Are you looking for a tutorial on how to fix a water damaged calculator? It is quite easy — you just have to disassemble the calculator, wipe all the water off, dry the wet components, and then finally put it all back together.
Fixing a water-damaged calculator only requires a couple of materials: screwdrivers, cotton balls, a hairdryer, and a grain of courage to perform a water removal operation on your favorite calculator.
It sounds so easy, right? This article will provide you with an explanation of how you can fix your water-damaged calculator. Read along to get the full details.
Types Of Calculators
Basic calculators
Basic calculators are calculators that can do four basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This type of calculator can also do simple arithmetic.
Scientific calculators
Unlike basic calculators, scientific calculators use functions beyond addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; usually used when working with scientific notations and other complicated formulations.
Quick Fix On Water Damaged Calculators
Step #1. Battery removal
When working with any electronic devices, it is important to remove batteries to prevent the chemicals inside to leak out, especially when submerged in water.
Step #2. Disassembly
After taking out the batteries, disassembly of the calculator is required to access the inside parts of the calculator that the water may have reached.
Step #3. Wiping it off
Using a cotton ball, or any kind of water-absorbing material, carefully wipe off the water inside the calculator clean. Absorb as much water as possible.
Step #4. Hairdryer
A hair dryer is not only used to dry hair, it can also be used to dry off the excess water on the calculator and its components.
Step #5. Reassembly
After drying off the inside and outside parts of the calculator, it is time to assemble it back together. Test if the calculator is working.
How to disassemble a calculator (for scientific calculators)
Step #1. Face-down on a flat surface
Turn the calculator off, and lay it down on a flat surface, the back panel facing you. Screws are located at the back, hence the position.
Step #2. Battery
Batteries have to be removed from an electronic device (calculator) to prevent the device from turning on while it is being disassembled or dismantled.
Step #3. Screws
Five-six screws are holding the back panel together with the scientific calculator. Unscrew the screws using a screwdriver of the same screw head size.
Step #4. Open the back panel
After unscrewing the back panel of the calculator, carefully lift the back panel to access the control board and the LCD screen of the calculator.
Step #5. Screws
There are still screws keeping the control board attached to the frame of the calculator. Grab your screwdriver and carefully unscrew the remaining screws.
Step #6. Control board and screen
Carefully lift the control board along with the LCD screen to access the buttons of the calculator. To remove, carefully lift the buttons.
How to assemble a calculator (for scientific calculators)
Step #1. Front panel
The front panel goes first. Face the front panel down on a flat surface to prevent the calculator from moving or wobbling while being assembled.
Step #2. Buttons
After setting the front panel, carefully lay the buttons down – following the pattern for the buttons in the front panel. Check the alignment before proceeding.
Step #3. Control board and screen
After putting on the buttons, the control board and the LCD screen must be installed carefully on the patterns of the front panel.
Step #4. Screw
Since you do not want your control board moving inside the calculator, it is then screwed onto the front panel, with buttons aligned to the board.
Step #5. Back panel
The next step is closing up the calculator. Visually, it is not recommended to leave the components in the open; thus, the back panel was installed.
Step #6. Screw
To keep the back panel closed, five to six screws are screwed onto the calculator.
Step #7. Battery
The battery is then set up to power up the calculator.
Step #8. Turn it on
Turn on the calculator to test if it works or not.
Disassembly, assembly, and water removal of a basic calculator
Step #1. Facedown
Face the basic calculator down on a flat surface. You do not want to have a slipping or moving calculator on your desk.
Step #2. Battery removal
Removing batteries is essential to not damage the calculator. Batteries in water may result in a chemical leak that we do not want near our calculator.
Step #3. Unscrew
After battery removal, the next step is to unscrew the screws attached to the back panel to access the inside components of the calculator.
Step #4. Back panel
The back panel is carefully removed to access the inside components of the calculator.
Step #5. Wipe it off
Wipe the water off of the components inside the calculator. Use water absorbent materials to remove the water on the control board and LCD screen.
Step #6. Hairdryer
A hairdryer is a very convenient item to have. It can dry everything, including calculators. Dry the excess water off the components of the calculator.
Step #7. Screw
After drying, screw all the components back onto the frame.
Step #8. Batteries
Get a newly bought battery and put it on the calculator.
Step #9. Test it out
Turn on the calculator and see if it is working.
Conclusion
It is inevitable to have accidents like water spillage on your favorite calculator. There are many ways on how to fix a water damaged electronic device like your calculator.
Buying a new calculator is the most ideal solution, but if you want to give your calculator a revival, then repairing would be the best choice. Learning how to fix a water damaged calculator is the best way for this.
Although the steps are easy to follow, it is not guaranteed that your calculator will be fixed. There is a slim chance for it to work and more chances of it getting bricked or not working.
Calculators are an essential tool for computing numerical values, hence breaking one is vexing. If you want more information about water damaged electronics, you may check this article about ”why are electronics damaged by water”.