Just two small dogs that don’t jump up.hmm... Do you have a male cat? (moisture has to come from somewhere, and that source is NOT from inside the mini...) You would def smell that, however...
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Mac mini m1 leaking liquid, won’t turn on
- Thread starter philfournier
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No haha. A7iii is water resistant but I wouldn’t trust itYou weren't shooting in the rain the last time you had your camera out were you?
Or watered the plants lately?
And hey I’m not sure when it happens or happen(ed) at all. I literally just noticed it when I posted this thread. Since I noticed it was turned off and I never turn it off I just let it sleep, I went to press the power button and it wasn’t working so I unplugged and did all the usual test stuff and noticed it was a tad wet, almost like I had sweaty hands and I was like ok... no way I’m sweating this much. Had a mini panick attack and realized it was from wiping my finger across it and water or something coming out
The rate of change has no effect on condensation, the mini simply runs just warm enough to make a typical room temp of around 65-58F and a typical humidity of 50% hit the dew point.
Unless Apple shows some tech grace, the resolution is going to be the OP either paying for repair or buying a new mini. As someone stated earlier, Apple doesn't care where the outside water source came from. They will look at the mini, see the water damage, and tell the OP it's not covered, which he already knows.
Moving forward, it would be a good idea to put a small camera on the computer desk, so you can monitor the computer in case something mysterious happens again.
Moving forward, it would be a good idea to put a small camera on the computer desk, so you can monitor the computer in case something mysterious happens again.
It’s Apple Juice... Stop squeezing your mini!
Or the computer heat could cause the water vapour to expand/rise and become trapped where possible, i.e. that gap around the base of the mini. Then once his computer or heating is off and the surface cools down the vapour could condense into 'rain'.
Basically it’s not just a temp and humidity factor, topology is as important, Crete gets more rainfall than Britain because it’s intersected by a tall mountain range which causes all that evaporated sea water to become trapped around it, allowed to cool down and condense into rain.
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I think my scenario is backwards, but a power outage might have been the cause.
It's hard for me to understand how the humidity could be high in that Canadian winter environment, but there may be some factor we don't know about. Maybe the bedroom has its own bath, the OP takes long hot steamy showers, the room is very well-insulated, etc.
How would you have condensation on only one device, and nowhere else in the same room?
I say not condensation.
I am pretty sure that condensation would also not be a fault of the Mac mini, as it would be environmentally caused, still considered liquid damage. Not covered by warranty, but you should check with your homeowner's/renter's insurance.
I say not condensation.
I am pretty sure that condensation would also not be a fault of the Mac mini, as it would be environmentally caused, still considered liquid damage. Not covered by warranty, but you should check with your homeowner's/renter's insurance.
Condensation in electronics isn't a rare thing or specific to the M1 mini, assuming this is the cause then he just got really unlucky and the thermal profile of his mini just happened to align with the ideal parameters required for condensation to occur at a particular moment.
It does seem unlikely, but assuming it’s not condensation, then how else would you explain all those tiny droplets? (Other than the OP pranking us) Spilling something on top of a mini is not going to do what is pictured. You’d have to submerse it and then let it dry some.
One possibility is the OP’s significant other may have cleaned in there, spraying some kind of dusting spray (like Swiffer), around the mini, maybe picking it up and turning it on its side as they sprayed around it. That might create droplets that look like that. And then the SO is scared to confess and take the blame.
The really unlikely part is that actual damage from condensation, causing a shutdown, would happen THAT quickly, and with no visible evidence of evaporation of previous condensation (I would expect to see tracks or traces of evaporation, not just random drops)
It would be helpful to see a picture of the inside of that mini (showing the logic board, etc)
It would be helpful to see a picture of the inside of that mini (showing the logic board, etc)
Aluminum is always cold to the touch as are most metal surfaces. A chain link fence will have water freeze on it while surrounding vegetative surfaces will still remain wet when temps are near 34 F (1C) degrees. The difference is usually just a couple of degrees Fahrenheit. This phenomena could lead to condensation in a Mac Mini before other objects.
Some questions to ask yourself: Do you drink hot tea, hot coffee, or other hot beverage or hot meal while at your desk? Did the steam rise up near your Mini? Is this room next to a bathroom where you might have taken a shower or hot bath and then opened a steamy room door? Do you exhale near this mini? Also being near an outer wall, the temp of the mini will be much colder. For example, the thermostat maybe set to 72F but the outside wall might be 66 degrees meaning your Mini surfaces might be 64 degrees. While this may not lead to condensation, do you turn off your baseboard heater and close the door to save energy? If so, a 72 F room with 50% RH has it's door closed and the room temp descends to 55 F, the Mini cools to below 55F and the room RH could climb to above 85%.
