Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!nosun!techbook!fzsitvay
From: fzsitvay@techbook.com (Frank Zsitvay)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith.z100
Subject: Re: cleaning the keyboard
Message-ID: <1990Jul22.233542.26008@techbook.com>
Date: 22 Jul 90 23:35:42 GMT
References: <3540@husc6.harvard.edu> <2521@nosc.NOSC.MIL>
Organization: TECHbooks of Beaverton Oregon - Public Access Unix
Lines: 48

In article <2521@nosc.NOSC.MIL> koziarz@halibut.nosc.mil.UUCP (Walter A. Koziarz) writes:
>In article <3540@husc6.harvard.edu> ddl@husc6.harvard.edu (Dan Lanciani) writes:
>>
>>	What's the consensus on cleaning the key contacts?  Too many
>>keys are getting too unreliable and popping individual caps looks to
>>be potentially destructive...  Maybe dip the whole thing :)
>>
>>				Dan Lanciani
>>				ddl@harvard.*
>
>
>Here at work I have cleaned several Z100 keyboards in the following manner.
>
>I used a paint-spraygun connected to the building dry nitrogen line (as the
>compressed air source) and filled with isopropyl (sp?) alcohol to FLUSH the
>entire keyboard assembly clean.  This obviously should be performed in a well
>vented area (fume hood!).
>
>Isopropyl alcohol is harmless to the keybaord (and most other microelectronics)
>and has in all the cases I've participated in solved the problem.
>
>Walt K.

   what also works very well is to take the keyboard out of it's case, and
put it in your dishwasher, along with your favorite dishwashing detergent.
Cascade works fine for me.
 
   this is no joke.   we have used this technique on circuit boards and
keyboards extensively, and it works very well and does not damage the board
at all.
 
   things to watch for...  most dishwashers have a heating element on the
bottom of the unit, make sure the keyboard is nowhere near this.  putting it
on the top rack should be fine, but make sure it isn't in the path of a high
pressure stream, either.  after washing the board, leave it in the open air
to dry.  don't let it go through the "dry" cycle of the dishwasher, since this
could melt it.
 
   and of course, don't use "jet dry" or other water additives outside of what
is in the detergent.  "jet dry" leaves a film on circuit boards that can be
a headache to remove.  it's not conductive, but it's not the most desirable
thing either.


-- 
fzsitvay@techbook.COM - one of these days i'll get it right...

Version 2 of anything is usually the version that works.