Maviryk · Apr 17, 2006

I think you're SOL. 10 minutes is definetely NOT long enough to wait. I've leaked water on my GS before but I've used a blow dryer on it for get it dry.... Guess you've got a good excuse to get the latest video card now.

Edit: Don't RMA, wasn't their fault you spilled water on the card.

voodoomelon · Apr 18, 2006

I'm not gonna RMA it.
And i used a hair drier on it too.
And i don't have the cash for a new card, lol.

So can I used white spirit or methylated spirits or similar instead?
How long does the card have to soak? And how would i dry it?

Flip-Mode · Apr 18, 2006

voodoomelon said:
I'm not gonna RMA it.
And i used a hair drier on it too.
And i don't have the cash for a new card, lol.

So can I used white spirit or methylated spirits or similar instead?
How long does the card have to soak? And how would i dry it?

Don't know about the white spirt, we used it in the air force to clean ADDS dispensers so I guess its fine. Let it dry for an hour or two and put a room fan on it if you got one, in any case make sure its got good air flow over it.

Fluxburn · Apr 26, 2006

Why don't you RMA it. They have this thing called, acounts unrecievable. They plan for 5% losses on returned products and etc. Thus, they statistically plan for people to screw them. So how is it unethical, when it is already planned?

FIZZ3 · Apr 26, 2006

voodoomelon said:
I'm not gonna RMA it.
And i used a hair drier on it too.
And i don't have the cash for a new card, lol.

So can I used white spirit or methylated spirits or similar instead?
How long does the card have to soak? And how would i dry it?

After the waiting and drying you did since it began to malfunction, I seriously doubt alcohol would do any good. Any remaining water will have evaporated by now, so the failure you are seeing is most likely due to physical damage that was incurred when it was originally connected after the leak. Save yourself the money on the alcohol at least...

Veland · Apr 26, 2006

Had some water on my old vga card, had artefacts and then saw a small pool of water on top of my card!!!

After turning off the system, dried up the water and let it dry out completely, I still had problems. Finally say some discolouring on the AGP connector on the card, green oxidation on the copper. Used a very fine sand paper and wiped it down afterwards.

Still had some problems, so after inspecting the APG slot, found the same oxidation on some pins there. Folded up som sandpaper, rubbed it back and forth the agp slot and blew out the dust. After that, everything worked! Changed the VGA card later, but still on the same AGP slot..

So try that (carefully). Fold some sand paper and rub that slot!

voodoomelon · Apr 26, 2006

Hey all.
Well, i tried it in another systems AGP port and the problem remained, so the cards a gonner I think.

I also soaked it in white spirit, dried it with a hair dryer and left it for a day.
Still nothing.

I had to buy a second hand x700Pro for $40, just so I could use the computer for day to day stuff.
Damn thing wont overclock 15mhz over stock at a constant 20*C, have to voltmod it or summit.

Anyways, might try and flog the x800xt on eBay as not working and hope that someone might want to try and alcohol bath it.

Thanks for the input guys.

FIZZ3 · Apr 26, 2006

voodoomelon said:
Anyways, might try and flog the x800xt on eBay as not working and hope that someone might want to try and alcohol bath it.

You tried the bath in the end without success, right? Then it would be only fair if you stated that in your eBay advert, in my opinion. Someone may still buy it for components or an art project of sorts.

Ahhh, I think my graphics card is dead! Spilt water...

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