geekhack Community > Keyboards
Simple Questions, Simple Answers (FAQ in the OP)
ShangWang:
Is it bad to have dielectric grease on the bottom of your costar stabilizers? Will it do nothing or does it affect the sound if a thin layer is there?
If any dielectric grease seeped under to the PCB, would that cause any damage? If I used a paper towel to wipe off the dielectric grease and it scratched the surface, would that also be an issue or is it all cosmetic? When and where would scratches on a PCB be an issue?
PCB: https://imgur.com/a/zmuq77u
Stabilizer: https://imgur.com/fwnrcBV
user 18:
--- Quote from: ShangWang on Tue, 09 November 2021, 10:24:18 ---Is it bad to have dielectric grease on the bottom of your costar stabilizers? Will it do nothing or does it affect the sound if a thin layer is there?
If any dielectric grease seeped under to the PCB, would that cause any damage? If I used a paper towel to wipe off the dielectric grease and it scratched the surface, would that also be an issue or is it all cosmetic? When and where would scratches on a PCB be an issue?
PCB: https://imgur.com/a/zmuq77u
Stabilizer: https://imgur.com/fwnrcBV
--- End quote ---
I can't speak from experience to how it would affect the sound. I wouldn't expect there to be a major difference if it's really just a thin layer -- I don't believe the stabilizer inserts bottom out during normal use.
Dielectric grease is nonconductive, so it shouldn't lead to any shorting or undesirable behaviour if it's in contact with the PCB. I believe it's also used to protect electrical contacts against corrosion, so it shouldn't cause any long-term issues if it's touching PCB traces or contacts.
Scratches to a PCB can cause issues when they sever an electrical connection, or significantly reduce its cross-sectional area (i.e. cut almost all the way through), particularly for a trace that carries a reasonable amount of power -- which you usually won't find in a keyboard. Your photo is a bit blurry, but I don't see any obvious signs of damage there. I wouldn't expect the mild abrasive of a paper towel to cause significant damage anyway, unless you applied a lot of pressure when wiping up the grease, or have a particularly fragile PCB.
ShangWang:
Sounds good, thanks! I haven't actually touched the PCB, I was just wondering in the future if I ever get the grease on there and I could clean it off.
user 18:
--- Quote from: ShangWang on Thu, 11 November 2021, 12:17:11 ---Sounds good, thanks! I haven't actually touched the PCB, I was just wondering in the future if I ever get the grease on there and I could clean it off.
--- End quote ---
I'd recommend a Q-tip or similar cotton swab, if you're trying to clean something through a small gap like that. Bit easier to control than a paper towel, in my experience.
ShangWang:
--- Quote from: user 18 on Thu, 11 November 2021, 12:20:00 ---
I'd recommend a Q-tip or similar cotton swab, if you're trying to clean something through a small gap like that. Bit easier to control than a paper towel, in my experience.
--- End quote ---
Thanks, Q-tips in your opinion don't have much of an issue with leaving cotton pieces behind? Would you dip it in 99% isopropyl alcohol or is 70% fine on PCB?
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