Hey everyone, newbie here! I've played around a bit with electronic projects, but I still don't fully understand how water actually damages electronics. Recent scenario: I left a child's toy with lights and sounds outside in the rain, and although it didn't have batteries, it's completely unresponsive now. I opened it up and didn't see any visible rust or leakage. So, what might have happened? Did the delicate circuits on the microcontroller get ruined? Does water affect capacitors in a particular way? What exactly is going on? Thanks for any insight! Cheers!
1 Answer
Water itself isn't the enemy for electronics, but it can wreak havoc if the conditions are right. If a battery was present or the circuit was powered while wet, that's when you get real problems. Also, if the water isn't clean, or if the circuit is dirty, it can exacerbate the situation and cause corrosion. Interestingly, clean, distilled water is actually used in factories for cleaning circuit boards. If you didn't spot any corrosion, you might revive that toy by rinsing the insides with distilled water. After that, let it dry in a warm spot for a few days. You can also use ethanol to help speed up the drying process since it evaporates quicker.
If we're talking about decriminalizing water, that sounds like a slippery slope, doesn't it? What next, people using ice as a substitute? 😂