Computer turning off and on and then finally dying

Nebell

2[H]4U
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I think it's moisture, but it would be nice to hear a second opinion.

I was installing a new video card in my watercooled PC and accidentally spilled some distilled water over the motherboard. I cleaned it up the best I could and continued working.
After connecting everything I fired it up and it suddenly started "blinking" on and off. Really fast, like 3-5 on/offs in a second. It would just turn off after a few seconds.
It's crazy, I have never seen a computer do this before.

So what's the problem? Motherboard? PSU?
Mobo is Gigabyte Gaming G1 (z170) and the PSU is Seasonic Platinum 1200W.
 
How did you clean up the spill? How long did you wait before powering it on afterwards?
 
How did you clean up the spill? How long did you wait before powering it on afterwards?

I used paper. And I didn't wait long, maybe 30 minutes.
It's probably shorting out somewhere.
Would using a heat pistol help?
 
I'd recommend using paper towels to soak up what you can, and then compressed air to blow water from under components and help dry things out. If it's been a long time though (i.e., more than a day), it might be a bit late. A heat gun, used properly to avoid burning anything, might help.

If it were me, I'd be taking the whole MB out, and using compressed air or a datavac blower on both sides, all the components and all the sockets, then letting it air dry for a day or two.

If it's still giving you headaches after that, you may need to RMA it.
 
I'd recommend using paper towels to soak up what you can, and then compressed air to blow water from under components and help dry things out. If it's been a long time though (i.e., more than a day), it might be a bit late. A heat gun, used properly to avoid burning anything, might help.

If it were me, I'd be taking the whole MB out, and using compressed air or a datavac blower on both sides, all the components and all the sockets, then letting it air dry for a day or two.

If it's still giving you headaches after that, you may need to RMA it.

Well now it fired up and was on normally but it's not showing anything on the screen. No beeps at all.
So I decided to reset bios and switch to the backup bios and now I have to press and HOLD the power button for it to stay online.
Anyway, it was distilled water, it shouldn't damage electronics.
I've had a leak a year ago and the water was dropping all over the video card while it was powered up and it didn't get damaged.
 
Well now it fired up and was on normally but it's not showing anything on the screen. No beeps at all.
So I decided to reset bios and switch to the backup bios and now I have to press and HOLD the power button for it to stay online.
Anyway, it was distilled water, it shouldn't damage electronics.
I've had a leak a year ago and the water was dropping all over the video card while it was powered up and it didn't get damaged.

Distilled water is fine and non-conductive. Until it encounters dust. Or any other contaminate. Then it's a problem.

I'd really recommend you pull the board and dry it thoroughly the way I mentioned and stop trying to force it to work. That's just more likely to cause problems.

Having a leak one time that didn't cause problems doesn't mean the next leak isn't going to cause problems. It's completely irrelevant to the problem at hand, since you're having problems NOW. That's similar to saying "one time, I drove home from the bar drunk and didn't have an accident, so it must be fine this time too".
 
Distilled water is fine and non-conductive. Until it encounters dust. Or any other contaminate. Then it's a problem.

I'd really recommend you pull the board and dry it thoroughly the way I mentioned and stop trying to force it to work. That's just more likely to cause problems.

Having a leak one time that didn't cause problems doesn't mean the next leak isn't going to cause problems. It's completely irrelevant to the problem at hand, since you're having problems NOW. That's similar to saying "one time, I drove home from the bar drunk and didn't have an accident, so it must be fine this time too".

Alright, I'll remove the motherboard.
Oh this is going to be a lot of work :D
 
Finally pulled it out. Wow, of course the last screw is the most inaccessible one that's somehow stuck.
I'll let it air dry until tomorrow and hopefully it will work. Or else I'm selling this junk in pieces.
I'm done with hardline water cooling.
It's fun to make but it's a bitch once you have to replace something.
 
Literally piss pure alcohol all over the board and let it dry overnight. You already made a mistake, hopefully it comes through.
 
Air drying it helped. I just connected it the day after and now everything is working great! Thanks!
 
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