[SOLVED] Is it difficult to fix bad keys on keyboard?

[brannsiu]

In the last ten years, the computer stuff I bought most wasn't computer screen, CPU or hard drives, it's keyboard, I almost bought 10 keyboards of different brands and prices, in most cases I bought a new one because one key was bad but you know one bad key is enough to affect the overall experience if you heavily use computer. I am tired of it, most of them are stored and used properly without dropping or falling from height and no food or liquid was splashed I really don't understand why some keys go bad suddenly at some point of time.... they aren't no-name brand, they are either by Microsoft or Logitech that I suppose their keyboards should be of good quality, if not perfect. What is the reason? Is it difficult to have bad keys fixed by myself home?

 

[Cj-tech]

In the last ten years, the computer stuff I bought most wasn't computer screen, CPU or hard drives, it's keyboard, I almost bought 10 keyboards of different brands and prices, in most cases I bought a new one because one key was bad but you know one bad key is enough to affect the overall experience if you heavily use computer. I am tired of it, most of them are stored and used properly without dropping or falling from height and no food or liquid was splashed I really don't understand why some keys go bad suddenly at some point of time.... they aren't no-name brand, they are either by Microsoft or Logitech that I suppose their keyboards should be of good quality, if not perfect. What is the reason? Is it difficult to have bad keys fixed by myself home?

What model keyboards did you buy? Microsoft and Logitech keyboards should last longer.

 

[hotaru.hino]

It depends on how the keyboard was constructed.

Mechanical switches are fairly easy: just swap the switch out for a new one. It may require soldering though.

Rubber dome switches are a different story. If there's a conductive pad underneath the rubber dome itself that's meant to make contact with the circuit, then the conductive material may have degraded. If it's a sandwich of two plastic sheets, there may have been debris caught in between them that needs flushing out.

 

[Karadjgne]

Bought 2x Logitech G110 in 2010. Still have both, still work flawlessly. But like any name brand, you get what you pay for. Logitech does also put out more budget stuff. Which won't last as long.

10 keyboards in 10 years. Different brands and models. Either you have extremely bad luck and keep buying lemons, or you are brutal on a keyboard.

 

[BFG-9000]

There are those conductive paint repair kits for remote controls that you could presumably paint onto the pads of any worn rubber domes.

I myself am still using IBM Model M keyboards, which are also rubber dome but not cheaply made like today's disposable junk is. They originally sold for $250 in 1985 which in today's money is $668--but yes, the keyboard I originally bought used for a i486DX is still working and I am typing on it now more than 30 years later.
There's only so much you can expect from something designed to be manufactured for <$10, though at least you can enjoy your Windows Keys and backlighting while it lasts.

 

[Karadjgne]

Huh, I had one of those, years ago. Good quality, just didn't fit my hands very well, couldn't get used to the arc.

 

[Paperdoc]

I've repaired several (actually, just cleaned), mostly of older construction. Almost all were the type of a single moulded soft plastic sheet consisting of many "rubber" buttons over a circuit board with metal contacts. The actual top keys just are held mechanically in the keyboard top half over the plastic sheet and push down on one "button" each. The key here is that the bottom of each "button" that faces the underlying circuit board is coated with a thin layer of carbon - it looks very dark grey. When these touch with the two metal contacts on the board below they just short-circuit those contacts. Dirt particles or insulating foreign material that gets onto that carbon pad can interfere with its electrical contact with the metal.

First step is to take a photo of the keyboard. If any keys drop out later, you have that to ensure they are replaced in the correct spots.

Place the keyboard face-down on the table, remove necessary screws (or loosen locking tabs). Separate keyboard top and bottom. Inspect the keyboard's top and its keys for deposits of dirt, spilled junk, etc. that may interfere with the keys' free movement, and remove same.

On to the innards. Remove the fastenings (if any) that hold the circuit board against the plastic sheet of "buttons". Take out the plastic sheet and place it carbon-side-up on the table. Use a CLEAN soft pink pencil eraser to brush gently over each carbon pad - this is a gentle abrasion that can loosen foreign particles. If you see dirt accumulated on the eraser, clean it off and continue. Then use a soft artist brush to brush over all the contacts plus clean compressed air to remove any loose debris. Same treatment for the pairs of metal contacts all over the circuit board. As an additional step (preventive) I use a common technique for all the cable and flat strip connections in sockets along the circuit board edge: carefully unplug then re-connect each several times to "scrub" any build-up of metal oxidation of the contacts. Make sure everything is aligned and fits together smoothly when re-assembling.

 

[brannsiu]

What model keyboards did you buy? Microsoft and Logitech keyboards should last longer.

I've got two Ms keyboards and two Logitech, the Ms one failed in 4 years of time. The wired one lasted longer, it's still nice now but the only bad key is the caplocks, but it's really bad enough.....

 

[Karadjgne]

YES, IT IS.... 🤣

 

[hang-the-9]

I've got two Ms keyboards and two Logitech, the Ms one failed in 4 years of time. The wired one lasted longer, it's still nice now but the only bad key is the caplocks, but it's really bad enough.....

4 years of use on a keyboard is pretty normal. Sure they can last longer, but with 4 years of use on a standard keyboard it's not surprising some keys failed. Your post made it seem like they failed in days or weeks of use.

If you want easy key removal and also a decent quality mechanical keyboard, you can get hotswap keyboards where the mechanism pops out without soldering.

 

[brannsiu]

Hi all. One more question. Is a wired keyboard usually more durable than a wireless one if they are of the same brand? (i.e. same quality). Or does it primarily depend on the brand, rather than its way of connection? I have preference for wireless keyboard but if their keys will go bad more quickly than that of a wired one then I will then get a wired one

I mean, does the key on wireless keyboard fail more easily?

 

[Paperdoc]

Durability of the keys does NOT depend on whether the communication method between keyboard and computer is wireless or wired. HOW the keys are made is the important item. Now, there MIGHT be a difference between the durability of a wired connection system and a wireless system, but there is no inherent reason for such a difference. There is a small factor that a wireless keyboard will slowly consume batteries. For a DVR-type of computer system in our Living Room we've had a wireless keyboard (with touchpad) for well over a decade and it is just fine. It uses a small dongle plugged into a USB2 port for communication.

 

[tennis2]

I had a key go bad on my beloved Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 (rubber dome). Disassembled the keyboard to find that one of the domes had wedged up into the keycap, preventing it from making contact with the PCB. Pretty simple fix actually. Only happened once. Still going strong 10+ years