[SOLVED] Washed mobo, forgot to remove cmos battery

[pr0t0typ3]

I have an Asus Rampage IV Formula motherboard, which I washed in the dishwasher today. Before you freak out, derbauer and others have guides about this and I've done this countless times successfully with many different mobos. As long as you make sure everything is 101% dry before you fire it up, it is a completely safe process. However, this time I somehow forgot to remove the cmos battery and washed the mobo with it... I have a full custom wc loop which I ordered parts for, so right now I cannot test the board (also, it has to dry for 1-2 days before it's safe to try). In general, what circuitry if any would be damaged by this? Is my mobo dead? What does the cmos battery do exactly? I'm panicking a bit... Thanks for your input.

 

[AllanGH]

Replace the CMOS memory backup battery after it dries. Then see if it still works, which I imagine that it will.

Which dishwashing detergent did you use, and did you use Cascade as well?

 

[USAFRet]

I have an Asus Rampage IV Formula motherboard, which I washed in the dishwasher today. Before you freak out, derbauer and others have guides about this and I've done this countless times successfully with many different mobos. As long as you make sure everything is 101% dry before you fire it up, it is a completely safe process. However, this time I somehow forgot to remove the cmos battery and washed the mobo with it... I have a full custom wc loop which I ordered parts for, so right now I cannot test the board (also, it has to dry for 1-2 days before it's safe to try). In general, what circuitry if any would be damaged by this? Is my mobo dead? What does the cmos battery do exactly? I'm panicking a bit... Thanks for your input.

Today still being...today...how was this "101% dry" achieved and verified?
I'd leave it for a couple of days, at least.

I've done this with keyboards. But not turned them on the same day.

 

[AllanGH]

Yeah....I generally leave the boards to dry at least a week, myself.

Cascade just prevents water spotting....

 

[pr0t0typ3]

Thank you all for the replies!

Replace the CMOS memory backup battery after it dries. Then see if it still works, which I imagine that it will.

Which dishwashing detergent did you use, and did you use Cascade as well?

So you say I can be hopeful the mobo is fine, as long as I get a new battery for it? I have a few lying around, but man sitting here not being able to test it is killing me.

I don't use detergent as there is only dust and stuff like that to remove, I don't XOC so no Vaseline or the like. I've heard it's safer with water only, is it not? What do you use? Also Thanks for the Cascade tip, I haven't heard about it before.

Today still being...today...how was this "101% dry" achieved and verified?
I'd leave it for a couple of days, at least.

I've done this with keyboards. But not turned them on the same day.

No, it wasn't achieved at all! That's why I'm posting, kind of anxious to find out if it still works and I can't test for a while now... I also use the dishwasher for all kinds of stuff, mainly keyboards, mobos and graphics cards.

Yeah....I generally leave the boards to dry at least a week, myself.

Cascade just prevents water spotting....

Thanks for the cascade tip to you too, I'll try it next time. Do you apply it after the fact, or do you put it in the dishwasher somehow?

BTW, you don't need a week, if you leave it to dry for 1-2 days and go over it with a hair drier multiple times. Let everything on the board get hot. As there's a lot of copper in the pcb itself, the whole thing soaks heat. Heat up the board, let it cool down, repeat multiple times. Did the trick every time for me, after about 48 hours of just drying prior to the hair dryer.

EDIT: I should note that heating up and cooling down the entire mobo like this might affect longevity, if you do it a lot. This is a torture test they perform on components in factories, but they repeat thousands of times. These cycles can bring out issues which simple sustained heat load can't.

 

[AllanGH]

Actually, the detergent and Cascade references were a joke; which I now suspect may have been classed among my poorer attempts.

 

[pr0t0typ3]

Actually, the detergent and Cascade references were a joke; which I now suspect may have been classed among my poorer attempts.

Haha no, I'm just too much of a noob to get it apparently. Also didn't notice those 2 posts were both from you. Tell me pls, what is cascade? I have no idea tbh.

Edit: ok so it's a detergent brand apparently. Never heard of it, we don't have it in my country. I thought it was some special substance like the one Brian from Tech Yes City uses all the time.

 

[AllanGH]

Oh.....uh Cascade is a North American distributed product for automatic dishwashers.

It used to be an additive but, now that I look at their website, they have apparently gone in the direction of making it a detergent offering with the former additive incorporated with it.

Cascade is in a class of surfactants that are marketed as rinse aids. The idea is to lower the surface tension of the rinse water so that it will not form droplets on the surface of the cleaned and rinsed glassware.

Personally, I question the wisdom of having the surfactant residue on plates, silverware and drinkware. Not quite the additives I want in my drinking water.

 

[pr0t0typ3]

Oh.....uh Cascade is a North American distributed product for automatic dishwashers.

Thanks, there's my new fact for the day.

I agree, wouldn't volunteer to drink/eat the residue of that stuff on a regular basis...

My fact for you: did you know that in most cases, you're completely fine washing dishes with no detergent at all? Just water is almost always enough, if it's hot enough.

 

[AllanGH]

Yup....had been using the dishwasher in that way, until the pump seized-up, that is.

I am not in the mood to repair the thing, seeing as I could store my cast iron cookware in the cabinet space taken-up by it, as well as the trash compactor (that we haven't used in about 15 years) next to it.

 

[pr0t0typ3]

Hi guys, quick update for anyone who stumbles upon this thread in the same situation. I was finally able to perform a quick test run and the board posted fine. Even my bios presets were intact, everything seems to be working properly. Should any issues come up in the future I'll make sure to update this post.

So if you happen to be sitting there with a wet mobo with the cmos battery in it, don't worry. Just take out that battery, give the board ample time to dry, get a new battery (although in my case even the old one is still working somehow) and you should be fine.

Thank you for your input, much appreciated!