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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:11:59

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:11:59

Cherry, Alps, and other similar switches: Place the entire PCB+switch assembly into a container of distilled water. Shake the board around vigorously so that the water can clean out the inside of the switches as well. To dry it out, shake it until you no longer hear any water stuck inside the switches. Then set it either on it's side or upside down to dry. Using a blow dryer to dry it is safe as long as you don't stick to one spot for too long, and canned air can help get the water out of the switches very quickly.
http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=All+About+Keys

Where do I get distilled water? My brother told me I would have to make a still, but I am skeptical whether or not this is true. Can't I buy it somewhere?
For some reason I have a feeling people will laugh at my ignorance.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: mmmty on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:17:11

:pound:

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:24:00

Quote from: mmmty;443710

:pound:

you b#stard. :frown:

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: jpm804 on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:24:08

you can get distilled water at most pharmacy places like a CVS/ longs / walgreens etc...

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:27:57

Quote from: jpm804;443714

you can get distilled water at most pharmacy places like a CVS/ longs / walgreens etc...

Thank you.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: mmmty on Tue, 01 November 2011, 19:36:29

You knew it was coming.

jpm804 is right. CVS has distilled water.

(http://guy.com/a/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/DistilledWater.jpg)

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 20:25:36

In case anyone wanted to know, I was competent after viewing this post and did indeed go to a shoppers drug mart where i found to my delight 8 liters of 'steam distilled water'.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30606[/ATTACH]
Now I am wondering if I have to take any considerations specifically relating to my Northgate Omnikey 101.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30607[/ATTACH]
For the container, do i need to sterilize it or..?
How long do i keep it in the distilled water?

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: biochem on Tue, 01 November 2011, 20:46:30

Quote from: fantus;443745

For the container, do i need to sterilize it or..?

I don't see any need for that. Just make sure the container is clean, no particulate mater like dirt or dust.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: laffindude on Tue, 01 November 2011, 20:58:50

Before you dunk it, why are you doing this? There really aren't any need to clean the switches unless it isn't working.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Tue, 01 November 2011, 21:01:27

some of the switches are sticky.
Edit: and i want my keyboard to be as clean as possible. It was used in the University of Manitoba for who knows how many years, I don't count schools among the most hygienic places.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: REVENGE on Wed, 02 November 2011, 16:26:41

Quote from: ripster;444064

Frankly I would recommend a bath in 99% Isopropyl. Rite-Aid has that for pretty cheap.

The distilled water isn't even really necessary.  If you think about it a second as soon you dunk a dirty keyboard in distilled water you have contaminated water.

The guide you are quoting is OCN's, not my recommended procedure that I put in the Cherry MX wiki.  I only copy/pasta'd it because I was feeling lazy that day.

+1 to an alcohol bath, you can get 99.9% technical grade stuff at Fry's for example. Just remember that you may need to relube the switches afterwards.

Title: Distilled water?
Post by: fantus on Wed, 02 November 2011, 17:19:42

K, I will do that next time. Already washed it with the distilled water last night, and am currently waiting for it to become completely dry. I have to find and buy a PS/2 to USB adapter that ships to Canada, but the ones majorly recomended are purchasable through amazon.com only (that I could find).
I was wondering if anyone had experience with this one that i found on amazon.ca (http://www.amazon.ca/Belkin-USB-PS2-Adapter-2XMINIDIN6/dp/B000ELSXFY/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1320272095&sr=1-5%20geekhack%20review)