Best way to referb keyboard? Dead 1541's :(

[CrAlt]

I scored a freebee VIC. Problem is that the keys are dirty or something. I have to slam them down or hold them down and move them around until it makes contact.

It looks like this vic was living in a shop or garage since it was covered in grit and soot. Other then the keaboard i think its going to clean up OK and it works. (its the newer type that takes the c64 powersupply.

Can i pull the keys up from the top and clean them that way or is there a better way?

I also scored to 1541's. Both are brain dead. Motor, and both LEDs stay on non-stop with nothing plugged in. I read the 1541 troubleshooting guide and it seems like that isn't a simple fix

I want to have a 2nd VIC system in the living room on the big TV to play games on.

[6502dude]

Can i pull the keys up from the top and clean them that way or is there a better way?

You need to remove case from vic-20, then remove about 20 little phillips screws from bottom side of keyboard. Clean circuit board & contact parts from keys with alchol and resssemble.

I read the 1541 troubleshooting guide and it seems like that isn't a simple fix

This could be many things. Check out Ray Carlson's trouble shooting guide. I would check reset line on CPU to see if it is being held low as first step.

[eslapion]

Concerning the keyboard, I would like to say that cleaning the contacts with alcohol does a good job which is pretty much as good as new.

However, if you really want your keyboard to work as new for a very long time, you should consider using this product.

I used it in my VICs and 64s keyboard and got stunning results.

The rubber contacts in VIC keyboards use ionized rubber which can build carbon over time. This special chemical contains silver which offers a better contact than rubber alone and prevents carbon build-ups.

P.S.: To DQ; no, I don't sell that stuff. I just think its a good product and now more than 2 years after having first used it, I still think its great.

[CrAlt]

Can i pull the keys up from the top and clean them that way or is there a better way?

You need to remove case from vic-20, then remove about 20 little phillips screws from bottom side of keyboard. Clean circuit board & contact parts from keys with alchol and resssemble.

I read the 1541 troubleshooting guide and it seems like that isn't a simple fix

This could be many things. Check out Ray Carlson's trouble shooting guide. I would check reset line on CPU to see if it is being held low as first step.

I did take apart the KB and found the board FULL of crap. Just cleaned the contacts with a paper towel and its way better. The RETURN and SPACEBAR still need some wacking but its at least usable now.

And i think thats the guide i was using. I have 2 drives that act the SAME way. Both came from the same place this VIC came from. I'll crack them open tomorrow and poke around.

eslapion, thanks for the tip on that chemical. I have a few different machines that could use that.

[PaulQ]

Like 6502dude, I've always had excellent results with alcohol. Pencil erasers also tend to do a good job on contacts.

[ral-clan]

Just a quick tip: if the VIA chips in the drives have failed, it may be only one chip per drive (there are two in each drive). You might be able to get two good chips out of the bunch, just keep swapping them around and see what happens.

[eslapion]

Pencil erasers also tend to do a good job on contacts.

I agree. Erasers also remove carbon build-ups from pretty much any contacts and restore conductivity.

[carlsson]

I even find water good enough to clean the keyboard circuit boards. Regarding the carbon though, I've heard the opposite: that the rubber plungers are supposed to be coated with carbon, and if that layer is lost, you can use a graphite spray or a pencil to add a new layer to them. What you describe is the other way around, that the plungers build up carbon residue that needs to be removed after many years of use.

[eslapion]

Regarding the carbon though, I've heard the opposite: that the rubber plungers are supposed to be coated with carbon, and if that layer is lost, you can use a graphite spray or a pencil to add a new layer to them. What you describe is the other way around, that the plungers build up carbon residue that needs to be removed after many years of use.

You don't remove the carbon from the plungers, of course. You remove carbon from the gold plated board onto which it makes a contact.

[ral-clan]

Yeah, that's important to stress. Clean the gold contacts vigorously, but the rubber contacts only lightly. The "black stuff" on the rubber contacts that comes off on your alcohol soaked Q-tip is actually supposed to be there! It is conductive.

[zhx]

I can also attest to the effectiveness of pencil erasers. Alcohol alone didn't seem to do the trick for me.

My keyboard fixing thread here.

[6502dude]

Like 6502dude, I've always had excellent results with alcohol.

Yes, sometimes a save a bit to clean keyboards with.

[eslapion]

PC world posted an article about the C64.

Specifically, we can see the insides of the keyboard here.

Contrarily to the article's claim, these "copper contacts" are really gold plated. If they were bare copper, they would have rusted away.

[6502dude]

If they were bare copper, they would have rusted away.

While copper oxidizes, it is not generally refered to as "rust".

[PaulQ]

If they were bare copper, they would have rusted away.

While copper oxidizes, it is not generally refered to as "rust".

It also doesn't "Rust away;" rather, copper forms a protective layer of oxidization, green in colour, which can preserve it for many thousands of years.