Corrosion?

[Dunial]

Flew low over a salt water river the other day and am concerned I got some spray in the drone. I took the bottom cover off and this is what I saw:
View media item 1157Does anyone have a photo of there motherboard? Is this normal?

 

[MesaAZGuy]

I'd fly the snot out of it and not worry about it. It looks like a sloppy factory application of heat sink goop. I doubt corrosion would take place from water spray unless you fly over salt water day in day out.

 

[Dunial]

What I've got is different coloured thermal paste (grey) instead of the traditional blue. But that white colouration is what has got me worried. It scales off with my fingernail like how salt water corrosion acts. I've got dji care refresh and I'm now contemplating whether I should send mine in under warranty

 

[curtissimo]

What I've got is different coloured thermal paste (grey) instead of the traditional blue. But that white colouration is what has got me worried. It scales off with my fingernail like how salt water corrosion acts. I've got dji care refresh and I'm now contemplating whether I should send mine in under warranty

What did you end up doing?

I was at the beach for the week last week. Got some great footage. Flew over the ocean and some breaking waves, but still high enough to never get and visible spray on the Bird/Camera.

Still, although I've had the Mavic for ~10 months now, my heart still pounds when she goes in the air. I know it's silly, but all these little things make me think it'll fall from the sky one of these days.

 

[Dunial]

I put the mavic in a very big bowl of rice for two days, then I unscrewed the bottom to access the motherboard and I submerged the board (just the board) in distilled water (battery removed) for an evening.
The salt build up is much reduced but still present. Even after taking a toothpick to some of the small crevices I still couldn't remove all salt content from the board.
Since that experience I've flown the drone dozens of times without any problems, though I have not removed the bottom panel again to check what the board looks like.

A word of caution regarding the rice, it gets inside the drone easily and I spent a good hour tilting the drone around on different angles to get it all to fall out [emoji37]

 

[Haloweenhamster]

You can easily see that the white isn't heatsink compound

I wouldn't worry about it being on the shells as they covering the ic's or the camera

but if I was you I would get an antistatic brush and some ipa to clean where you can see it on components or the board like at the top of the picture where the screw hole is and next to the sounder the capacitor

The heatsink I would only clean the black pads and where it comes into contact with the board around the screw holes

Edit: just seen that you put it in water, I wouldn't recommend this as it will allow the contaminant to work it's way to places you can't get to like underneath components rotting away the tracks
Although distilled as soon as you add sea water residue it will turn it into sea water when it dissolves

 

[Dunial]

just seen that you put it in water, I wouldn't recommend this as it will allow the contaminant to work it's way to places you can't get to like underneath components rotting away the tracks
Although distilled as soon as you add sea water residue it will turn it into sea water when it dissolves

I never thought of that. A few friends recommended the distilled water... but I surely don't want the salt water deposited where I can't get it. Would the distilled bath as least dilute the salt water residue?

 

[TheLightSpeed!]

I never thought of that. A few friends recommended the distilled water... but I surely don't want the salt water deposited where I can't get it. Would the distilled bath as least dilute the salt water residue?

If you have refresh why are you risking losing that by taking t all apart?

Just replace it?

 

[Dunial]

I will use refresh, just want to get maximum value if I can. The drone was purchased in April and I'd like to get another drone after the new year. If corrosion doesn't eat away anything too quickly then I'll use refresh later

 

[TheLightSpeed!]

I will use refresh, just want to get maximum value if I can. The drone was purchased in April and I'd like to get another drone after the new year. If corrosion doesn't eat away anything too quickly then I'll use refresh later

That's dangerous. If you lose it, you're in trouble

Also if they see it's been apart, your in trouble

 

[Dunial]

Also if they see it's been apart, your in trouble

[emoji15] didn't realise you couldn't open things up with refresh. Well it's happened now, guess we'll wait and see what transpires once it goes in

 

[Haloweenhamster]

Several people have opened mavic and still sent it back for repair / refresh ok no questions

 

[TheLightSpeed!]

[emoji15] didn't realise you couldn't open things up with refresh. Well it's happened now, guess we'll wait and see what transpires once it goes in

Despite what “others” have done, just like Apple if they suspect screws or clips have been tampered with you’re in trouble I suspect.

Although they may just send you a new one also