Octatrack MKII Repair for Water Damage?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#21

By the way this morning i spilled a big glass of water all over the table where all my goodies live. :no_mouth: Fortunately it was on the table and not on the stuff (most of it was covered anyways), and i could soak it up immediately. I thought of you as i was cleaning up.

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#22

Whew, glad you avoided your gear! Also, glad to be a cautionary tale for other users :smile:

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#23

I sympathize. In my service center, repair of such devices costs an average of $30.
For the future, I will suggest some algorithm for correct actions in this situation.

  • In case of moisture, switch off the power immediately.
  • Do not rely on the fact that the water itself will dry up and everything will go away.
    Usually, any water after drying can create salt bridges between the terminals of the IC’s.
    In modern instruments (in particular, in OT), BGA-IC’s is used. This considerably
    weakens the resistance of the device to moisture.
  • Given the fact that the warranty is lost as a result of moisture, disassemble the device (if you can do it) or contact a specialist for help. The sooner you do this, the more chances for a successful recovery of the device.
  • Having disassembled the device, disconnect the internal power supplies if they are available (in the OT there is an internal battery).
  • To remove moisture and the effects of its, it is best to use special substances. However, in most cases isopropyl alcohol is suitable. Moisten all visible wet parts of the boards with alcohol. In case of visible corrosion - remove it with a toothbrush. Only do it without fanaticism, trying not to make great efforts. Also, try not to get liquid on the screen of the device. Isopropyl alcohol binds to water and evaporates with it without damaging your instrument.
  • Allow all treated parts to dry. At room temperature, this can take up to two hours. For half an hour you can dry with a hair dryer.
  • Assemble the instrument in the reverse order and continue to use it with pleasure.

All of the above is suitable for the restoration of the device into which the liquid has recently entered.
If the device exposed to moisture has not been serviced for more than a day - the recovery algorithm will be different. Since it is most likely that corrosion has formed inside and it is no longer possible to do without a soldering station and other equipment.

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