Laptop internal condensation

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Laptop internal condensation - prevention?

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#295956 8-May-2022 22:08

A friend has had an HP laptop fail (1 year old).

HP service reported water damage and photos show significant internal corrosion.

The recent failure followed several weeks of rainfall. The house is an older open plan structure that is frugally heated. Maybe also cooking moisture present at times.

I suspect the laptop water damage was actually trapped condensation inside the case.

My thoughts are to sit a new replacement laptop on a gentle heating pad of some sort.... perhaps an animal heating pad or a seedling heating pad.

Maybe a dehumidifier could help.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Goosey

3014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 867

Subscriber

#2911726 9-May-2022 06:41

Maybe suggest getting into placing said laptop into a padded laptop bag / sleeve at night, place it off the floor and not leave out on the table/bench?

Dynamic

4015 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1851

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2911727 9-May-2022 06:46

I'd be asking if the corrosion was widespread, or localised, to eliminate the possibility of a liquid spill.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

robjg63

4161 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1425

Subscriber

#2911745 9-May-2022 08:35

If you have ever put your hand near the fan outlet grills on any PC, you will usually find a flow of quite warm air.

The insides of computers, run quite warm. So you would have to ask how would they get condensation inside.

Short of shutting a PC down and chilling it - then keeping it switched off and putting it in a steamy room, I wouldnt have thought condensation would generally be much of an issue on the warm/hot insides of a laptop.

Not trying to be a smart *rse, but are you sure it didnt suffer from a spill?

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

heavenlywild

5091 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 901

Trusted

#2911746 9-May-2022 08:42

If the laptop is off and sits by the kitchen on the daily, I wouldn't be surprised about condensation. Just look at the water that can sit on windows!

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#2911754 9-May-2022 09:10

Gordy7:

My thoughts are to sit a new replacement laptop on a gentle heating pad of some sort.... perhaps an animal heating pad or a seedling heating pad.

Maybe a dehumidifier could help.

A big "click clack" container with a box of "damp rid" in it is probably just as efficient,

But Seriously if you have significant internal corrosion in a laptop, i would worry about the rest of the things in the house.... and the occupants

Low temperatures are not the source of problems, they simply trigger them when there is high humidity....

Try and sort out the sources of moisture, open a window when cooking and showering, use ducted fans if possible,

Asking a dehumidifier to make major change in a large open plan space is probably a big ask

ratsun81

516 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 183

#2911757 9-May-2022 09:27

Goosey:

Maybe suggest getting into placing said laptop into a padded laptop bag / sleeve at night, place it off the floor and not leave out on the table/bench?

This but add some of those silica gel packs to the laptop bag. Problem shouldnt crop up using this method.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

MadEngineer

4591 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2570

Trusted

#2911765 9-May-2022 10:15

No range hood in the kitchen?

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

1101

3141 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1143

#2911796 9-May-2022 11:27

Gordy7:

HP service reported water damage and photos show significant internal corrosion.

Its almost certainly had water (or worse) split on it .
VERY unlikely to be from a damp home.

I have a damp home btw , never had that sort of issue .
Even my garage & laundry , which flood on heavy rain, dont have condensation build up INSIDE appliances etc.

SpartanVXL

1498 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 666

#2911810 9-May-2022 12:02

If the laptop remains on there is little chance it gets cold enough to condense moisture. Not only core components temperature, but airflow makes this very unlikely. Most pc components when idle will draw enough power to stay around the 30-40C range, let alone when in use.

It would have to have been off and remained in a cold and humid environment lower than 13C, at which point it would not be the only problem to be noticed.

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2912556 11-May-2022 09:39

Well, the possible causes of water damage or condensation to laptop remains uncertain.

- Friend says maybe forgot water was spilled.

- Trying to claim insurance for repair or replacement.

- The current laptop computer failure is the second in the last 3 years.

- Life style property has a 40 sq m cottage built in 1875 - various tack-ons - poor fitting doors and windows.

- No cooking extractor fan.

- Uses open fire.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#2912571 11-May-2022 10:09

Gordy7:

Well, the possible causes of water damage or condensation to laptop remains uncertain.

- Friend says maybe forgot water was spilled.

- Trying to claim insurance for repair or replacement.

- The current laptop computer failure is the second in the last 3 years.

- Life style property has a 40 sq m cottage built in 1875 - various tack-ons - poor fitting doors and windows.

- No cooking extractor fan.

- Uses open fire.

So in one paragraph we see maybe forgot water spill, 1875, poor fitting potals, open fire.

Purhaps pen and paper and news paper for media access is more appropriate than laptop :)

Cyril

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2912607 11-May-2022 11:34

cyril7:

Gordy7:

Well, the possible causes of water damage or condensation to laptop remains uncertain.

- Friend says maybe forgot water was spilled.

- Trying to claim insurance for repair or replacement.

- The current laptop computer failure is the second in the last 3 years.

- Life style property has a 40 sq m cottage built in 1875 - various tack-ons - poor fitting doors and windows.

- No cooking extractor fan.

- Uses open fire.

So in one paragraph we see maybe forgot water spill, 1875, poor fitting potals, open fire.

Purhaps pen and paper and news paper for media access is more appropriate than laptop :)

Cyril

That did cross my mind 😀

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

robjg63

4161 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1425

Subscriber

#2912608 11-May-2022 11:40

Actually, there are a few tablets that are quite moisture resistant....

Just sayin...

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

SpartanVXL

1498 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 666

#2912610 11-May-2022 11:49

Soot doesn’t play well in my experience with consumer electronics. Open fire isn’t a great area when a pc will intake fire contaminants to cool itself.

But if they say they ‘forgot’ a spill and the techs can prove a big pool of water damage then thats the likely cause.

Gordy7

gordy7
2001 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 505

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2912616 11-May-2022 12:01

It will be interesting when a new laptop arrives.

The only personal files such as photos, etc, are on the damaged laptop M.2 SSD.

Hopefully I can read the SSD on a USB adapter I have.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.