[Help] DZ60 . key not working

[Spoony]

Apologies in advance if this is the wrong board to be posting in (I'm new here)

I've currently just finished soldering my third build and the ./> key isn't registering at all. I tested the PCB before soldering so I've somehow gone wrong during the process.

The weirder thing is that when I boot up switch hitter and plug in the PCB, the first key key (any key) I press also registers the ./> as held down (blue) and stays that way until I boot up the program again and replug in the PCB.

I've also tried testing the PCB with a paperclip after and while I can get other switches to register, I can't get the ./> switch to register on its own.

I've attached photos below, but I can't see any visible damage which could have caused this.

https://imgur.com/a/B31Obvx

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[nevin]

you probably inadvertently bridged the connection. that row is strange...
make sure the connections circled in pic are NOT BRIDGED (make sure there is NO solder connecting the two pads)

[nevin]

just be careful when the pads are that close together (pinky/purple). top row (red) is one leg of the switch, bottom row (green) is the other leg of the switch.

electrically, on the PCB all the green are connected and all the red are connected. it would only take a tiny stray blob or tail of solder to connect the two by accident.

[Spoony]

Thanks for your detailed reply! I'll definitely try that later when I get home!

Would a bridged connection also explain why that key registers as held down in switch hitter when pressing another switch? I'm pretty cluless when it comes to the actual electronics/connections and how they work.

[nevin]

yes. because the pads are so close together, if it was bridged, it would act as if the switch was held down.

switches are momentary switches that are normally open (as in electricity will not pass through them) when you press the switch you close the connection with the contacts and electricity can pass through. SO, if the pads are soldered together on the PCB it reads it as the switch is pressed because it's making a connection between the two pads on the PCB.

it won't be a big deal. just heat up the solder joint & split the bridge with something small
- make sure PCB is not plugged into computer
- warm up the solder
- split the bridge with something small that won't melt (don't use plastic) a toothpick, small flathead screwdriver, xacto blade, etc. you don't need to press hard, just pass the utensil between the two pads to break the accidental solder connection (bridge)
- done

let it cool, plug it back in & check to make sure the switch works as intended

[nevin]

usually pads are not that close together and is usually not an issue. but with all the layout options that the PCB supports, there are a lot of extra pads and some of them are very close together.

i would double check any that have pads that close together. (i wouldn't be surprised if you fixed this one ">" and then "<" or "m" or any others with pads this close together started to do the same thing). just make sure there are no bridges where the pads are close together, like the ones circled above, on the whole PCB.

[Spoony]

You're an absolute star! Just fixed it now!

Thanks so much for taking the time and effort to make those detailed instructions and for giving a brief lesson in keyboard electronics. Definitely won't be forgetting that lesson any time soon...

[nevin]

YAY! congrats!

it's a learning process..... i'm still learning new stuff with every project i work on.