Static Electricity

[daerid]

I sat down to my CODE this morning, pressed a key to wake my computer from sleep, and POW... the wrath of Zeus himself leaped from my fingertip to the CODE's plate. The back lighting (which I always keep off) flickered, and the computer made the device-disconnected sound, after which my keyboard became unresponsive.

Fearing the worst, I quickly unplugged and re-plugged it back in, and to my relief it seemed to work fine. I ran it through Aqua just to make sure no keys were dead. Everything seemed fine. Except now the back lighting is stuck on, and dip switch #6 has no effect (the FN key is permanently set to be the Menu key). This is really unfortunate as I really don't like the back lighting, and I need the FN key to turn it off.

Has anybody had an experience like this? And if so, is it recoverable? Or is the board permanently damaged? Bestow upon me thy wisdom, o' Lords of Boards!

[MOZ]

Wait, what happened to the Ergodox? (Sorry for OT)

[daerid]

Wait, what happened to the Ergodox? (Sorry for OT)

tl;dr: thumb pain.

Longer explanation here

[Folio]

Hey Daerid, which key did you press when this happened? And is the menu key functional? Like does it actually bring up the menu dialog when you hit it in a browser or something, like I'm just checking to see if you tested it out on anything other that aqua key test.

I can't imagine a static electric charge being high enough in voltage to short out anything on the board. A diode is meant to block current since it's one-way, but I can see the switch connecting that current when you pressed it down allowing the charge to go through to the controller. So your board is just exposed underneath your caps I'm assuming?

It might be as simple as replacing a dead diode, but I'm not sure what's going on with the DIP switch....... Precheck the voltage between the diodes for each key as well just to be sure

[MJ45]

The DipSwitch for the FN-Menu key is #5, but in the Menu setting Menu-FN+ Shift = FN maybe that may give you FN use.

[daerid]

Hey Daerid, which key did you press when this happened? And is the menu key functional? Like does it actually bring up the menu dialog when you hit it in a browser or something, like I'm just checking to see if you tested it out on anything other that aqua key test.

Honestly, not sure. Probably the space bar. And yeah, the menu key works fine.

I can't imagine a static electric charge being high enough in voltage to short out anything on the board. A diode is meant to block current since it's one-way, but I can see the switch connecting that current when you pressed it down allowing the charge to go through to the controller. So your board is just exposed underneath your caps I'm assuming?

It's a WASD V2/CODE, it has a white metal plate that the switches are mounted to.

It might be as simple as replacing a dead diode, but I'm not sure what's going on with the DIP switch....... Precheck the voltage between the diodes for each key as well just to be sure

Yeah, I'll probably open 'er up tonight and see if there's anything obvious. If not, I'll probably just have work replace it.

[daerid]

The DipSwitch for the FN-Menu key is #5, but in the Menu setting Menu-FN+ Shift = FN maybe that may give you FN use.

Per the WASD V2 (the CODE is just a V2 w/ LEDs) User's Guide, DIP switch #6 toggles the function of the FN key.

[jacobolus]

Is your computer plugged in with a grounded plug? Is your electrical outlet properly grounded?

I used to get static shocks a lot from my laptop in Mexico when using ungrounded outlets, and especially when walking around barefoot on slightly damp terra cotta tile floors.

[MJ45]

The DipSwitch for the FN-Menu key is #5, but in the Menu setting Menu-FN+ Shift = FN maybe that may give you FN use.

Per the WASD V2 (the CODE is just a V2 w/ LEDs) User's Guide, DIP switch #6 toggles the function of the FN key.

Sorry I had it mixed-up with the Kul 87 dip settings.

[daerid]

Is your computer plugged in with a grounded plug? Is your electrical outlet properly grounded?

I used to get static shocks a lot from my laptop in Mexico when using ungrounded outlets, and especially when walking around barefoot on slightly damp terra cotta tile floors.

Everything's grounded properly. The air just gets crazy dry out here in the winter and static shocks pretty much the norm