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Waterlogged PSU (and possibly motherboard)

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skorpien

Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Alberta, Canada
I'm working on a hardline water cooled build, and while trying to swap out a fan in the water barrel, I managed to pop one of the tubes out of the fitting causing a whole bunch of water to get into the PSU before I could get it right side up.

Thankfully it was powered off and unplugged, so no magic smoke. Is there a possibility that I can salvage it or is it best to junk it? I looked inside and nothing looked burned (no blown capacitors, etc.).

There's also a possibility that the motherboard got wet, but I'm hoping since there was no power to it that it will be ok after a few days of drying. I was in the process of leak testing (ironic, I know) so I hadn't even powered it on yet.

Thoughts? Advice? Anything would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
If the psu wasn't powered on, and had not been plugged in (capacitors can hold a charge, which is what makes opening a psu life threatening even when not plugged in) then there is a fair chance it will have survived if you let it dry very, think days here, thoroughly.

Motherboards and video cards are much more likely to survive if not powered on too.

I would let the psu dry in a high heat environment for several days, then try to power it on with just some trash fans or something and a jumper wire.
 
Thanks Supertrucker, I'll be sure to let everything dry thoroughly. I was so close to having this build finished too... *sigh*
 
take the board, psu, gpu, everything you think got wet set it all out in the sun for a day or two and you'll be just fine.
 
Sit a big house fan where it'll blow air through the wet components and leave it for at least a day.
 
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