How do you dry a flash drive

[eyec]

my eldest son ran his flash drive thru the wash.
can it be dried out or is it kaput?

 

[biglebowski]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned silica gel yet. Which as far as I know will be toxic if mixed with DI water and turned into shake but should absorb any excess water or moisture.

When I was born I was so suprised I didn't talk for 18 months

 

[Gavona]

I too have read how robust memory sticks are. I believe that the keys to success are:
1. Rinse out with tap water
2. If mission critical final rinse with distilled or de-ionised. Wouldn't bother myself.
3. Dry it out - an airing cupboard works fine but I would shake out excess water, warm / dry with hair dryer but don't get too hot, leave for 48 hours in airing cupoard or other warm dry place.
4. When you are convinced it is thoroughly dry leave it for another 24 hrs to make sure.
5. Don't attempt to use until thoroughly dried.

Of course if non-critical and impatient you can take more risks. I have revived watches by getting them too hot to handle with a hair dryer.

You could speed up by putting into a sealed container with silica gel in the warm place.

Gavin

 

[lopes1211]

I'll further twist this post in saying silca desicants are not toxic so your silca/DI water shake is fine to drink as well. They say "DO NOT EAT" so people dont think they are are part of the product when used in food products like at the bottom of your beef jerky bag.

Think about it. They wouldn't put a tiny sack of poison in with your food assuming a small "do not eat" printed on it would keep them from being sued if little jonney dies. I'll pass on the shake nonetheless.

-CL

 

[BadBigBen]

Alone, silica gel is non-toxic, non-flammable and chemically unreactive. However, some of the beads may be doped with a moisture indicator, such as cobalt(II) chloride, which is toxic and may be carcinogenic. Cobalt (II) chloride is deep blue when dry (anhydrous) and pink when moist (hydrated).

Crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis but synthetic amorphous silica gel is non-friable, and so does not cause silicosis.

source: Wikipedia

another note: Silica Gel is in Colgate Total Toothpaste, Fresh Stripe and other toothpastes, as well as in Cat Litter...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[BadBigBen]

forgot to mention my source for the last part of my post...

source:

http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=chem&id=1683

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[LawnBoy]

Nobody has mentioned WD-40 either. It displaces water and is electrically stable; i've cleaned off wet calculators with it and used them immediately.

I'll go out on a limb and state that WD-40 is not safe for human consumption. Although it does wonders for my arthritis...




"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[LawnBoy]

Whoops, Ben did mention it right at the top. I should learn to read.


"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[Zen216]

what about rubbing alcohol? I have seen people put small electrodes in a bottle of it to force out water and then let it evaporate...
I have never done it, but have heard it works...

 

[biglebowski]

Dip the usb stick in liquid nitrogen freezing all the water and then hit it with a big hammer to seperate the ice from components. Now reassemble and bobs your fathers brother.

When I was born I was so suprised I didn't talk for 18 months

 

[BadBigBen]

Biglebowski - I would think that reassembly would be a rather tough job after that...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."