Need help troubleshooting IIc keyboard

4 posts / 0 new
Last post
Offline
Last seen: 5 days 18 hours ago
Joined: Jan 28 2023 - 08:33
Posts: 16
Need help troubleshooting IIc keyboard

I have a IIc that is perfectly functional except for the space key.  I've done everything I can think of to troubleshoot but I can't figure out what's wrong.  

 

  • Confirmed continuity on the switch when pressed & no continuity when released
  • Confirmed continuity from one leg of the switch all the way back to pin 25 on the encoder IC 
  • Tested a different IIc keyboard with the mainboard to confirm the encoder works fine (it does - space key works fine with the known good keyboard)
  • Confirmed the problem persists if I move the bad keyboard to another IIc (same issue with the space key follows the keyboard)
  • Sprayed in the key switch with some Deoxit (also sprayed the cable connector)

 

I don't really know what to do next.  This is one of the non-ALPS keyboards (they crappy ones). 

 

- Ben 

Offline
Last seen: 3 days 12 hours ago
Joined: Dec 19 2008 - 21:01
Posts: 445
I had one recently where
I had one recently where random keys would not work and it turned out to be the top of the fastener that kind of "crimps" the connector was loose. After I pushed it back down well, all the keys worked. Just an idea.

 

Offline
Last seen: 2 hours 41 min ago
Joined: Jun 18 2010 - 13:54
Posts: 873
You said you traced one side

You said you traced one side of the switch back to pin 25 of the encoder. Did you also trace the other side of the switch back to pin 34?

Offline
Last seen: 5 days 18 hours ago
Joined: Jan 28 2023 - 08:33
Posts: 16
I forgot to follow-up on this

I forgot to follow-up on this thread with the solution.  Not until *AFTER* I had gone through & re-flowed ALL the solder joints on the back of the keyboard I was able to find that one of the legs on the Return key was broken on the top-side of the board.  I desoldered that switch & fixed the leg with a piece of 22ga wire.  Now everything works perfectly!  

Thanks for all the suggestions!

- Ben 
Log in or register to post comments