Tom Gardner (nospam) wrote:
Is there any way to repair those membrane keyboard switches with the
carbon-like button that makes contact on a PCB? Sometimes cleaning them
works but not always and now I'm in danger of getting MY remote commandeered
due to a faulty remote in somebody else's possession. It seems that there
is a deposit on the PCB that is also affected and the button seems to be
non-conductive anymore.

Before the advent of cheap universal remotes, I did a fair amount of
this. One of the problems is that the carbon buttons tend to be a
little abrasive, I've seen remotes where the metal was entirely removed
from the circuit board on the more heavily used buttons. This can be
temporarily repaired with some metallic circuit board paint but it
isn't a real fix. A lot depends on what the pattern is under the
buttons. Some have a spot that has a split down the center, some have
a double spiral. Obviously, the split spot will be easier to paint
than a double spiral. They make a kit for repair of these, Chemtronics
has it. Last retail I saw on it was like $25, which would get you a
couple of universal remotes from wally world with change left over.
When remotes were like $80 for a factory replacement, they were worth
working on. For $10 or less, pick up a universal that glows in the
dark... If the isopropyl alchohol doesn't work, bin the thing.

Stan