Electrically conductive paint?

[Dallas]

In between most key pads and the circuit board below is a vinyl (rubber)
membrane pad that has an electrically conductive area that closes two
contact points on the circuit board below . (Like on the inside of a TV
remote under the push buttons)

I have a device on-off switch that is failing because the black conductive
surface is wearing off. What I am looking for is that conductive paint so I
can dab a bit back on to the contacting surface area to make the switch work
again.

Does anyone know where to get something like that?


Dallas

 

[Dave D]

In between most key pads and the circuit board below is a vinyl (rubber)
membrane pad that has an electrically conductive area that closes two
contact points on the circuit board below . (Like on the inside of a TV
remote under the push buttons)

I have a device on-off switch that is failing because the black conductive
surface is wearing off. What I am looking for is that conductive paint so
I
can dab a bit back on to the contacting surface area to make the switch
work
again.

Does anyone know where to get something like that?


Dallas

Electrically conductive silver paint for repairing car windscreens has
served me well in the past, and it's readily available at car shops. It's
rather pricey but it does the job.

Eventually it may need recoating as it's not really intended to flex, but
even a small bottle would do hundreds of jobs in this application.

Dave

 

[Dave D]

Electrically conductive silver paint for repairing car windscreens

Sorry, I meant for repairing rear window demister elements.

Dave

 

[Jerry G.]

There is a remote control service kit available for the keypad
conductor repair. This kit is available at many of the electronic parts
suppliers, who supply parts for TV and electronic device servicing.
Note that the cost is not cheap.

Jerry G.

--

 

[Dave D]

There is a remote control service kit available for the keypad
conductor repair. This kit is available at many of the electronic parts
suppliers, who supply parts for TV and electronic device servicing.
Note that the cost is not cheap.

I've also had some success with self adhesive aluminium tape. I cut it into
small squares and stick it over the faulty rubber pads. It usually works
great but like the silver paint job will not necessarily last for years.
Having said that, a roll of tape would do hundreds of remotes and it's
pretty cheap stuff. It has the advantage of flexiing with the pad, whereas
the silver paint may eventually wear out or crack..

Dave

 

[Dallas]

"Jerry G."

There is a remote control service kit available for the keypad
conductor repair. This kit is available at many of the electronic parts
suppliers,

No doubt this sounds like what I was looking for... but a quick Google
turns up nothing. Can someone get me a little closer to this product?

Dallas

 

[Dallas]

"Dave D"

Sorry, I meant for repairing rear window demister elements.

Yeah, I've heard of that stuff... if I can't find the repair kit it sounds
like the second best option.


Dallas

 

[[email protected]]

There is a remote control service kit available for the keypad
conductor repair. This kit is available at many of the electronic parts
suppliers, who supply parts for TV and electronic device servicing.
Note that the cost is not cheap.

Tried one of those on a JVC remote about a year ago, cost around $15
for the repair kit. Two-part epoxy kind of thing, had to mix it and use
it
within 15 or 20 minutes, throw out whatever was left over.

Remote worked great for 2 or 3 months, then the repair gunk started
wearing off, and I was back where I started. Ended up ordering a
replacement remote from JVC website, cost around $20 with shipping,
and it's still working fine.

If I got a do-over, I would just order the new remote and forget about
the repair kit. Might think differently if the new remote had been
more
expensive. YMMV.

If the OP wants to check into the repair kits, I bought mine at Circuit
Specialists in Mesa, AZ (local to me) (www.circuitspecialists.com).

Hope this helps,
Jerry

 

[Arfa Daily]

I've also had some success with self adhesive aluminium tape. I cut it
into small squares and stick it over the faulty rubber pads. It usually
works great but like the silver paint job will not necessarily last for
years. Having said that, a roll of tape would do hundreds of remotes and
it's pretty cheap stuff. It has the advantage of flexiing with the pad,
whereas the silver paint may eventually wear out or crack..

Dave

I know that this is slightly off topic from what the poster was originally
asking, but I've had great success in the past, repairing conductive pad
type keymats, by carefully scalpelling off the worn out pad, doing the same
for a good pad from a scrap remote or telephone keypad, then supergluing the
' replacement ' onto the original mat. That way, you've got an almost
original pad, that feels original, and won't suffer from cracking like the
paint.