Condensation starts around a relative humidity of 85%. The Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee are a classic example of this type of condensation. The relative humidity is not high enough to form clouds but high enough to form mini droplet which create the haze ( or "smoke").
Solutions?? 1) I think I would open up my Mini's insides and try to towel out any moisture I see there and also look for corrosion or discoloration on the circuit board traces and solder points. 2) I would place my Mini over the baseboard heater to try to dry out any residual moisture there. 3) Be prepared to back up any important contents on that Mini on clean media. 4) Long after you think you have dried it out, keep your fingers crossed and turn it back on. 5) If it boots up cleanly, make a back up pronto (and count yourself very lucky that there were no shorts that damaged the chips). 6) Write down all questions as to where the moisture may have come from and try to alleviate sources or "ways of life". 7) If you do have important files on your Mini, there are services that might be able to retrieve that data. 8) Good luck!!
Some questions to ask yourself: Do you drink hot tea, hot coffee, or other hot beverage or hot meal while at your desk? Did the steam rise up near your Mini? Is this room next to a bathroom where you might have taken a shower or hot bath and then opened a steamy room door? Do you exhale near this mini? Also being near an outer wall, the temp of the mini will be much colder. For example, the thermostat maybe set to 72F but the outside wall might be 66 degrees meaning your Mini surfaces might be 64 degrees. While this may not lead to condensation, do you turn off your baseboard heater and close the door to save energy? If so, a 72 F room with 50% RH has it's door closed and the room temp descends to 55 F, the Mini cools to below 55F and the room RH could climb to above 85%.
Condensation starts around a relative humidity of 85%. The Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee are a classic example of this type of condensation. The relative humidity is not high enough to form clouds but high enough to form mini droplet which create the haze ( or "smoke").
Solutions?? 1) I think I would open up my Mini's insides and try to towel out any moisture I see there and also look for corrosion or discoloration on the circuit board traces and solder points. 2) I would place my Mini over the baseboard heater to try to dry out any residual moisture there. 3) Be prepared to back up any important contents on that Mini on clean media. 4) Long after you think you have dried it out, keep your fingers crossed and turn it back on. 5) If it boots up cleanly, make a back up pronto (and count yourself very lucky that there were no shorts that damaged the chips). 6) Write down all questions as to where the moisture may have come from and try to alleviate sources or "ways of life". 7) If you do have important files on your Mini, there are services that might be able to retrieve that data. 8) Good luck!!
I got to rethinking about turning it back on in my Reply #65 to you. If there is damage in there to the chips, turning it back on might damage them more. I think I would get up with Apple and ask their advice. It's one thing to lose a Mini, but it can be compounded by losing valuable files. I doubt that they will say for certain as they have no way of assessing any damage or potential damage by continuing use. They might say what can be done to retrieve your files and whether or not it would be worthwhile to bring it in for evaluation and testing, etc. They might be able to retrieve your files or know someone who can. Again, Good Luck!! Let us know what happens.
Is that brown thing a pet bed? You have a cat?
or, is your wife really upset with you? (Semi-serious)
This room is inside of a heated dwelling in the winter time. Could circumstances create a significant amount of condensation on an inner surface of an aluminum bodied Mini?
I can't imagine that any internal components in that Mini contain enough liquid to create the moisture that you observed. I predict that the moisture did not come from the computer. It may have been excreted, spilled, or even condensed on and in your Mac but it did not come from some failed component.
I agree with the idea that powering up any electronic device that has been contaminated by water can damage or further damage components. Don't do that!
When you find an unknown liquid in your home it is possible to remove some of the mystery about the substance. A quick visual inspection will instantly reveal color and a perhaps a hint about other characteristics. Put some in water to see if it is an aqueous substance such as soda, urine, or water. Oil will float on water and feel oily between your fingertips. It will also not evaporate like water. You don't have to wait for a large droplet to evaporate. Just put some on a paper towel if you want to perform a rapid evaporation check. The fingertip test can discriminate between substances like water, soda, oil, honey, kerosene, and gasoline.
Taste and smell are also good indicators but if pets or rodents have access to the area I would probably refrain from licking those droplets.
