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Author Topic: A4000 keyboard not working properly  (Read 1379 times)

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Offline mihcaelTopic starter

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A4000 keyboard not working properly
« on: February 18, 2006, 05:41:32 AM »
My a4000 keyboard types something like zxcvbnm,./\ whenever i press the space bar! still usable but very annnoying!

could this be fixed by cleaning it somehow? like maybe some gunk has built up!

or...
Can a pc keyboard be used?
even if i have to cut the connector off and put (join the wires) the amiga connector on the end!

Offline Iggy_Drougge

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Re: A4000 keyboard not working properly
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2006, 05:47:35 AM »
Try cleaning it. The average A4000 keyboard is over 10 years old now, and if it hasn't been cleaned in its entire lifetime, it must be very dirty.
Use a set of fine mechanic screwdrivers and try not to lose all the little screws. Clean the main PCB, but gently, in warm water. There is probably a lot of dirt on the contacts below the keys. Ear cleaning tips or a sponge will do nicely, just make sure that you no cotton or fabric gets stuck. Let it dry thoroughly.
Put all the lose keys in a tub of warm water and some soap, stir around and polish a brush or sponge if necessary. Do the same for the plastic casing.
If it still doesn't work well, it may be worn out. Try to re-coat the contacts on the circuit boards with a pencil, it has worked for me.

PC keyboards require a small adapter to be used, since they use incompatible signals.
A4000/25MHz/64MB/20GB/RetinaBLTZ3/FastlaneZ3/CatweaselMKIII/Ariadne/A2301
A3000/40MHz/32MB/6GB/Merlin/Buddha/X-Surf/FrameMachineII+Prism24
Draco60/50MHz/128MB/15GB/Altais/DracoMotion/DV/IOblix+net
 

Offline mihcaelTopic starter

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Re: A4000 keyboard not working properly
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2006, 06:50:35 AM »
Thanks for that mate!

I will try, let you know, Thanks!!

Offline koaftder

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Re: A4000 keyboard not working properly
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2006, 07:25:33 AM »
Its probalby got rubber domes, take it apart in a room thats somewhat litter free. the domes can go flying. taken apart upside down, obviosuly, seperate the pcb from the chasis, lots of little screws. Some of the domes will stick to pcb, remove them, place them into the plastic key wells so you dont loose them. Take a cloth pad, soak itwith isopropyl alcohol, and rub all the pads. Make sure you are grounded, make sure the gnd line on the kb is grounded as well( cable ground, with screw).  Rub each rubber dome pad, make sure there are no cat hairs or what ever on the dome pads, etc. Reassemble, should be fine.

Ive spilled sodas into kb besfore, bad mess, chili is bad mess. On kb's with either PCB's or sheets of plastic with embedded wires, often will corrode out. You can buy an electrical trace pen from many radio shack locations. If not avaible, it's a pen that deposits a metalic substabce. Rub ends of traces with steel wool, and redo traces with metal pen. It works great.

 

Offline mihcaelTopic starter

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Re: A4000 keyboard not working properly
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2006, 02:23:42 AM »
Finally got around to fixing it!

-Pulled it all apart
-Took the case off
-Took the small PCB off
-Undone the 30 odd screws and took the keys off. (didnt bother cleaning the keys too much work)
-Peeled the green circuit thingy off the metal plate
-Scrubbed the metal plate, It had some sort of gunk on it!
-Gently wipped the green thing on both side with just warm water, Could see an obvious buildup of gunk, got that off!
-Let it all dry,
-Put it back together,
-Plugged it in today and seems to be working fine!!!


Thanks to Iggy_Drougge and koaftder for your help!!
 :-)