HP Forum Archive 10

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Sunny UnDelight Message #1 Posted by AshP on 1 Feb 2003, 1:07 p.m. Disaster! I have spilt OJ on my 32sii and, whilst it didn't have the most positive key-click feedback, the sticky clickiness that it now has is going just a bit too far. Has anyone experience of cleaning these things? I notice that there are 4 plastic rivets inside the battery cover, which appear to hold the case together. Whilst I could happily dissemble it by drilling these out - I'm not quite sure what I'd find inside. Any suggestions - apart from giving up orange juice for life!

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #2 Posted by Randy Sloyer on 1 Feb 2003, 6:20 p.m., in response to message #1 by AshP Opening it up at this point will not help. It does not give you any further access to the keyboard. It is sealed with a metal plate from the backside. The best way to try to clean up the undelightful spill is with repeated baths in warm distilled water in an ultrasonic cleaner. The cleaner helps get the gunk out with the water acting as the solvent. Use three passes, at least an hour each in the cleaner with fresh distilled water each time, do not use anything but distilled. Shake out all the excess water, and let the calc dry out overnight between baths. Then dry at elevated temp (120° f) for 24 hours after the final rinse. You may not need the ultrasonic assistance, since the spill is fresh, so the sooner you soak it in distilled water, the better the chance of success. You should try warming the water in a microwave to 105-115° f or so and immerse in a very clean glass pan. Soak for at least an hour each time. Of course, don't forget to take the batteries out first.

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #3 Posted by Gordon Dyer on 2 Feb 2003, 7:28 a.m., in response to message #2 by Randy Sloyer And don't immerse the screen in water!

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #4 Posted by AshP on 2 Feb 2003, 10:03 a.m., in response to message #3 by Gordon Dyer Thanks for the info guys! I was wondering about the LCD - that would really make it Liquid!! I must admit, immersing one's calculator in water (even distilled) does seem a bit of a scary thing to do. I'll have to build up to it.

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #5 Posted by Richard Freeman (Australia) on 2 Feb 2003, 7:03 p.m., in response to message #4 by AshP Dont worry about it Think of it like this: Water is better than what you have in the keyboard already. I have cleaned many many keyboards (of various sorts) in water and Provided they are well dried after wards there is no problem. Another thing do not wait to long before you rinse it out Orange juice can be corrosive Regards Richard Freeman

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #6 Posted by Dave Shaffer on 3 Feb 2003, 1:45 a.m., in response to message #4 by AshP re: I must admit, immersing one's calculator in water (even distilled) does seem a bit of a scary thing to do. I'll have to build up to it. I once read directions for what to do if you dropped your camera in sea/salt water: rinse it in FRESH water as soon as possible. (This, of course, is similar to David Smith's comment: you only do this to something that is otherwise already beyond hope!)

Re: Cleaning a keyboard Message #7 Posted by David Smith on 2 Feb 2003, 4:52 p.m., in response to message #3 by Gordon Dyer I have not had any problem imersing the screens in water. The displays are sealed very well. The main thing to be concerned about is water spotting... use distilled water and mayby a photo wetting agent like Kodak PhotoFlo in the final rinse. One should only attempt this technique on machines that cannot be fixed in any other way. On the three baths in distilled water, you don't have to let the machines dry between baths... just drain the as much water as possible from the machine. The three baths are to keep whatever was gunking up the machine from well diluted. I learned the trick from by friendly local bartender. They wash bar glasses in a three sink cascade to keep from spreading bar cooties.

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall