Electronics > Repair
best method to restore conductive keypads?
elecdonia:
I use these:
ButtonWorx Rubber Keypad Repair Kit
Sold on Amazon. Copy and paste the line above into Amazon search.
These are self-adhesive conductive pads which you stick onto the PC board. The original rubber button presses on the new self-adhesive pad. These are easy to apply. The adhesive is strong enough. Performance is excellent.
CatalinaWOW:
There seem to be lots of slightly different but similar processes in these buttons. In some I have found there is a large volume of conductive material on the back of the button. The failure mode on these seems to be degradation of the surface layer (oxidation, lost of softener, who knows) and removal of the surface layer is an effective and long lasting cure. One others the problem is too much material transferred from the button to the PC board, lowering the resistance between the traces constantly. How high it needs to be varies depending on their readout strategy and the deposits causing the problem may be a long ways from the contact point.
Some of these buttons allow very little travel so adding a new pad on top of the existing ones is problematic.
Another suggestion that can sometimes work is installing a carefully placed and insulated snap disk from that style of switch. I like the idea of electrons flowing through continuous metal instead of depending on the contact between thousands of tiny particles, but the geometry on this approach is fiddly and doesn't often work.
For those putting foil or other toppers on contact cement (used to install laminate countertops) is strong and remains pliable. I can't speak to its adhesion to the "rubber" used in these buttons, but with proper cleaning it probably works. Surface prep is everything with any adhesive.
Greybeard:
I used a repair kit containing thin conductible rubber pads, that must glued on the rubber foil with CA glue. Sometimes you have to grind off (Dremel) the old rubber pad to make place for the new one. Found on AliExpress or similar source.
artag:
I got some kits from {amazon, ebay, can't remember} - https://termopasty.pl/en/kategorie/electroconductive-materials/
Haven't tried them yet but the company looks like they're knowledgable and they come with a tube of silicone glue which should be better than CA
coppercone2:
I got and applied the keypad repair kit, It works wonderfully now.
My process was to
1) file all the keys down with a 400 grit sanding stick
2) spray wash with alcohol
3) q-tip with alcohol clean
4) paint on conductive coating with fine paintbrush
5) after 1 hour room temp cure, bake at 80C for 1 hour.
Other then being tedious to apply, and also slightly expensive, since the kit is 1 use, it seems to work great. Only time will tell I guess.
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