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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: wngmv on Thu, 22 December 2016, 13:43:56

Title: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: wngmv on Thu, 22 December 2016, 13:43:56

(http://i.imgur.com/wp0nx4E.jpg)

Picture, bottom right corner. It corresponds to the left control key. I didn't notice that until I finished (my first ever) soldering project. Is there a way to fix this? I'm really disappointed with this...

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: Tactile on Thu, 22 December 2016, 14:09:26

It's fixable but it'll take soldering skill. If you don't want to try installing an SMD diode you can just add any diode & solder the leads to the pads like this:

[attach=1]

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: wngmv on Thu, 22 December 2016, 14:33:04

Quote from: Tactile on Thu, 22 December 2016, 14:09:26

It's fixable but it'll take soldering skill. If you don't want to try installing an SMD diode you can just add any diode & solder the leads to the pads like this:

(Attachment Link)

Thanks. I am very new to soldering AND English isn't my first language....Can you explain why SMD diode is more difficult to solder, and if I don't want to do that, what kind of diode should I buy? I really appreciate that. I'm not sure what does the diode do, and from my reading it has something to do with NKRO, and consider this is the ctrl key just regular diode wouldn't have problem with multiple keys being pressed?

I really appreciate your help.

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: Tactile on Thu, 22 December 2016, 14:47:52

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: Tactile on Thu, 22 December 2016, 14:54:07

If you don't want to do that a 1N4148 diode will work fine in that spot.

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: wngmv on Thu, 22 December 2016, 15:05:51

Just notice the trace got pulled with it to..

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Thu, 22 December 2016, 19:06:36

Looks like you're not using the ISO key next to left shift so you could take D48 off and use that, you will have to scratch some of the coating off along the trace at the top where the pad has lifted.

The easier fix would be to get a 1n4148 diode as tactile said. You can solder it between the pad under the S62 label and the top of D63, with the bar on the diode facing away from the switch.

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: tp4tissue on Thu, 22 December 2016, 20:53:33

take a knife,  follow the trace on both sides,  scratch it lightly until you expose some copper.. solder to the copper.

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: Dyaems on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:46:17

whitefox is fully programmable, right? if it is, and if you have a key on the pcb that is unused, you can do similar thing to what i did on a PS2AVRGB PCB:

(http://i.imgur.com/fODe8M8.jpg)

and reprogram that "unused" key to Lctrl. The F key has a switch mounted, and the other one does not have any keys on it, i just soldered the wire to the solder pad.

HTH

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:56:47

Quote from: Dyaems on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:46:17

whitefox is fully programmable, right? if it is, and if you have a key on the pcb that is unused, you can do similar thing to what i did on a PS2AVRGB PCB:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/fODe8M8.jpg)

and reprogram that "unused" key to Lctrl

HTH

This will work but you need to isolate the non-damaged pin or that key will be connected to two columns - looks like you removed the solder from the broken switch and managed this?

If wngmv has a solder sucker it's an option, good thinking :thumb:

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 23 December 2016, 05:22:05

Quote from: suicidal_orange on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:56:47

Quote from: Dyaems on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:46:17

whitefox is fully programmable, right? if it is, and if you have a key on the pcb that is unused, you can do similar thing to what i did on a PS2AVRGB PCB:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/fODe8M8.jpg)

and reprogram that "unused" key to Lctrl

HTH

This will work but you need to isolate the non-damaged pin or that key will be connected to two columns - looks like you removed the solder from the broken switch and managed this?

If wngmv has a solder sucker it's an option, good thinking :thumb:

Hrrrmm when jumping to another key,  you'd probably want to slice up the traces from the solder holes, because you need that solder to hold the switch firmly.

Title: Re: [Help] I think my white fox has a broken diode...how do I fix it?
Post by: Dyaems on Fri, 23 December 2016, 21:22:46

Quote from: suicidal_orange on Fri, 23 December 2016, 02:56:47

This will work but you need to isolate the non-damaged pin or that key will be connected to two columns - looks like you removed the solder from the broken switch and managed this?

If wngmv has a solder sucker it's an option, good thinking :thumb:

the F key does not work whatsoever, i was guessing the diode was broken because it was not working even if i short the solder holes with a tweezer. the one on the pic was not finished, hoping OP will get the idea.

Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 23 December 2016, 05:22:05

Hrrrmm when jumping to another key,  you'd probably want to slice up the traces from the solder holes, because you need that solder to hold the switch firmly.

i didn't think of this although the traces are really hard to see, so i came up with the one on the picture. it was not done when i took a picture, i soldered the switch "as usual" along with the wire so that the switch does not wobble.