[5355]Help for reinstalling the keyboard keys after cleaning

[qwak]

Hi,

I have a Esprimo V5535. I had an awful accident spilling a bit of coca=cola over the keyboard. It was ON and very quickly turned it off. So I dont know if it will still work.

I put it upside down for a couple of hours to dry it and later pulled all the keys out and cleaned and dried the coca=cola carefully with cotton sticks for the ears and a bit of alcohol.

Now looks dry and I need to reinstall the keys. But the system is complicated. Every key has a couple of plastic pieces underneath in a very difficult way to be re=ensambled if you have pulled them out accidentally when pulling the key out.

And of ourse, I have pulled a few of those plastic pieces out and I don-t see how to re=ensamble them.

Does anyone know if there is any manual or graphics or photos which show how to do it?

Besides, Id like to take the opportunity to remove the hairs that are spread and stick around under the keys. If you knew of a non aggresive method please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

[pecko88]

I would be interested for this kind of info as well.
Many times I wanted to clean my keyboard inside/out, but I never had the courage to remove the keys...

@qwak, can you please make samo pics...?
If nothing more, at least a look at the removed keys might help...

[atarian]

hi

all the keyboards i've come across are push fit. line they key up and gently push down. i've not come across any that arent...

except zx81 - rubberkeyboard and atari 400 type that has touch pads.

think about it its cheaper to make keys for dif countries that the whole unit.

if youve removed the keys can you see a way of removing the top panel above the keyboard where the on button are or even remove the keyboard itself?

Steve

[qwak]

You didn-t understand the problem.

The problem is that underneath each key there is a set of two plastic pieces ensambled one inside of the other.

When pulling the key out, you accidentally pull out those two pieces as well many times. And the main problem is how to re-ensamble them because they are sort of microscopic and crucial.

So, yes, when you haven-t pulled out those two pieces it is easy to reinsert the keys by pressing them in. Still it-s scary.

I turned it on this morning and at least it works well, but without the keyboard. I called the F-S technical service asking for the price of a new keyboard. It might be the final chance. I hope it-s not expensive. Do you know the price in Germany or USA or any Western country?

I-ll try to remember to make some pics now but still will take time to upload them because the bluetooth is in the laptop and have no cable from mobile phone to computer.

Still, if anyone knows about how to ensamble these two pices underneath the keys please let me(us) know.

[qwak]

OK, I managed to open the keyboard, clean it and reinstall the keys. The laptop works perfectly well and every key is perfectly back in its place. I leave here all this information in case someone else has a similar problem.

It is a highly risky and time and patience consuming job but can be done. You can always buy a new keyboard or take it to the workshop but you can try to save the money.

These are my advices and instructions:

1- If some liquid has spilled in yor keyboard, turn it off immediately (if On) put it upside down, clean with highly absorbing paper as much as possible (while upside down) and leave it upside down with the screen wide open over a newspaper for some time (I left it for some hours).

2- Once it's apparently dry it will still be wet inside. Some people advice to let it dry for some days. I prefered to open and clean.

3- Draw the keyboard in a paper to remember later where each key goes.

4- To remove the keys, just pull carefully with a knife or screw driver. There is no way to make it easy and you'll suffer afraid of breaking it, but the keys are flexible and didn't happen to me.

5- When you pull out the keys you will notice that some plastic pieces behind come out as well or you have left them disadjusted. If so, take everything out because it must all be fixed.

6- Once all keys bare out, get cotton sticks for the ears and carefully wet them in alcohol. Not too damp or it will drop around too much. Just humid. Clean the panel carefully. Try removing the dirt and hairs as well. Alcohol is better than Coke, Coffee, etc. It is very volatile and will evaporate soon. The sugar in the drinks make it all sticky. Clean it well taking your time. Then let it dry completely. I also cleaned all the keys with alcohol one by one.

7- This is a photo of my Esprimo without the keys.



8- A closer look.



9- Some plastic pieces were accidentally removed and they are difficult to fix but can be done.



10- A closer look. Try to notice this position of each piece and the pins in the sides.



11- With both hands nd carefully insert the samll piece inside the other. They are flexible, so pull and push a bit to insert the left pin and lower part first and then press to insert the right pin. The pins go inside the tiny holes in the other piece. I was lucky or the pins and pieces are very well donde but none of them broke.




12- Ensamble in this position and insert in the keyboard. Press firmly strating from the upper part and then the lower. Then press firmly from above.



13- After placing the plastic pieces in the keyboard, insert the keys. Be careful when pressing but not too afraid, they are flexible and don't break easily. I pressed a lot here and there until they got perfectly placed. If they don't look èrfect, check the plastic pieces under neath and see if they have got disadjusted. Try many times until you make it. You must here a clear click and see it is perfectly even. Some keys are more difficult (like the space bar) because they have a tiny metal bar underneath that you must first insert in the holes in the keyboard before pressing the key. Just be patient. It's not too difficult.










14- Ready. Good luck.

[amater]

Excellent tutorial qwak !!! Great work.

If I had seen your question sooner, I could help you out as I have disassembled and resembled hundreds of keyboards (we had to print local characters on the keys and for this we had to remove them).

My biggest problem was that in some cases, the pins (as seen on your picture 4) broke some times (or at least one of them) thus the key could not be fitted back on.

Also the "plastics" under the keyboard can differ from one notebook to another - the ones you have are one of the simplest I've seen.

To minimize the damage when removing the keys you have to use a special U shaped tool (tweezers). With this tool you can lift out the key on both sides at the same time thus not pulling the plastics under the key out.

It is time consuming, but it can be done.

As with all spills I always suggest to remove the keyboard completely and then clean underneath the keyboard as well - the keyboard itself has holes (except if you have a model with a spill prof keyboard) and liquid comes underneath it.

[qwak]

Thanks amater.

Could you explain how to clean under the keyboard? I am not experienced at all and I fear to do some damage.

Thanks again.

[pecko88]

Excelent info....

[kyle98]

Here is also a link to a tutorial from a company who sell individual keys , i order many times from them:)
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=laptopkeycom#p/u/39/iHHcOxTRXng