Hi Gary,
What I do is remove the front panel from the instrument, and set
it on a pan to catch the drippings. Then I take a little pump
sprayer, like is used for windex, and liberally hose down the
entire switch area with IPA. While I do this, I push the buttons
multiple times to get the IPA under the springs, and wash out the
remnants of the grease. I then hose it down a couple of times more
with more IPA.
After that is done, I let the panel drip, for a few minutes, and
then blow the IPA off gently with compressed air. The more IPA
you can remove mechanically, the cleaner the springs and switches
will be.
After blowing the IPA off, put the panel in a warm place, and let
the remaining IPA evaporate, and you are back in business.
-Chuck Harris
'Gary Schafer' garyschafer@... [hp_agilent_equipment] wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Chuck,
Are you saying that you can clean the switches with IPA without taking the
keyboard apart or removing it from the instrument? Do you just spray it in
along side of the keys?
I have an HP 3326A with keys that are kind of hard to push.
Thanks
Gary K4FMX
_____
From: hp_agilent_equipment@...
[mailto:hp_agilent_equipment@...]
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 4:56 PM
To: hp_agilent_equipment@...
Subject: Re: [hp_agilent_equipment] Spring loaded Old Style Front Panel
Buttons
I have advocated washing the assembled keyboards with
91 or 99% IPA before on this board. It changes the
character of the keys from something that feels like
you are going to do damage, to something that feels
nice.
I think that HP put the grease on the springs to modify
the feel.... perhaps preferring a strong click? The grease
will stick the spring to the plunger until it abruptly
gives way, and the key pushed down.
I think it was a bad idea given the adverse long term
effects of dried grease.
I have left all of my keyboards dry, and they seem
perfect.
-Chuck Harris
Barry n4buq@... [hp_agilent_equipment] wrote:
Hi Adrian,
Okay - I may give that a try. I wonder if there was any grease originally
in the
mechanisms that has dried up and possibly should be replaced after
cleaning?
Thanks, Barry - N4BUQ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adrian Nicol fenland787@... [hp_agilent_equipment]"
<hp_agilent_equipment@...> To: "hp agilent equipment"
<hp_agilent_equipment@...> Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
9:52:43 AM Subject: Re: [hp_agilent_equipment] Spring loaded Old Style
Front
Panel Buttons
Hi Barry, short answer is yes, that is the reason and the fix is dead
easy and
really effective, if my experience is anything to go by. There is a
parallel
thread running where I and others have posted their solutions - I just
did a
3456A and 3455A as well as an 8566A and other gear - but this is what I
did:
Remove the switch PCB from the panel, flood spray the switches with IPA
(Isoprop
alcohol) and operate each a few times, within just three or four
operations they
free up like magic going from clunky
'feels-like-something-is-about-to-bust' to
almost silky smooth! Then blow it off with an air-gun and give it another
dose
for luck. Works for me anyway!
On Wednesday, February 24, 2016 3:09 PM, "Chuck Harris cfharris@...
[hp_agilent_equipment]" <hp_agilent_equipment@...> wrote:
