Filco: nnn but i only typed one!!!111

[BretG57]

Hello, first time caller, long time listener.  i bought a used Majestouch Tactile Touch ~5 months ago and recently it's started acting up.  all the keycaps and such looked brand new when i got it, however i noticed the other day that the white sticker on the back saying "DO NOT REMOVE" has been punctured (probably by a screw driver).  

The problem:

sometimes i press n and get nnnn, same with l, t, and i think backspace.  

Diagnosis (so far):

1.  i suspected a virus at first but i have tried other keyboards on my comp and none have exhibited such a problem.  

2.  i removed the n key cap with the tool i got and it's clean under there, and the switch seems to have no resistance when pressing down on it.

3. i think i did spill some diet coke on it once, but i turned it over and cleaned it out right away.  that was some time ago too, i think this maybe the source of my problem however.  

so basically, i need some help diagnosing the problem.  do you experienced peoples think it's the switches themselves?  is it possibly a problem with the circuit board?  Should i attempt to spray some sort of fluids down into the afflicted switches?  

Thanks for the help,
Bret

[ecru]

Key chatter isn't an unheard of problem with Filcos.  I finished up scrapping mine for parts after that started.  Good luck with finding a solution.

[ecru]

Liquids aren't a requirement for a Filco to have key chatter problems.  But yeah, liquids wouldn't help matters.

[BretG57]

let's just say this is a key chatter problem, does it only happen on filcos?  also, is it possible to buy a cherry corp. lt. gray 104 key mech board in the states?  i have looked on amazon and cherry's website but cannot find what i'm looking for.  also looking at this board, anyone know what kind of switches it has, and where is the ~ key?

[Mi9V]

Diagnosis (so far):

1.  i suspected a virus at first but i have tried other keyboards on my comp and none have exhibited such a problem.  

2.  i removed the n key cap with the tool i got and it's clean under there, and the switch seems to have no resistance when pressing down on it.

3. i think i did spill some diet coke on it once, but i turned it over and cleaned it out right away.  that was some time ago too, i think this maybe the source of my problem however.

The only piece of advice I can offer is booting from a liveCD/liveDVD/liveUSB (eg. a Linux liveCD) to order to completely rule out a software problem (as unlikely as it is). That way you completely change your software stack from the lowest level possible and up. I use it as a standard procedure every time a computer component shows signs of failure.

I don't think it is a software problem though.

[ch_123]

It has low-travel mechanical switches. Not the nicest for typing on, or so it has been said.

[BretG57]

it's fixed, i just squirted a little wd-40 into the few switches and i can type
n n n n n n n n n n n n
again with no problems.

i am afraid it may come back though and i checked mouser but i don't see cherry browns on there, anybody know where to get them?

p.s. i real want that realforce board but 250 seems like too much to me.

[Mi9V]

it's fixed, i just squirted a little wd-40 into the few switches and i can type
n n n n n n n n n n n n
again with no problems.

Just a note: I believe DeOxit to be more suitable for that purpose, since it is a specialized "contact enhancer" (and also slightly lubricating).

[BretG57]

ya the WD was really just a test to see if that fixed the problem.  I'm going to disassemble the whole thing, clean it with contact cleaner and re-lubricate with that dry teflon lubricant dupont makes.  i noticed that people recommend grease but that will just attract more dirt i think.  

Is there no one who knows where to get cherry brown mx switches in case i need to replace one?

[aegrotatio]

I am amazed this relatively horribly expensive keyboard line has so many simple-yet-hard-to-solve problems with it.

[wellington1869]

I am amazed this relatively horribly expensive keyboard line has so many simple-yet-hard-to-solve problems with it.

qft

[aegrotatio]

Yeah, the Chicony KB-5191 that I'm *****ing about in another thread is probably coated with a seven-year-old Diet Coke spill.