Will salvaged computer parts work? Even after in the rain?

Most electronic parts will survive a brief water washing. Moving parts such as motors will not, and switches and connectors shouldn't be trusted.

Rinsing most electronics with electronics grade isopropanol will do the trick. Make sure they are dry afterward. Don't use rubbing alcohol, it has slime in it.

Al

The fan might be toast. Not necessarily because of the rain but rather because it's just plain worn out. Can't count the number of PC power supply fans I have replaced because they got noisy or stopped turning long before the power supplies themselves died. Does the fan blade spin freely?

Then again, you said you tried to run your fan with a 9v battery. Could be that that particular 9v battery didn't have enough poop; to check this idea I would try a 12v DC supply that can put out at least a couple hundred milliamps.

I always salvage all the jumpers on a motherboard before I toss it. They're handy little buggers, especially if you do much puttering and use 0.1" headers. I also pull inductors ("coils") for their magnet wire. SMPS (switch mode power supply) always countain several inductors.

In data Sat, 17 Jun 2006 07:14:32 +0200, ha scritto:

PCB's will survive to washing (even in a dishwasher :)) but connectors, sockets, even mechanical parts (in aCDROM unit that was "washed" the motors survived better than the PCB...) ;)

"Inty XP" wrote in news:op.tbbw13iyeliyee@s-athlon:

i used to wash old radiograms in a bath before repairing, and they never seemed to mind. If they ever failed it wasn't because of that.

Optical drives are different though, you can really mess up the laser windows and lenses and mirrors and whatever optics it has by doing this. The case might survive rain or a strong splash but if water gets inside, in bulk, you'll almost certainly ruin it.

In data Sun, 18 Jun 2006 11:39:05 +0200, Lostgallifreyan ha scritto:

Yep, i only "wash" optics with a dry cotton fioc (or with a littledenatured alcool on it)

"Inty XP" wrote in news:op.tbb8mkbkeliyee@s-athlon:

Same here, when needed, isopropanol (Is that the same thing?). According to a few people on alt.lasers, pure methanol is good, and if the surfaces are glass or metal, and you can guarantee no plastics present, acetone wetted lens tissue, dropped across the surface and dragged gently off it.

In data Sun, 18 Jun 2006 14:14:04 +0200, Lostgallifreyan ha scritto:

i use denatured alcool for gentle washing PCBs and equipment...

in Italy "denaturated alchool" is ethilic alchool at 90% with added a small quantity of a toxic, redish substance, it is selled at a price around 1/20 of pure ( 95 % ) alchool due to the high taxes on alcholic drinkables

here is the 'italian cocktail'

per 100 liters add ( to the alchool ):

a-Tiofene: 125 grams. b-Denatonium benzoate: 0,8 grams. c-Solution @ 25% p/p of C.I. Reactive Red 24 (red color): 3 grams. d-Metilchetone 2 liters

( please don't drink it :-) )

the first is used to general clean and disinfection use the second form home producing of liquors.

In data Sun, 18 Jun 2006 15:55:10 +0200, mmm ha scritto:

the isopropylic alchol isn't marketed no more, because it was used for wine adultering and some people died after those experiments, isopropylic alchol in very little doses can be found in tape\vcr and maybe in floppy units self-washing disks\cassettes

"Inty XP" wrote in news:op.tbcg12h3eliyee@s-athlon:

Thankyou. I knew it was hard to buy now, and knew it was some kind of abuse, but never knew exactly what kind. I think it can still be had from RS and other trade suppliers, but I haven't checked.

Thankyou mmm too, I think your description matches what we call methylated spirits here in the UK. Definitely not recommended for fine optics due to the additives, but probably ok if you can get it without them. I'd still go with the methanol or isopropanol, or acetone when plastics are definitely not involved. If these are good enough for people putting tens of watts through a tiny glass surface on a regular basis, they should be good enough for most of us too. :)

Some rubbing alcohol has slime in it and some doesn't. You can test it by letting a drop of it dry on a clean piece of glass, such as a microscope slide. If it dries clean, it's good.

Yes, pure methanol is *good* for cleaning glass lenses; it will get grease off of them much more readily than isopropanol.

Acetone is very bad for plastics.

the price of a junk box special selection bag ,from one of the components suppliers is usually a much better bet for bits. tell them what direction your hobby is taking and send a nice letter, you will get a huge bag of assorted goodies to play with. for £10 + as much postage as you can afford you will be surprised how generous they can be!

Never thought of doing that... It also sounds like a great way to stock up my newly built student lab.