geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: HighSynergy on Mon, 01 February 2021, 19:38:11
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So one of the case LEDs on my Drop ALT is dead.
Please see the photo below. You can see the LED towards the left side is darker and appears blown. It's more noticeable in person.
Is there a way to fix? The guides I see when I Google or Youtube are to fix blown LEDs for keys and not the case. For now, I will just adjust the pattern so it's not as noticeable, but I'd still like to fix it somehow.
(https://i.imgur.com/cLn2df5.jpg)
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Good luck. This is why many people that have gone through several RGB boards with LED's that have blown out have migrated to non LED boards. I do not mean to be a jerk. Honestly the chances of fixing that are slim. You could just RMA it. However LED's will continue to blow until it is out of warranty. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Otherwise I think that is a nice board.
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RMA is the first option, after that desoldering and replacing it is the way to go. I think this board runs QMK so it should be the normal WS8... which are cheap and available.
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if you can RMA, do it, because that way if something else goes wrong they can't annoy you for your replaced LED (i never had to deal with drop's consumer service, so i do not know if they would bother you with it), otherwise replacing the LED may actually be a longer lasting solution, as LEDs do not tend to fail too easily if not overdriven, but duds exists statistically if you replace 1 LED the chances of a 2nd duds are very low. while if you replace the whole board they are a bit higher :)
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I should add that DROP is a Straight up company. Even if it is out of Warranty, which is doubtful. I bet they hook you up. That is just how they usually roll over there. I mean I cannot speak for them but I would say they are one of the most relaxed companies. So you won't have it for 2-1/2 weeks but they will send a brand new one. Just as long as you did not trash it with Doritos or whatever. You should just call them. In this instance even if you had the best solder station, let them hook you up. That is really my opinion come to think of it. I once bought a board on Amazon. 4 months later the return window was closed. It broke and I decided that I just no longer wanted it. DROP gladly gave me cash. That is honestly unheard of. I really must hand it to them. Don't even mess with it when you got a company like that IMO. For the record I am a good customer. So perhaps they favor me a bit. Not sure. I am almost positive they take care of you though.