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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: buckyballs on Tue, 13 March 2018, 00:52:56
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I just got a Razer Chroma from someone. One column of keys is out of order. But I notice that one led in that column is missing. I am thinking that the column of keys is dead because of that missing LED.
but Razer chroma leds are not like the normal 3.3v LEDs that we use on keyboards. Does anyone know how to fix this keyboard?
Youtube has a lot of BlackWidow Ultimate videos, but doesn't have relevant videos on the Chroma.
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Is it just a few LEDs that don't work?
It is difficult to tell just by guessing. Do open up the keyboard and take a look at the PCB if you can see anything out of the ordinary.
Sometimes there are bad soldering joints (that were always bad but took a while before the failed).
Sometimes a keyboard has been handled roughly and there is actually a break in the PCB.
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Is it just a few LEDs that don't work?
It is difficult to tell just by guessing. Do open up the keyboard and take a look at the PCB if you can see anything out of the ordinary.
Sometimes there are bad soldering joints (that were always bad but took a while before the failed).
Sometimes a keyboard has been handled roughly and there is actually a break in the PCB.
Nope, no break in the PCB. A column of keys are not working and one LED is missing from one key in the column, so I am wondering whether it is that missing LED which is causing the problem.
What kind of LED does Razer use? It is unlike the normal leds in other keyboards discussed on this forum!
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No the LED is not affecting the keys. One break in the circuit can take out a whole column though, and short of water damage that's more likely than one pin on the controller randomly dying.
If you post a pic of the PCB someone will be able to identify the LED and suggest where the key-killing break may be :)
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Thank you very much for your kindness, Suicidal Orange!
I have taken a multimeter to the keyboard, and can identify the rows. The rows are also much easier to identify.
These keys don't work: Down Arrow, Spacebar, V, G, T, 5 and F4. I marked them out using bright orange marker pen, although it looks brown on the black background.
It looks like a column that is messed up to me, although I can't really identify what the columns are.
The right lower leads on every switch is the row, and the left upper lead is the column. But I tried testing for continuity for the columns on different columns, but didn't get anywhere. I'm not really good at reading PCBs so I'm not quite sure what I am looking at!
Hope someone more knowledgeable can help! :thumb:
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Weird, I don't see an obvious signs of broken components.
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Is is possible that keyboard controller for that entire column just died? I always hear about how lousy Razer boards are.
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Interesting - looks like they are double diodes where the top left pad is attached to the left pin of the switch above and the lower left pad the switch below, then the right of D58 is connected to the right of D37 and D14?
Anything's possible but want to be sure before condemning it, I'll have a proper look on a big screen when I get home.