How does water ruin electronics

That's because most of them were never designed to withstand exposure to water. Water damages metals by speeding up their oxidation process, which normally occurs much more slowly in air. If the water contains impurities such as salts, that oxidation can happen even more quickly.

As electrical conductors inside wet appliances and electronics start to corrode, they lose their ability to carry electrical currents. As conductors build up more corrosion they can eventually become hot enough to ignite surrounding material and cause a fire.

Some electronic equipment such as newer model computers and mobile phones are capable of keeping water out and away from electrical components. Depending on the device, here's how to recognize water damage in other equipment:. If you're unsure how high the water level rose during a storm or flood, look for a water line on the appliance. It can help determine if internal components were affected.

Here's the bottom line: if an appliance or piece of electrical equipment has been wet or underwater, it presents a significant risk. While you can try and have it professionally cleaned and dried, most experts suggest replacing it with new equipment. You'll want to check to see if your insurance policy covers any of the replacement costs. Tempting as it might be, testing must wait until the item has been thoroughly cleaned and dried.

Full drying includes taking care of moisture that may have crept past tiny crevices and then become trapped. Even with these measures, the device may need electronics repair, such as replacing a few components. If a single device has had an accident involving clean water you might be able to rescue it yourself. First, drain away any liquid and unplug or remove as much as you can. Use a soft cloth and Q-tips to clean and dry as much as you can. Then place the device in a closed container together with a desiccant for at least 48 hours.

Ask your local home improvement store for desiccant packets. Or in a pinch, you can use silica gel kitty litter. Should you decide to use heat instead, keep things warm but not hot. Temperatures that are uncomfortable to the touch can damage electronics components. And, again, drying can take several days. You now submerge any kind of powered board in the water which contains those salts, minerals etc call it a solution and you will short circuit any open contact.

If it is off, you will be dealing with the corrosion that these impurities can cause, especially under SMD components, IC's etc. That is why I prefer isopropyl alcohol since that displaces water and does not carry those impurities.

Always immerse the circuit boards in the alcohol. Not a perfect scientific explanation, but I hope it makes sense. Josh Rayner. It depends on the electrical pathways created by the conductive material i. And in addition, a voltage that the circuit was not designed to handle i.

Lastly, overtime the electrical components them selves can fail from age or overheating. Posted: January It's a pity that someone missed physics lessons at school.

Water and electricity are things that should never intersect.