After finding which key was sticking on my Apple II e I sprayed it with electrical contact spray to loosen it up. No luck. Not sure now if it is not so much stuck as broken. When I hit the key it makes a spring sound and the stem vibrates on release and seems very wobbly. What can be done to get my computer operational again?
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Hello jeffreybritton,
maybe this page will pass over enogh information about the key to explain what to do:
http://www.appleii-box.de/D03_1_AppleIIKeyswitchesKeyboardsPage.htm
sincerely speedyG
I bought myself a platinum iie. It contained around 14 dirty key switches. There was a green residue in the contacts themselves and this residue could not be cleaned or removed with any contact cleaner for two reasons: the parts inside that need to touch each other inside the key switch were not exposed from the top side of the key switch and the green stuff itself was too thick to be loosened by any contact cleaner even if it were to somehow get inside the key switch.
The proper way to resolve this is to remove the key switch by de-soldering it, then you disassemble the key switch and separate the two pieces inside then using whatever is necessary to remove any dirt or residue or oxidation of any kind from the contacts. The contacts come in two pieces. I do not remember if one or both pieces have gold plating on it or not.
To clean the contacts you can use whatever you wish but make sure you clean it all, even the edges. Cleanser on a toothbrush might do it, or even a metal brush if necessary. Perhaps an eraser or brasso or some other metal polish.
Reassemble the key switch and check it for continuity with a multimeter before re-soldering it back into the keyboard.
Great information. Thanks. Just one question about the key caps slider. In the case of a stuck key is it normal to discover the key caps slider to wiggle in place.
I haven´t seen such kind of mistake up till now. Under normal condition ti part should only slide....
and if it´s clean you might asure clean sliding with very small application of grease in the notches....
- if it wiggles probably the casing is broken along the notch....
speedyG
After a look at the diagram I had a feeling the wiggling meant a broken unit, so I will remove the "T" and replace with another key. Thanks.