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Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
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#1
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Remote Keypad Restorer
Has anyone ever used this Circuitworks Remote Keypad Restorer? I ordered a
couple units of it, as I had a large pile of valuable OEM remotes that I wanted to refurbish and sell. The stuff seems to work great, well worth the money, but it says I can only use it for 72 hours after mixing. Trouble is, the stuff is going a lot further than I expected (done 100+ keys so far and still have 75% or more left), and there's no way I'm going to use it up within 72 hours. I wondered if there's anyway to make it last longer. Is it as simple as sealing the cover with tape, to prevent evaporation? Or is there some solvent I could add to the mixture to keep it moist? According to the label, the main solvent is Methyl Alcohol. I have some 70% Methanol here, but of course that's 30% water. Then I have some 99.9% Isopropanol, but I'm not sure if that's chemically compatible. Or maybe there's no point in trying, maybe I should be satisfied to fix 20-30 remotes with the one kit, and not worry about wasted product...... Thanks for any advice. -- To reply via Email, remove NOSPAM from the address |
#2
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Remote Keypad Restorer
Is the chemical supposed to clean the surface so the conductive rubber
is exposed from under the dirt, or is it supposed to deposit a new conductive material on the surface??? IF it is only cleaning, then you wasted moneyu buying something that is readily available at any hardware store, so don't worry about saving it. H. R. Hofmann |
#3
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Remote Keypad Restorer
It doesn't do any cleaning, it just creates a new conductive surface. Any
required cleaning must be done manually before applying. The stuff is basically a carbon-based goo with some added silver, and a couple of solvents to keep it in liquid form. In theory, adding some more solvent should keep it wet almost indefinately. But I'm not a chemist, and I didn't design this product, so I can't say for sure. wrote in message ups.com... Is the chemical supposed to clean the surface so the conductive rubber is exposed from under the dirt, or is it supposed to deposit a new conductive material on the surface??? IF it is only cleaning, then you wasted moneyu buying something that is readily available at any hardware store, so don't worry about saving it. H. R. Hofmann |
#4
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Remote Keypad Restorer
wrote in message ups.com... Is the chemical supposed to clean the surface so the conductive rubber is exposed from under the dirt, or is it supposed to deposit a new conductive material on the surface??? http://www.chemtronics.com/products/product.asp?id=32 "forms a tough, flexible, wear-resistant surface" I assume this is the same product as the OP's "restorer". |
#5
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Remote Keypad Restorer
"Ray L. Volts" wrote in message news:EA48g.123$Fh.50@trnddc02... wrote in message ups.com... Is the chemical supposed to clean the surface so the conductive rubber is exposed from under the dirt, or is it supposed to deposit a new conductive material on the surface??? http://www.chemtronics.com/products/product.asp?id=32 "forms a tough, flexible, wear-resistant surface" I assume this is the same product as the OP's "restorer". oops, that link defaults to their front page.. owell, u can easily find the product after u enter your region specs... |
#6
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Remote Keypad Restorer
"Chris F." wrote in message ... It doesn't do any cleaning, it just creates a new conductive surface. Any required cleaning must be done manually before applying. The stuff is basically a carbon-based goo with some added silver, and a couple of solvents to keep it in liquid form. In theory, adding some more solvent should keep it wet almost indefinately. But I'm not a chemist, and I didn't design this product, so I can't say for sure. Depends on the binders used. Sometimes u can simply add the solvent, other times u can't, at least not very effectively w/o knowing the precise original formula and then calculating the required amount of additives for the exact amount of product remaining. Of course, if you've gotten your money's worth already out of 20+ remote repairs, it's not gonna waste a lot of money to experiment. Just remember to use adequate ventilation when experimenting with unknown reactions. I haven't used any of this product personally, but if the stuff is anything like GC's Nickel Print, et al, I think you're gonna be fighting a losing battle trying to make it last long after the designed-in shelf life. Good luck. |
#7
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Remote Keypad Restorer
