Re: restoring electrical conductivity of PET keyboard pad tips

From: Gerrit Heitsch <gerrit_at_laosinh.s.bawue.de>
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2017 14:53:43 +0100
Message-ID: <f3cf38b6-2320-8f12-17f2-74df32b67d87@laosinh.s.bawue.de>
On 11/03/2017 02:44 PM, william degnan wrote:
> Hi...I am working on a PET 2001-32B with a bad keyboard.  The circuit 
> board is OK, the keyboard logic is OK, the computer itself is fine.  I 
> have isolated the problem to the black carbon tips that touch the 
> circuit board upon a tap of a key from the keyboard.
> 
> I have cleaned the tips with 91% isopropyl alcohol and that has had 
> little effect.  I speculate a glaze has formed on the tips and the 
> conductivity has been lost.
> 
> Should I clean "harder"?
> 
> I have heard one should paint/brush a metallic paint onto these tips, 
> but I am thinking there must be a way to restore the conductivity 
> without adding paint, something that will lead to issues down the road.  
> I have also seen a page stating the solution is to scribble on the tips 
> with a pencil.  Also not to me a good long-term solution.
> 
> Would it make sense to simply use a pencil *eraser* on the tips instead, 
> or a very smooth sandpaper/file to buff them in order to clear off a 
> thin layer/film that may have formed?
> 
> I figure someone here has been through this.  I searched the web, 
> surprised to have not have found more written about this.  Up to this 
> point I have had spare keyboards and this issue never came up.

You might want to read this text then:

http://plus4world.powweb.com/plus4encyclopedia/500009

It talks about restoring a plus/4 keyboard.

I also heard that it'd a good idea to apply some graphite powder to the 
carbon tips, but I haven't tried that yet.

Then there is this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026PRMVM

(Just found via google)

  Gerrit



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