Remote Controller malfunction

[risto]

Hi there,

I have some problem with my remote controller of my micro hifi (Pioneer X-HM11).

Certain buttons do not work, certain ones do. The solution might not be the straightforward "just disassemble and clean it", since I did it multiple times and the issue still persists.

The problem started with the (most frequently used) volume up and down buttons , they started to function only after being pressed hard(er and harder).

I washed the circuit board with 97% alcohol (many times, very thourougly), cleaned the rubber part (no buttons are stuck), but some buttons stopped working at all (e.g. the volume up and down).

I checked the signal transmitter with my camera, it works perfectly for the working buttons, and gives no signal for the nonfunctional ones.

Sometimes, when pressed really hard, some ("nonfunctional") buttons work. Sometimes.

I think I can buy a spare controller, but I am curious what the problem might be. Anyone any ideas? Into the rubbish?

Thank you very much for your answer!

Images:

https://i.ibb.co/SK9KMvc/pioneer.jpg

 

[Lightium]

You'll have to gently take it apart and clean the contacts of the keyboard.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

The conductive rubber has worn off, you used to be able to buy special conductive 'paint' to repair them? - no idea if you still can?.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

The rubber buttons probably have (or had) a layer of conductive rubber added, to short the contact tracks on the PCB when pressed.

That can just wear away over time, until the contacts stop working.

If that is the problem, you can get various "repair kits" with either conductive rubber pain or stick-on conductive rubber pads, to replace the lost material.

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(Similar items are available from Amazon, Aliexpress etc).


Otherwise, it may be that the conductive ink links on the PCB are failing.. It's a cost-saving idea rather than using a proper double-sides PCB, but not as reliable..

 

[Lightium]

The conductive paint I have I got from MG Chemicals, I believe.

 

[risto]

Thanks for all the replies above. But 100% it's not about the rubber unfortunately. No rubber button is working when placed and pressed on any of the nonfunctioning buttons , and any of the rubber buttons is working when placed on functioning ones.

So it has to be related to the circuit board I guess. Might be a weak joint somewhere or the conductive ink links rjenkinsgb has referred to, hm-hm.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Probably the conductive ink links then?, you should be able to test for a connection between the PCB switch contacts, and the pins of the chip.

 

[risto]

Do you mean, for instance between these two points?

I've just measured the resistance between one of the nonfunctioning contacts (on the image, the volume down button) and (one of) the pins of the chip => ~short circuit, they seem to be connected.

Maybe it's not the conductive ink links then?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

What about the other side of the pcb switch contact?, does that go to another pin on the chip as well (as all the switches will be multiplexed).

 

[risto]

I gave it a few more attempts and it is working now, after drawing on the conductive ink links with pencil... (only those buttons - whose appropriate ink link parts I drew upon).

Thanks for all the help above!