Omnikey Ultra Sluggish Keys

[flashstar]

I recently purchased a Northgate Omnikey Ultra T keyboard on Ebay for my parents for Christmas. While the keyboard does not appear to have had much use, many of the keys seem to have too much resistance. Consequently, I really have to push down hard on some of the keys for them to depress (the f and space bar keys are a bit stiffer than some of the other keys).

Do these ALPS key switches have to be cleaned or lubricated occasionally? If so, can I do this maintenance easily? Another problem is that my "7" key doesn't register. I don't mind spending time on this, however I don't want to mess anything up.

I've heard great things about this keyboard and would like to get it back to its former glory.

Thanks!

[itlnstln]

You can try blowing them out with an air-duster.  ALPS don't age very well, and Northgates are old by default, so I doubt it's likely you will get NIB-level performance short of replacing the switches.  If anything, you can check out http://www.northgate-keyboard-repair.com/, and they could help refurb it for you.

[flashstar]

Ok, thanks for the information. Are there any members here who offer ALPS key switches in bulk? I would be willing to buy a bunch and attempt resoldering the malfunctioning ones.

I spoke with Northgate Keyboard Repair and they don't recommend soldering the switches myself, but it doesn't seem there are any other fixes short of replacing the switches. Northgate keyboard repair will help refurb my keyboard but the cost is $5 per replaced switch unfortunately.

[itlnstln]

Holy crap, $5 per switch?  Soldering isn't that hard (if you're fairly good at it).  Some members have swapped switches on whole 'boards, so it has been done.  The trick is getting a bunch of good ALPS switches.  If there are some that are particularly bad, you could swap them out with the F keys, Pause/Break, etc.

[flashstar]

Holy crap, $5 per switch?  Soldering isn't that hard (if you're fairly good at it).  Some members have swapped switches on whole 'boards, so it has been done.  The trick is getting a bunch of good ALPS switches.  If there are some that are particularly bad, you could swap them out with the F keys, Pause/Break, etc.

I'm decent at soldering so I will definitely give it a shot. Maybe I should also find another keyboard that has ALPS switches and move them over.
Tim at Northgate Keyboard Repair mentioned that it is easy to lose the clips on some of the larger keys when removing them. Is there a trick to this?
Anyway, I guess that I need to search more on this site for answers. I appreciate the help!

[itlnstln]

The problem is that ALPS no longer makes switches, so getting originals is tough, and the newer, "compatible" switches are not as nice.  I would imagine Northgate Keyboard Repair either uses used switches or compatible replacements.  I would keep a sharp eye on eBay for donor 'boards.

[flashstar]

The problem is that ALPS no longer makes switches, so getting originals is tough, and the newer, "compatible" switches are not as nice.  I would imagine Northgate Keyboard Repair either uses used switches or compatible replacements.  I would keep a sharp eye on eBay for donor 'boards.

Should I find a board that uses white ALPS slider switches? I'm not sure what color of switch the ultra T uses.

[itlnstln]

You might want to pull a cap and check.  There were different color switches in the Northgates, but they were all clicky, IIRC.  The color doesn't matter a whole lot as long as they are clicky.  There are other colors of ALPS that are not clicky, though (black, green, orange, etc.).  The whites would be the easiest to find.

[theferenc]

You could try disassembling and cleaning the switches. Just do it to a few at first to see if it helps. It certainly helped mine, though it was a LOT of work to do the whole board. Less than resoldering everything though, I imagine.

Check the wiki for how to disassemble them. It's fairly easy to do. Then just toss everything in a bowl of warm water with a few denture tabs (also known as key cap cleaning tabs). Let it sit for a while, then take it out and let everything dry out thoroughly. Reassemble, and it should be much better.

Mine went from gritty nasty crap to very smooth and comfortable to type on.

[flashstar]

You could try disassembling and cleaning the switches. Just do it to a few at first to see if it helps. It certainly helped mine, though it was a LOT of work to do the whole board. Less than resoldering everything though, I imagine.

Check the wiki for how to disassemble them. It's fairly easy to do. Then just toss everything in a bowl of warm water with a few denture tabs (also known as key cap cleaning tabs). Let it sit for a while, then take it out and let everything dry out thoroughly. Reassemble, and it should be much better.

Mine went from gritty nasty crap to very smooth and comfortable to type on.

You are a genius! I pulled my keyboard apart and opened up the key switch for the spacebar. It turns out that the switch had a ton of grit in it. After cleaning the switch components thoroughly and reassembling, that sluggish feeling is pretty much gone! I can't say whether the switch is like-new, but it is much better. I will try this method on all of the switches and see if I can get them back in good shape. Thanks.

[theferenc]

Glad it worked! It's so much easier than replacing all of the switches. And the best part is, it almost always helps, even if it doesn't entirely fix the problem.

It's just a habit I picked up after I bought an old keyboard that was DISGUSTING several years ago. First thing I do after I test it, is disassemble and thoroughly clean it up. It's more about filth than function, to me, but with ALPS, it tends to go hand in hand.