Arfa

 

[default]

In between most key pads and the circuit board below is a vinyl (rubber)
membrane pad that has an electrically conductive area that closes two
contact points on the circuit board below . (Like on the inside of a TV
remote under the push buttons)

I have a device on-off switch that is failing because the black conductive
surface is wearing off. What I am looking for is that conductive paint so I
can dab a bit back on to the contacting surface area to make the switch work
again.

Does anyone know where to get something like that?


Dallas

ANYONE FINDS THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE . . . pLEASE pOST.

Most of the ones I come into contact with show oil (for lack of a
better descriptor) on the pads used frequently. The oil must be in
the pads themselves . . . from what I see. The center PB will have
oil and none to either side (on some). I don't believe it migrates.

This 'oil" seems to insulate the switch contacts. and appears on the
frequently used switches.

My cure has been isopropyl alcohol with a swab to the pad and paper
towel (toilet paper or napkin) to the board That fixes it like new
for about a month . . .

Aluminum foil with a thin (VERY THIN) RTV coating seems to work
longer but still not as long as the original pad coatings.

Only 100% fix seems to be replacing the key pad with a tiny surface
mount switch - - - if you can solder it, or see well enough . . .

 

[Ken Weitzel]

ANYONE FINDS THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE . . . pLEASE pOST.

Most of the ones I come into contact with show oil (for lack of a
better descriptor) on the pads used frequently. The oil must be in
the pads themselves . . . from what I see. The center PB will have
oil and none to either side (on some). I don't believe it migrates.

This 'oil" seems to insulate the switch contacts. and appears on the
frequently used switches.

My cure has been isopropyl alcohol with a swab to the pad and paper
towel (toilet paper or napkin) to the board That fixes it like new
for about a month . . .

Aluminum foil with a thin (VERY THIN) RTV coating seems to work
longer but still not as long as the original pad coatings.

Only 100% fix seems to be replacing the key pad with a tiny surface
mount switch - - - if you can solder it, or see well enough . . .

Hi...

I wonder how dag would do? (aquadag)

www.achesonindustries.com/doc/pds/AquadagE.pdf

Take care.

Ken

 

[Ross Herbert]

In between most key pads and the circuit board below is a vinyl (rubber)
membrane pad that has an electrically conductive area that closes two
contact points on the circuit board below . (Like on the inside of a TV
remote under the push buttons)

I have a device on-off switch that is failing because the black conductive
surface is wearing off. What I am looking for is that conductive paint so I
can dab a bit back on to the contacting surface area to make the switch work
again.

Does anyone know where to get something like that?


Dallas

This is the product you are searching for
http://www.chemtronics.com/products/product.asp?r=2&m=2&id=196

I have used it in the past but results are dependent upon several
factors, not the least of which is how long the product has been
sitting on the shelf. Because you use only a tiny amount to repair a
typical rubber keypad you tend not to want to throw the remainder away
afterwards because you may have to repeat the exercise in a couple of
years. By then the product will not produce reliable results so it is
basically useless after opening and using it the first time. Ideally,
a whole batch of rubber keypads repaired at the same time is the only
way it is cost effective. Having said that, if you have no other way,
then $12 might seem a cheap option to keep your remote operating.

The company I previously purchased this product from now lists it in
their catalogue as FAULTY.

The same company also make a conductive epoxy
http://www.chemtronics.com/products/product.asp?id=186 and whilst not
indicated as suitable for rubber keypad repairs I would still give it
a try since it should last longer than the other product. If it
doesn't work it is not hard to remove it.

Ross Herbert

 

[DaveM]

"Jerry G."

No doubt this sounds like what I was looking for... but a quick Google
turns up nothing. Can someone get me a little closer to this product?

Dallas

Surf over to MCM Electronics at http://www.mcmelectronics.com/ and search
for part number CW2605. Circuit Works Rubber Keypad Repair Kit.

--
Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just substitute the appropriate characters in
the address)

Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!!

