03-14-2012, 02:40 PM

Awhile ago clumsy me spilled a sizable amount of water on my macbook keyboard. It froze and to make matters worse I got impatient and tried restarting it, which I later read was the absolute worst thing you can do with water damage. It wouldn't start back up and I figured it was gone for good when it still wouldn't start the next week.

I started using my boyfriend's old mac (after many promises not to have beverages near it). His was about 4-5 years old. It worked fine for about 6 months of me using it, but then all of a sudden it wouldn't turn on for no apparent reason. It charges the battery fine but it won't power up.

Anyways, when his stopped working I tried to turn on my old water damaged one using a charged battery and it started working fine again! The only thing is my macbook won't charge batteries, and it won't even run off outlet power when it's plugged in. Both computer's batteries work, but I have to use his macbook to charge the batteries and then put them in my macbook.

So one macbook turns on but won't charge and the other charges but won't turn on. Any insight would be helpful. I'm so thankful I can still get use both and get by, but are there any solutions for fixing either of them?

03-14-2012, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by juliap

Awhile ago clumsy me spilled a sizable amount of water on my macbook keyboard. It froze and to make matters worse I got impatient and tried restarting it, which I later read was the absolute worst thing you can do with water damage. It wouldn't start back up and I figured it was gone for good when it still wouldn't start the next week.

I started using my boyfriend's old mac (after many promises not to have beverages near it). His was about 4-5 years old. It worked fine for about 6 months of me using it, but then all of a sudden it wouldn't turn on for no apparent reason. It charges the battery fine but it won't power up.

Anyways, when his stopped working I tried to turn on my old water damaged one using a charged battery and it started working fine again! The only thing is my macbook won't charge batteries, and it won't even run off outlet power when it's plugged in. Both computer's batteries work, but I have to use his macbook to charge the batteries and then put them in my macbook.

So one macbook turns on but won't charge and the other charges but won't turn on. Any insight would be helpful. I'm so thankful I can still get use both and get by, but are there any solutions for fixing either of them?

You don't say what model or year of MacBook you have, but assuming it is the White Unibody version, your problem I am thinking is this

Installing MacBook Unibody Model A1342 DC-In Board - iFixit

Probably worth taking to the Apple store or authorized Apple repair specialist and getting a quote. It may not be as dear as you think to fix.

EDIT: While you're at it you could always get a quote on fixing your boyfriend's Mac as well.

03-14-2012, 02:52 PM

Yeah it's the white unibody version, i got it in mid-2009. I'm glad there's hope, I'll take them both to the store.

03-14-2012, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by juliap

Yeah it's the white unibody version, i got it in mid-2009. I'm glad there's hope, I'll take them both to the store.

It could also be the Logic Board, if the damage was limited to near the power interface, which would cost more. But, still worth looking at.