"Chris F." wrote in message ... Has anyone ever used this Circuitworks Remote Keypad Restorer? I ordered a couple units of it, as I had a large pile of valuable OEM remotes that I wanted to refurbish and sell. The stuff seems to work great, well worth the money, but it says I can only use it for 72 hours after mixing. Trouble is, the stuff is going a lot further than I expected (done 100+ keys so far and still have 75% or more left), and there's no way I'm going to use it up within 72 hours. I wondered if there's anyway to make it last longer. Is it as simple as sealing the cover with tape, to prevent evaporation? Or is there some solvent I could add to the mixture to keep it moist? According to the label, the main solvent is Methyl Alcohol. I have some 70% Methanol here, but of course that's 30% water. Then I have some 99.9% Isopropanol, but I'm not sure if that's chemically compatible. Or maybe there's no point in trying, maybe I should be satisfied to fix 20-30 remotes with the one kit, and not worry about wasted product...... Thanks for any advice. -- May be just a bum steer, but you could try keeping it in the fridge. Seems to slow down or suspend many slow chemical reactions. Worth a try. Arfa To reply via Email, remove NOSPAM from the address |
#8
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Remote Keypad Restorer
I tried adding some MG Safety Wash (a blend of alcohols), it seems to keep
it moist and do the job. The only thing is that the applied product dries a bit faster, so it may not bond as well to the keypads, only time will tell. The repairs are rated to 500,000 keystrokes, so if this trick cuts the life by half, it wouldn't really matter anyway. Chances are the consumer won't keep the appliance long enough to wear out the repaired keys........ "Ray L. Volts" wrote in message news:%O48g.126$Fh.118@trnddc02... "Chris F." wrote in message ... It doesn't do any cleaning, it just creates a new conductive surface. Any required cleaning must be done manually before applying. The stuff is basically a carbon-based goo with some added silver, and a couple of solvents to keep it in liquid form. In theory, adding some more solvent should keep it wet almost indefinately. But I'm not a chemist, and I didn't design this product, so I can't say for sure. Depends on the binders used. Sometimes u can simply add the solvent, other times u can't, at least not very effectively w/o knowing the precise original formula and then calculating the required amount of additives for the exact amount of product remaining. Of course, if you've gotten your money's worth already out of 20+ remote repairs, it's not gonna waste a lot of money to experiment. Just remember to use adequate ventilation when experimenting with unknown reactions. I haven't used any of this product personally, but if the stuff is anything like GC's Nickel Print, et al, I think you're gonna be fighting a losing battle trying to make it last long after the designed-in shelf life. Good luck. |
#9
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Remote Keypad Restorer
"Chris F." wrote in message ... I tried adding some MG Safety Wash (a blend of alcohols), it seems to keep it moist and do the job. The only thing is that the applied product dries a bit faster, so it may not bond as well to the keypads, only time will tell. The repairs are rated to 500,000 keystrokes, so if this trick cuts the life by half, it wouldn't really matter anyway. Chances are the consumer won't keep the appliance long enough to wear out the repaired keys........ The biggest prob with these rubber keypads seems to be dirty/oily contacts. I see this much more often than actual worn out contact surfaces. Has anyone figured out exactly what this oily substance is that leaches out of the rubber onto the carbon pad and traces? I wonder if it could be residual mold release being squeezed out of the rubber when pressure is applied. Or perhaps finger oils somehow filtered thru the soft rubber. Whatever it is, it takes time and apparently usage to appear. Open up a new remote that's been on the department store shelf for 2 years and u won't find this. Open up a 2-year old (or younger) remote that's been used everyday and u likely will see it. |
#10
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Remote Keypad Restorer
The biggest prob with these rubber keypads seems to be dirty/oily
contacts. I see this much more often than actual worn out contact surfaces. Has anyone figured out exactly what this oily substance is that leaches out of the rubber onto the carbon pad and traces? I wonder if it could be residual mold release being squeezed out of the rubber when pressure is applied. Or perhaps finger oils somehow filtered thru the soft rubber. Whatever it is, it takes time and apparently usage to appear. Open up a new remote that's been on the department store shelf for 2 years and u won't find this. Open up a 2-year old (or younger) remote that's been used everyday and u likely will see it. Could be oils soaking through the rubber. Most of my remotes have had things spilled inside, and when I attempt to clean them the ultra-thin coating comes off with the grime. And the worn-out buttons are usually the most-used ones: power, vol +/-, and channel +/-. It's amazing how dirty remote controls can get. You'd think people never washed their hands at all. |
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