Dismanteling an AEK II

[wrexroad]

I picked up an AEK II and ADB-USB adapter the other day but when I got home to try it out, it didn't work. I know the adapter is working because I have an Apple Keyboard 2 that works just fine with it.
After a good sniff or two I decided that someone must have let the smoke out of one of the components inside so I popped the case open and removed the board assembly. Unfortunately, that is as far as I got. It looks like the metal plate that supports the switches almost entirely obscures the circuit board components. Am I missing something, or do I really need to desolder 101 switches just to get that plate out of the way so I can check the circuit board for a fired component?

[fohat.digs]

I picked up an AEK II and ADB-USB adapter the other day but when I got home to try it out, it didn't work. I know the adapter is working because I have an Apple Keyboard 2 that works just fine with it.
After a good sniff or two I decided that someone must have let the smoke out of one of the components inside so I popped the case open and removed the board assembly. Unfortunately, that is as far as I got. It looks like the metal plate that supports the switches almost entirely obscures the circuit board components. Am I missing something, or do I really need to desolder 101 switches just to get that plate out of the way so I can check the circuit board for a fired component?

I think that removing the switches is the only way of getting the plates apart.

[nubbinator]

I dismantled one or two and, from my experience, you are correct fohat.digs.  You're not getting to the PCB under the plate without desoldering.  Prepare for many of the legs to be bent over and a massive PITA.

[jacobolus]

I didn’t find the two AEKIIs I desoldered to be particularly harder than other keyboards to take apart, but maybe the number of bent-over switch leads depends on the person who originally soldered it together.

[nubbinator]

Yeah, it's not bad if the legs are straight, but if you get one with bent legs it's just annoying since it adds more work, makes the solder harder to get out, and can result in the tips of the legs breaking.

[fohat.digs]

but maybe the number of bent-over switch leads depends on the person who originally soldered it together.

I am certain that this is the case. I have taken apart specimens of the same keyboard model and part number that were like night and day.

There is the sheer number that are bent over, and also how zealously they were mashed down (that is the bigger problem).

[fohat.digs]

and can result in the tips of the legs breaking.

Screw that, switches are easy to replace. Ripping up traces and pads is a far greater problem.

[nubbinator]

Oddly, I never had any problems with traces and pads like that. Even if I did, you can easily fix that with some wire bridges.  Breaking legs is a PITA though since you may not be able to find replacements easily or cheaply.

[Melvang]

I desoldered a rebranded WYSE and about a third of the switches had the thicker leg bent over.  All I did was hole my iron on the solder and pushed up on the leg with a small screwdriver to straighten it enough to get the solder out and the switch out.  Once I got all the switches out I went though all of them and made sure all the pins were straight.

[nubbinator]

That's exactly what I had to do with mine.  The legs are sometimes brittle though and the tips will break no matter how careful you are.

[Melvang]

I must have gotten lucky that none of the tips on mine broke.  Even though the silkscreened date on mine was '85 the stamp for manufacture on the board was 95, so it wasn't that old.

[wrexroad]

Well, that is disappointing...  Looks like I have a project tomorrow. Thanks for the replies!

[jacobolus]

I’ve only broken 1 Alps switch lead in desoldering about 5 boards now. Worse was a newish Cherry MX board with stupid lead-free solder; 2 switch leads broke there without me even applying any pressure.