Water damage is a common issue many Georgia residents face, mainly due to natural disasters like floods. However, water-damaged electronics, telecom equipment, and fiber optic connectors can be restored and saved from complete loss.
All you need is the proper cleaning solutions and a systematic approach to removing trapped moisture and contaminants. This article will walk you through the step-by-step process of restoring your electronic equipment after water damage. And we at Peachy Water (peachywater.com) are here to help if you need assistance!
Step 1: Rinse Electronic Equipment with Clean Water
Begin by rinsing all the affected equipment with clean water to remove salt, sediment, and particulate matter. Keep flushing the equipment until the water runs clear. Don’t worry about causing more damage with clean water—your equipment has likely already been through the worst. Once it’s thoroughly rinsed, allow it to stand and drain completely.
Step 2: Remove Water and Moisture
Next, remove any lingering water and moisture from the parts and assemblies. Flux-Off Water Soluble is the perfect solution for this; its hydrophilic nature attracts moisture and helps carry away water. Use the aerosol spray to flush out trapped moisture and surface contaminants, or dip your components directly into the solvent if necessary. Coventry Econowipes can also aid with cleaning and drying. After using Flux-Off Water Soluble, let your equipment dry completely. To speed up the drying process, use an UltraJet Duster as a “portable compressor.”
Step 3: Remove Remaining Contaminants
Once the equipment is dry, you might still need to clean off other contaminants and excess moisture. Use Electro-Wash PX for plastic-safe cleaning. Spray the equipment thoroughly and let it dry completely. Coventry Econowipes can help with cleaning and drying as well. To expedite drying, use an UltraJet® All-Way Duster to remove the remaining solvent from the components.
Step 4: Clean Backplane Connections
Cleaning fiber optic backplane connections is crucial in the restoration process. You can use Chemtronics’ Combination Cleaning Tools or cleaning swabs made for this purpose.
Option 1: Choose the suitable FOCCUS Combination Cleaning Tool based on your fiber connection type. These tools have an easy-to-use mechanism that advances fabric over a cleaning tip with just a few clicks.
Option 2: If contamination is particularly heavy, use the appropriate swab and a small amount of Electro-Wash PX Fiber Optic cleaner or a Fiber-Wash Cleaner Pen.
After cleaning, test the connectors with a fiberscope and repeat the process if necessary.
Step 5: Clean FO Connections With the Combination Cleaning™ procedure
Use the QbE cleaning system alongside Electro-Wash PX Fiber Optic Cleaner to remove contaminants from connector end-faces. The QbE system’s large surface area lets you clean standard and APC connectors with one tool. Follow the procedure to clean the connector end-faces and test them with a fiberscope afterward.
Step 6: Clean the Barrel of the Ceramic Ferrule
Lastly, use a Coventry 38140 swab moistened with Electro-Wash PX Fiber Optic Cleaner to clean the barrel of the ceramic ferrule. Wet one side of the swab with the cleaner, then rotate it on the ceramic ferrule a few times. Reverse the swab and rotate the dry side over the ferrule to finish the cleaning process.
With these steps, you can successfully restore your flood-damaged electronic equipment. Remember, we’re here to help—feel free to contact us at Peachy Water (peachywater.com) if you have any questions or need assistance.