How do I clean the SSD connectors?

[moey2k2001]

Hi

I had a wine spillage on my MBA. The SSD does not seem to be recognized anymore. The eternal works. The connectors seem to have gotten damaged or perhaps rusty, not sure as it is difficult to gt in there.

Please, How can I fix this?
Anyway to clean the connectors?
Any possible way without buying a whole new board?
Is it possible to solder this out and a new connector? How would something like that get damaged? Everything else seems to be in tact and works like a charm.
What options do I have to repair it anyways, if the cleaning should not work?

Thanks.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Hi

I had a wine spillage on my MBA. The SSD does not seem to be recognized anymore. The eternal works. The connectors seem to have gotten damaged or perhaps rusty, not sure as it is difficult to gt in there.

Please, How can I fix this?
Anyway to clean the connectors?
Any possible way without buying a whole new board?
Is it possible to solder this out and a new connector? How would something like that get damaged? Everything else seems to be in tact and works like a charm.
What options do I have to repair it anyways, if the cleaning should not work?

Thanks.

The SSD on your MBA is removable. Depending on which model/year it is, you can find a teardown on iFixit.

What the problem relates to is a little more difficult to diagnose. You can try to remove the SSD and clean the connectors with isopropyl alcohol, and perhaps the connectors on the Logic Board as well.

Regardless it may be worth taking it to an Apple Store, as they'd be able to offer a free diagnostic to at least identify which component is faulty. Furthermore the cost can be more competitive than buying the same thing on the used market.

 

[kohlson]

Once you open the case, the degree of serviceability goes down hill very fast. Fortunately, the SSD is something that is pretty easy - I've swapped them out in a few MBAs. A few years back milk was spilled onto the keyboard of a 13-in MBP. I learned that I was able to save the SSD, but that many connectors are very delicate. I ended up breaking at least one. Apple Store, or other provider, is a good suggestion.

 

[moey2k2001]

In Europe Appleservice diagnostic will charge me if I don't take their "offer". They will look at it and probably tell me whats up with it but if they don't fix it, I have to pay for diagnostic. The SSD is working. Tried it on a different MBA. The MBA boots from an external and all other components seem to work without any issue. Hardware check tested positive but didn't show anything on the SSD connection even though it was plugged in.

The thing is the MBA was damaged with red wine. I dunked it in distilled water for a day to "cleans" it. The water was red and the mac book was clean like new and everything works except the SSD connectors. When booting from an external I tested almost everything and worked on it for a while...

Suggestions other than Apple?

Is it possible to solder the connectors?

Thanks for the tips so far. Need more help please.

 

[velocityg4]

In Europe Appleservice diagnostic will charge me if I don't take their "offer". They will look at it and probably tell me whats up with it but if they don't fix it, I have to pay for diagnostic. The SSD is working. Tried it on a different MBA. The MBA boots from an external and all other components seem to work without any issue. Hardware check tested positive but didn't show anything on the SSD connection even though it was plugged in.

The thing is the MBA was damaged with red wine. I dunked it in distilled water for a day to "cleans" it. The water was red and the mac book was clean like new and everything works except the SSD connectors. When booting from an external I tested almost everything and worked on it for a while...

Suggestions other than Apple?

Is it possible to solder the connectors?

Thanks for the tips so far. Need more help please.

Use DeOxit D5 Contact Cleaner. It is a safe electronic solvent and lubricant. It gets used often on audio equipment. If the corrosion is really bad. Then alternate between flushing and gently scrubbing with a toothbrush.

As it is also a lubricant for electrical contacts it will leave behind an oily residue. Which you can leave or flush with isopropyl alcohol. It also acts as a protectant against corrosion. I prefer to flush it away afterward on non moving connections.

This stuff is really nasty. Do not use it indoors, without eye protection or rubber gloves.

 

[moey2k2001]

Use DeOxit D5 Contact Cleaner. It is a safe electronic solvent and lubricant. It gets used often on audio equipment. If the corrosion is really bad. Then alternate between flushing and gently scrubbing with a toothbrush.

As it is also a lubricant for electrical contacts it will leave behind an oily residue. Which you can leave or flush with isopropyl alcohol. It also acts as a protectant against corrosion. I prefer to flush it away afterward on non moving connections.

This stuff is really nasty. Do not use it indoors, without eye protection or rubber gloves.

Thanks for your input man. I will try that out. What if it doesnt work? New board? or just throw the thing in the bin?

( I mean technically speaking I wouldnt throw it, i would sell it on ebay or whatever)

Cheers

 

[moey2k2001]

?

 

[velocityg4]

Thanks for your input man. I will try that out. What if it doesnt work? New board? or just throw the thing in the bin?

( I mean technically speaking I wouldnt throw it, i would sell it on ebay or whatever)

Cheers

You're Welcome!

I can't imagine a Macbook Air motherboard with a busted SSD connector being worth much of anything. Being an Apple part someone will probably pay something for it. You can fix a busted computer by replacing the faulty part. A busted motherboard is useless.

I assume you'll just toss the whole computer on eBay. You might get a few hundred for it as scavengers will buy it to sell the working parts.

 

[kohlson]

As suggested, get contact cleaner from an electronics store (like Frys or Radio Shack here in the USA). Wear safety glasses - there are lots of nooks and crannies that will deflect the solvent back at you.

 

[gpange]

Use DeOxit D5 Contact Cleaner. It is a safe electronic solvent and lubricant. It gets used often on audio equipment. If the corrosion is really bad. Then alternate between flushing and gently scrubbing with a toothbrush.

As it is also a lubricant for electrical contacts it will leave behind an oily residue. Which you can leave or flush with isopropyl alcohol. It also acts as a protectant against corrosion. I prefer to flush it away afterward on non moving connections.

This stuff is really nasty. Do not use it indoors, without eye protection or rubber gloves.

My daughter might have splashed water on my early 2015 MBP 13" when I was at work (according to my wife!?!) and the SSD disappeared a day later -- I had a 128GB Transcend SD in the machine that I made bootable and it worked fine but super slow -- then I took it to the Genius Bar -- they saw corrosion on the SSD and the logic board connector (showed me pics) and only offered a $755 logic board replacement ($1300 MBP). I asked the Genius if he would clean the connectors and he agreed to try with alcohol swabs. The SSD came back to life but only for two days -- I followed the DeOxit suggestion above and re-cleaned the connectors myself with the spray and a toothbrush -- didn't disconnect the battery FYI -- I scrubbed the SSD connector with the DeOxit soaked toothbrush until I couldn't see any more oxidation -- also scrubbed gently on the logic board side. The SSD came right back to life. Question is, for how long? I'll let you know, but it worked very easily. I got the pentalobe screwdrivers and the DeOxit on Amazon Prime.