 

[Larry]

DaveM wrote:
: : : "Jerry G."
: : : There is a remote control service kit available for the keypad
: : : conductor repair. This kit is available at many of the electronic
: : : parts suppliers,
: :
: : No doubt this sounds like what I was looking for... but a quick
: : Google turns up nothing. Can someone get me a little closer to
: : this product?
: :
: : Dallas
: :
: :
:
:
: Surf over to MCM Electronics at http://www.mcmelectronics.com/ and
: search for part number CW2605. Circuit Works Rubber Keypad Repair
: Kit.
***

I have had great sucess super gluing a small circle of aluminum foil on
the defective rubber pad. If it's only 1 or 2 not working, it is a
quick job and a cheap solution.

Larry

 

[Bob in Phx]

Well, as an amateur, here is what I have found works.

1. The oil, as you call it, is from the human body. i.e. fingers. The best
way to remove it is to use rubbing alcohol.
2. The longest lasting thing I have found to fix "worn out buttons" is to
clean the pad with alcohol and then put a dap of contact cement or rubber
cement on the pad. Then put down a little circle or square of standard old
kitchen aluminum foil. Press and hold the foil to the button for a couple of
minutes and then reassemble the remote. Its been working for me for about
three years on the garage remote that gets used 3 or 4 times a week.....

Just my two cents...

bob in phx.
in message

 

[James Sweet]

Well, as an amateur, here is what I have found works.

1. The oil, as you call it, is from the human body. i.e. fingers. The best
way to remove it is to use rubbing alcohol.
2. The longest lasting thing I have found to fix "worn out buttons" is to
clean the pad with alcohol and then put a dap of contact cement or rubber
cement on the pad. Then put down a little circle or square of standard old
kitchen aluminum foil. Press and hold the foil to the button for a couple of
minutes and then reassemble the remote. Its been working for me for about
three years on the garage remote that gets used 3 or 4 times a week.....

Simple Green works very well too, sucks the oil right out of your hands too.

 

[Ray L. Volts]

In between most key pads and the circuit board below is a vinyl (rubber)
membrane pad that has an electrically conductive area that closes two
contact points on the circuit board below . (Like on the inside of a TV
remote under the push buttons)

I have a device on-off switch that is failing because the black conductive
surface is wearing off. What I am looking for is that conductive paint so
I
can dab a bit back on to the contacting surface area to make the switch
work
again.

Does anyone know where to get something like that?


Dallas

If the hardware store aluminum tape doesn't work for ya, you might try
self-adhesive aluminum sheets (sometimes sold as mirrored mylar) which can
be found at hobby shops that concentrate on model kits, scale trains or RC
aircraft. These sheets are available in very thin, highly-flexible
versions -- they can be burnished right over fine aircraft details like
rivets.

 

[CRaSH]

Does anyone know where to get something like that?

Go to sci.electronics.repair and you'll get some info from the pro repair
folks - name it, and someone's done it, fixed it, or will have a link!!

 

[CRaSH]

Go to sci.electronics.repair and you'll get some info from the pro
repair folks - name it, and someone's done it, fixed it, or will have
a link!!

Never mind, just noticed that's where you're at - assuming this is the same
Dallas as at AGMFS..

 

[default]

1. The oil, as you call it, is from the human body. i.e. fingers. The best
way to remove it is to use rubbing alcohol.
2. The longest lasting thing I have found to fix "worn out buttons" is to
clean the pad with alcohol and then put a dap of contact cement or rubber
cement on the pad. Then put down a little circle or square of standard old
kitchen aluminum foil. Press and hold the foil to the button for a couple of
minutes and then reassemble the remote. Its been working for me for about
three years on the garage remote that gets used 3 or 4 times a week.....

Body oil was my first guess too. But it would have to migrate through
the silicon membrane to get to the pads, so I ruled that out as being
unlikely.

But that does call to mind an experiment to prove/disprove the oil
theory. I just cleaned my own remote and its working 100% with just a
light press on the keys. I plan to wrap the remote pad in metalized
polyester to see if that acts as a barrier.

I'll have to try the contact cement, the RTV wasn't lasting very long.

Thanks for the input