Just put memory card through the wash!

[Chris Dodkin]

My brand new 4gb cf card just took a trip through the wash cycle in my trouser pocket

It was in it's plastic case, but when I opened the case there was definitely water inside.

What do you think? Will it live?

 

[Graeme Harvey]

Leave it in the airing cupboard for a couple of days and see.

 

[Barry Keavney]

Didn't the gadget show do an "Indestructability" test on digital film a couple of years back? As far as I remember the lifespan of the Card had reduced dramatically but it lived. Was there anything important on it?
If it was me I would use it, but only as a back-up in rare situations.

 

[Pete Askew]

Hi Chris,

I washed a spare SD card that I 'd left in the pocket of a shirt a month ago. Once it had dried it was fine.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Well, from all your comments it sounds encouraging.

The card was brand new - never even been formatted!

I just tried it in the wife's camera, and it formatted fine and took images as well - so fingers crossed it'll be ok long term.

 

[Paul Lange]

Possible it will be OK but the thing is you never know its dead till its dead and sods law means you usually have a selections of crackers on there when it goes.

If you have some disc checking software you could try using that to check the card while its in a card reader. Was it expensive? if not too much you could think about buying a new one to be safe.

 

[Larry Bolch]

Water and electronics are fine together as long as electricity is not present. An acquaintance who designs digital circuit boards, defluxes them in the kitchen dishwasher. However, they are rendered absolutely dry prior to flipping the switch.

 

[Hamish Gill]

What does "defluxes" mean

 

[Hamish Gill]

I broke the main board of my turntable, I had a spare one but it was covered in beer (? I use a technics 1210, used by dj's mostly). I washed the beer off in a bowl of soapy water with a kitchen brush... Left it in the sun... Worked perfectly!

 

[Graeme Harvey]

What does "defluxes" mean

Gets rid of charge and magnetism

 

[Pete Askew]

What does "defluxes" mean

Flux is used to prevent the surfaces that are being joined by solder oxidising during soldering. It also removes oxides to a certain extent although usually the surfaces are rendered free of oxide before you start. Sometimes it is part of the solder itself (as a core). Unfortunately the residue it leaves can cause corrosion and the flux is a poor conductor. So, after soldering you de-flux the board. (I think you a thinking of de-gausing aren't you Graeme?). Commercially this is often done in a large system using either an aqueous or non-aqueous recycled cleaner (we've done work on controlling the microbiology in these systems).

 

[Graeme Harvey]

Possibly.. although deflux it can also be a jelly-type stuff that you inject into children who are suffering from acid reflux!

 

[Pete Askew]

Possibly.. although deflux it can also be a jelly-type stuff that you inject into children who are suffering from acid reflux!

Or I believe you can put them in the dishwasher too can't you?!!

 

[Graeme Harvey]

My washing machine advises it, certainly. In the instruction book, it says "Before closing the door, check for pets and small children." It doesn't say what to do if no pets or small children are in there.

 

[Pete Askew]

I guess if yours aren't around you could always borrow some off the neighbors.

 

[Paul Lange]

What happened to the good old days when you just hung them up and beat them with a giant fly swat looking device, or was that rugs?

 

[Pete Askew]

Rugs, children... It was all the same when I was a kid!!

 

[Larry Bolch]

What does "defluxes" mean

Washing off the flux used as an aid in soldering, as well as anything else that landed on the board while it was being fabricated.

 

[Paul Lange]

Rugs, children... It was all the same when I was a kid!!

Did you have thick piles as well Hamish, or did that come later?

 

[Graeme Harvey]

Too much sitting on damp carpet beaters!