*?%!$%$%$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AAARGGHH!!!

[Geddyfleaharris]

So last night I get a call from our drummer that after a day of heavy rain part of the ceiling in our jam spot collapsed bringing down water and debris. We are on the top floor and water got in through the roof.

Basically my pedal board took the brunt of the hit. One side got hit worse than the other side. I brought the board home and turned a fan on it overnight.

The damage...... 3 pedals on the board, all about 3 months old, aren't working. An MXR EVH flanger, a Whammy IV and an MXR boost. They won't power up at all. Am I screwed or is there the possibility that they can be repaired? I am not a do-it-yourselfer guy when it comes to the insides of electronics so it's going to have to be a shop repair if it's possible.

?????

[KarateKid25]

man... Thats bad news...

How where the effects at the time? Plugged in or completely switched off?

Its not the water that does the damage as such but the current running through a wet component at the time. You need to open things up and let them really dry out before attempting to run power through it again. Failing that, get a pro to look them over. Its a case of how much damage + the cost involved in repairing vs new pedals.

[RickenBoogie]

Yeah, open 'em up, use a hair dryer even. Give them a few days before you put power to them. (this worked on a cell phone that was totally submeged, it came back to life) Hope it works out, it sucks buying pedals you've already got.

[GBGLJE]

There is hope. Give them about 4 days in the driest place you can find and they all may come back to life. Good luck.

Powering up any electronic device that has gotten wet is very bad, do not do it until you are sure they are 100% dry.

If that doesn't work be sure to file an insurance claim with the building owner. I hope there wasn't anything rare like a Roland JetPhase or anything like that.

[varunkapahi]

i have somehow always feared something happening like this; thats why i ALWAYS put my board back into its casing like they i would pack it all before traveling with the board. even if i am jamming everyday i do this; its just two minutes to plugging back if its all sorted like they way it should be on a board

[Colonel Monk]

At least take the covers off the pedals -- you need to give the moisture a path to evaporate.

If they weren't powered on when the collapse occurred, they should dry out and be fine.

[phat5]

You need a friend in the electronics industry......soak 'em all in a freon vat.

[KarateKid25]

yep... there is the possibility of contamination due to the unclean water and bits of roof, but in general, water isn't a problem. Its power + water that screws things up

[Geddyfleaharris]

Thankfully no Roland Jet Phase!

The situation is overflowing with suckage.

The pedals that are wonky were completely unplugged from the board. No power to them at all. I will open them up and let them dry. Thanks for the tip! I am thinking that if these pedals are toast then the building owner might cut us a break on a month's rent or something. He is a pretty decent guy and we get along with him well.

If I have to buy the boost pedal again that's no big deal. It was less than $100. I like the EVH MXR flanger A LOT. But after having had it on my board now for 3 months I am not sure if I could justify spending close to $200 for another one; based on the amount that I use it. The Whammy I am really choked about. I got it off of Ebay. Paid no shipping and had it on my doorstep for about $75 less than what I could buy it new for around here. That one is going to hurt if it can't be repaired.

Worst is we have a show tomorrow night. But I am a trooper and will get through it!

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by Geddyfleaharris

But I am a trooper and will get through it!

That's the best part.

[Sean S]

I'd dry them as fast as possible. I'd be worried about corrosion.

[blizzard]

Yeah, if they were "on" as such they should be ok, as long as u let them dry out.

My brother in his great wisdom once decided to urinate on our XBox (It was plugged in at the time). We let it dry out for a few days and it worked for a few years. Evidently it doesn't work now though.

[rustynuts]

Lucky your little brother didn't electrocute himself. Had a friend almost fry his dumb ___ when he peed on an electric fence. Now it's funny to think back on....Once the juice hit him he couldn't stop urinating and he couldn't move either so the stream just kept going. He was aiming for the insulator, thinking for some dumb reason that it wouldn't shock him.

Good thing he has a small bladder.

[KarateKid25]

Originally Posted by blizzard

Yeah, if they were "on" as such they should be ok, as long as u let them dry out.

My brother in his great wisdom once decided to urinate on our XBox (It was plugged in at the time). We let it dry out for a few days and it worked for a few years. Evidently it doesn't work now though.

I think you mean, if they WEREN'T on... If there is power going through when water comes into contact, then you can have issues for sure. No power and water contact isn't really an issue as long as things dry out before you power them up again.

Like you say though, you can be lucky

I guess your brother is more of a Playstation fan hey?

[blizzard]

Originally Posted by rustynuts

Lucky your little brother didn't electrocute himself. Had a friend almost fry his dumb ___ when he peed on an electric fence. Now it's funny to think back on....Once the juice hit him he couldn't stop urinating and he couldn't move either so the stream just kept going. He was aiming for the insulator, thinking for some dumb reason that it wouldn't shock him.

Good thing he has a small bladder.

Yeah, I know. He must have been like 7 at the time.

In conclusion, electricity and urine do not mix.

[blizzard]

Originally Posted by KarateKid25

I think you mean, if they WEREN'T on... If there is power going through when water comes into contact, then you can have issues for sure. No power and water contact isn't really an issue as long as things dry out before you power them up again.

Like you say though, you can be lucky

I guess your brother is more of a Playstation fan hey?

Thats the one! Its getting late, I tend to leave words out of sentences when I'm tired.

LOL @ Playstation, I think he was just cut that my parents told him he was too young to play halo.

[WarriorJoe7]

What you ought to do is get electrical contact cleaner and spray everything down until dripping wet. The let the boards dry (do not use a hairdryer with the contact cleaner because it is flammable and dries quickly on its own.)

However was the pedal board plugged in when it happened? If it wasn't then you have a chance. If it was plugged in your chances are smaller. Water itself won't do much damage unless it starts to corrode. It is the short circuits that water cause that do damage, and so it only harms when powerd up and wet at the same time.

If you tested them out without them being completely and totally dry then you may have caused damage while testing.

ICs can trap water hence the contact cleaner thing and having the electronics open and in a warm dry place. Contact cleaner (or eletronics cleaner) will dry from dripping wet in a few minutes and leave no residue.

[Swimming Bird]

You said they were all around three months old. Did you buy them new? And if so, did you fill out the warranty cards?

[KarateKid25]

Would warranty cover something like that? Or do you think you might get away with letting them dry out and just trying the old 'they just stopped working...'

[Auchenorrhyncha]

DONT USE A HAIR DRYER

you could easily fry the ICs


use rubbing alcohol and let them sit for a few good days