The condensation possibility intrigues me. The OP referred to baseboard heaters but never confirmed an ambient temperature. Should we assume a temperature above 68° F inside of this residence? I can't recall ever experiencing condensation on or inside of a hunk of aluminum under such conditions. Even if a draft cooled the case and then forced air heating or some other factor pushed moisture laden inside air across the computer case I still can't imagine that much condensation inside of that Mini.
The shape of the droplets in the excellent pictures that the OP provided hinted that the liquid was water because of the strong surface tension. (not oil and probably not soda)
I can't imagine that any internal components in that Mini contain enough liquid to create the moisture that you observed. I predict that the moisture did not come from the computer. It may have been excreted, spilled, or even condensed on and in your Mac but it did not come from some failed component.
I agree with the idea that powering up any electronic device that has been contaminated by water can damage or further damage components. Don't do that!
When you find an unknown liquid in your home it is possible to remove some of the mystery about the substance. A quick visual inspection will instantly reveal color and a perhaps a hint about other characteristics. Put some in water to see if it is an aqueous substance such as soda, urine, or water. Oil will float on water and feel oily between your fingertips. It will also not evaporate like water. You don't have to wait for a large droplet to evaporate. Just put some on a paper towel if you want to perform a rapid evaporation check. The fingertip test can discriminate between substances like water, soda, oil, honey, kerosene, and gasoline.
Taste and smell are also good indicators but if pets or rodents have access to the area I would probably refrain from licking those droplets.
The condensation possibility intrigues me. The OP referred to baseboard heaters but never confirmed an ambient temperature. Should we assume a temperature above 68° F inside of this residence? I can't recall ever experiencing condensation on or inside of a hunk of aluminum under such conditions. Even if a draft cooled the case and then forced air heating or some other factor pushed moisture laden inside air across the computer case I still can't imagine that much condensation inside of that Mini.
The shape of the droplets in the excellent pictures that the OP provided hinted that the liquid was water because of the strong surface tension. (not oil and probably not soda)
All great replies guys! Letting you know I’m still here following along. Like I said, Tuesday March 9th in the AM is my appointment so I’ll know by then. I noticed some squishy wetness under the Bluetooth wireless black part so I haven’t attempted to turn it back on or do anything with it, dry it, nothing. I want to bring it in as-is and see what the *** is going on.
there’s so many replies about how it could form and all are helpful, but like I originally said. why do I need to be aware of all of this when purchasing a computer. All of this info I’ve received is like I feel now I should have taken a course at UNI for it just to own this mini and take all these precautions. I should never have to be THAT careful of a 899.00 computer. Just buy it, careful with it, don’t drop it and don’t get water on it. Plain and simple, easy to follow rules. I shouldn’t have to keep track of room temps and whether or not it’s hitting certain thresholds. Bugs me so much
there’s so many replies about how it could form and all are helpful, but like I originally said. why do I need to be aware of all of this when purchasing a computer. All of this info I’ve received is like I feel now I should have taken a course at UNI for it just to own this mini and take all these precautions. I should never have to be THAT careful of a 899.00 computer. Just buy it, careful with it, don’t drop it and don’t get water on it. Plain and simple, easy to follow rules. I shouldn’t have to keep track of room temps and whether or not it’s hitting certain thresholds. Bugs me so much
It’s not a marijuana plant in a grow op room. It’s a Apple Mac mini. I didn’t spill anything on or near it, and neither did anyone else, and as someone said, no way water forms that way like in the photos if someone did, in fact, spill on or around it.
Are you vaping? I have seen computers of sub-ohm vapers damaged and looking like that after they have been vaping around the computer for a couple months.
The nasty thing about that is that PG / VG steam gets sucked into the cooling system, then condensates. The stuff does not dry off from low temperatures which causes it accumulating until you get a short.
The nasty thing about that is that PG / VG steam gets sucked into the cooling system, then condensates. The stuff does not dry off from low temperatures which causes it accumulating until you get a short.
Do you by any chance vape, or anyone in your house vape
i highly doubt is condensation , I’m in NB also and I leave my window open most days minus ten or warmer and I have never had condensation issues.
to make that level of condensation would need a very warm surface and a lot of cold air. you can generally see that going on in your windows. especially with the cold nights we have had.
Lol , just read this post . But yes , it does not dry at all , causes a nice layer of oil nasty stuff
Louis has a video on this where he spills different liquids on a running board, a drop of water on some critical component can mess with the voltages and shutdown the board instantly, and corrosion starts forming within seconds, it kills it faster than cola.
I agree with your second point though, this looks like a one-time thing as he'd have those white mineral marks otherwise.
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