RAS7

I hope this isn't fatal! Bear with me while I set the stage:

I knocked a cup of coffee (ugh, w/ cream and sugar) over right into my purse! When I was cleaning up the mess, I didn't think it got the X30, but I discovered about half an hour later, that it did. I pulled the SD card out, it was slightly damp. There were a couple of drops of moisture on the screen that I wiped off. The inside of the slip case was damp. I removed the main battery - no moisture there. I left the whole thing to sit and dry several hours (probably about 8). Put the battery back in. Nothing, then a few minutes later, it would turn itself on with only the amber light showing. I could only turn it off by removing the battery, so I took it out. When I got home, I put it back together and plugged it in with the power/sync cable. It powered up, with the low backup warning. It did its own hard reset - I set up the relationship again, synced, - and all looked good. I removed the sync cable and left it plugged in with the power cable end only. After several hours, the light changed to green and the backup registered as normal.

And that's where it turns nasty... now I can't turn it on. Pushing the power button does NOTHING. Plugging it in with power only lights the amber light, but pushing the power button does NOTHING. Plugging it in with power/sync it comes on automatically and everything works. But I CAN"T TURN IT OFF. I have to remove the cable for it to go off.

I've tried reading many threads here and elsewhere. I see mention of them getting wet and working afterwards. But with the sugars in the coffee - has it left some damaging residue? I saw one thread that actually suggested swishing the unit in distilled water and leaving it to dry several days. Anyone ever done this? I've seen mention of taking it apart and rinsing in distilled water. Again - has that actually been done? If so, how do I take it apart?

What is your recommendation (other than "don't drink and drive )?

No, it's not in warranty, this has been my trusted companion for a couple of years now!

Thanks so much for any help you can provide.
RAS

RAS7

(I am also posting this on anther board - please excuse the cross posting if you belong to both)

UPDATE: Well, I took it completely apart, carefully cleaned it with alcohol, stream of air to dry it (airbrush came in handy) let it sit overnight and all morning. I put it back together late this afternoon, plugged it in. Amber light lit. Left it - after about 6 hours, the light went to green. Pushed power button. Nothing. Tried hard reset. Nothing. Unplugged the power only end of the cable, plugged in the sync cable. Power light went back to amber. Pushed power button, nothing. If I leave it for quite a bit, light goes back to green. If I unplug it and plug it back in, light goes back to amber. I am guessing the backup battery needs charged, but doesn't the PPC have to be turned on to charge the backup battery? I can't turn it on!

I double and triple checked to make sure I had all the cables, etc hooked back in.

Before I cleaned it - when it was plugged in with sync/power it would power on automatically and work, but wouldn't turn off. Now it won't power on at all.

Do I take it apart again and literally "wash" this baby with distilled water? I was pretty gentle with it, trying not to rub on the contacts, pins, chips, etc.

I love my X30 - I don't really want to replace it, I don't need anything higher level - I didn't even use this to its full potential! Is there any hope for it?

Victor516

I'd take it apart again and wash it with distilled water and scrub with soft brush, and then let it sit out drying for another day or two. I hope you can get it to work. Good luck.

caxe

Sorry to hear that about your Axim! I had an x30 once...it was quite resilient. The good news is that if you end up having to replace it, they're not that expensive on eBay. I suggest taking it apart totally, and trying to rinse it with distilled water the way you suggested. It's not working right now, and if you try that and it still doesn't work, you won't be any worse off. Good luck!

SpyVsSpy

Typically, when you drop electronics into water the battery fries. After allowing the device to dry out thoroughly and adding a new battery it works again. I am wondering if your battery is shot and giving you this problem. I would try to find someone that has one that you could try their battery in yours.

e_tellurian

Originally Posted by RAS7

I hope this isn't fatal! Bear with me while I set the stage: I knocked a cup of coffee (ugh, w/ cream and sugar) over right into my purse! When I was cleaning up the mess, I didn't think it got the X30, but I discovered about half an hour later, that it did. I pulled the SD card out, it was slightly damp. There were a couple of drops of moisture on the screen that I wiped off. The inside of the slip case was damp. I removed the main battery - no moisture there. I left the whole thing to sit and dry several hours (probably about 8). Put the battery back in. Nothing, then a few minutes later, it would turn itself on with only the amber light showing. I could only turn it off by removing the battery, so I took it out. When I got home, I put it back together and plugged it in with the power/sync cable. It powered up, with the low backup warning. It did its own hard reset - I set up the relationship again, synced, - and all looked good. I removed the sync cable and left it plugged in with the power cable end only. After several hours, the light changed to green and the backup registered as normal. And that's where it turns nasty... now I can't turn it on. Pushing the power button does NOTHING. Plugging it in with power only lights the amber light, but pushing the power button does NOTHING. Plugging it in with power/sync it comes on automatically and everything works. But I CAN"T TURN IT OFF. I have to remove the cable for it to go off. I've tried reading many threads here and elsewhere. I see mention of them getting wet and working afterwards. But with the sugars in the coffee - has it left some damaging residue? I saw one thread that actually suggested swishing the unit in distilled water and leaving it to dry several days. Anyone ever done this? I've seen mention of taking it apart and rinsing in distilled water. Again - has that actually been done? If so, how do I take it apart? What is your recommendation (other than "don't drink and drive )? No, it's not in warranty, this has been my trusted companion for a couple of years now! Thanks so much for any help you can provide. RAS

:-(lol) see the humor in so many ways. Thanks for sharing your purse story. The only suggestion i have is to make you a liquid resistant we-com choice so you do not have to change your life too much as a choice.

Peace,

E-T

RAS7

As I posted on another board: Well, I guess it IS fatal. I have it all cleaned and put back together. Still the same story: When I plug it in, amber charging light comes on, several hours later, it goes green. BUT when I push the power button, NOTHING. And if I disconnect the power and then plug it back in immediately, it's back to amber for an hour or so. I am guessing that not only did it short out so that it won't power up, but that the backup battery is dead too. And of course, with the x30, it needs to be powered on to charge the backup battery, right?

Would I have to do something different to get it to power up? Obviously, I can't do a hard reset, since it isn't recognizing the power button. (I can feel the button making contact with the tiny trip switch inside).

I may send it to the pocketpctech site that has been mentioned in other forums.

SpyVsSpy

The backup battery isn't accessible in the X30? I would suspect it is your backup battery. It sounds similar to a friend of mine who let his main battery die and then his backup battery. Once he replaced his backup battery everything workded fine on the sync/power cable but wouldn't work once power was removed. I think his was the X5.

RAS7

SpyvsSpy - Everything doesn't work fine on the cable. All it does it light the charging (power) light. But the unit never actually turns on. You say that even AFTER he replaced the backup battery, his only worked on the cable - is that right, or was that a typo?