Icom IC04E. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

G1RAO keith · 7th Apr 2017, 5:33 pm

Hi all
Any thoughts on how I can repair my IC04E keypad, two of the keys refuse to work even pressing them hard. I have the set in bits and I don't want to keep building it back up and then pulling it apart, because the display falls off and its a pig of a job trying to realign it. I have tested the resistance on the back of all the keys it varies of course depending on the pressure I apply. The two faulty keys read a few K ohms, not far away from the keys that work. Is it somehow possible to re coat the back of the keys with the grey looking coating. I am reluctant to rub it in case I make it worse.
Regards, Keith.

7th Apr 2017, 5:39 pm

They (those rubber keys) often get contaminated, a gentle clean with kitchen squirty stuff usually does the job.

Omegaman · 7th Apr 2017, 5:51 pm

I've successfully repaired these with a small spot of glue (UHU or similar) and then rubbing a pencil on fine sandpaper so the dust falls on the glue.
When the glue has dried, seems to work well.

SiriusHardware · 7th Apr 2017, 6:08 pm

Or, there are commercially made liquid solutions, often marketed as 'remote control repair' solution or similar. Whatever you use, it needs to be something which dries flexible rather than hard and shell-like because when you squash something like that it will gradually break up and shed little conductive particles inside the keypad assembly and eventually throughout the rest of the equipment.

Another possibility is to get the rubber contact mat from a surplus but working remote control (or a new bargain shop cheapie), slice off the original dead conductive pill from the original button membrane sheet and transplant (i.e., carefully place and glue) a new pill taken from the 'donor' contact mat.

Cleaning them is often a short term solution, indeed sometimes you can make them worse by inadvertently removing what little remains of the conductive coating.

I feel your pain, because I have an otherwise working Icom ICW-21ET which is essentially disabled due to failure of the keypad button membrane. I had already replaced this item once, I should have obtained more spares when they were still available.

G1RAO keith · 7th Apr 2017, 7:06 pm

Hi
Thanks for the help I may try cleaning it,I don't use the set very much.I have left inquiries at a couple of icom suppliers, I will see if I get any response before I go any further.regards Keith.

Goldieoldie · 7th Apr 2017, 10:31 pm

There is this conductive glue ( I have not tried it).Might be worth a try .It does say it can repair membrane switches
eBay item 222456881212

julie_m · 7th Apr 2017, 11:04 pm

I have done a successful repair of a bicycle lamp switch (exactly the same principle as a remote control keypad: conductive rubber pad suspended above tinned traces on the PCB by the domed rubber button) using a black conductive pad robbed from a broken TV remote that I just happened to find in the street.

Outrun_uk · 8th Apr 2017, 10:24 am

This works well for repairing the conductive pad type keys:-

http://http://cpc.farnell.com/bare-conductive/epaint-pen10/electric-paint-pen-10ml/dp/MK00208

G1RAO keith · 8th Apr 2017, 6:39 pm

Hi some good ideas there everyone thanks for the info.regards keith

G1RAO keith · 4th May 2017, 8:55 pm

Hi mods this can now be closed problem resolved.thanks.

7th Apr 2017, 5:33 pm	#1
G1RAO keith Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bury, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 138	Icom IC04E. Hi all Any thoughts on how I can repair my IC04E keypad, two of the keys refuse to work even pressing them hard. I have the set in bits and I don't want to keep building it back up and then pulling it apart, because the display falls off and its a pig of a job trying to realign it. I have tested the resistance on the back of all the keys it varies of course depending on the pressure I apply. The two faulty keys read a few K ohms, not far away from the keys that work. Is it somehow possible to re coat the back of the keys with the grey looking coating. I am reluctant to rub it in case I make it worse. Regards, Keith.

7th Apr 2017, 5:39 pm	#2
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Icom ic04e They (those rubber keys) often get contaminated, a gentle clean with kitchen squirty stuff usually does the job.

7th Apr 2017, 5:51 pm	#3
Omegaman Hexode Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 250	Re: Icom ic04e I've successfully repaired these with a small spot of glue (UHU or similar) and then rubbing a pencil on fine sandpaper so the dust falls on the glue. When the glue has dried, seems to work well. __________________ Howard G7AJN/M3OCL "How hard can it be?" - Jeremy Clarkson

7th Apr 2017, 6:08 pm	#4
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,546	Re: Icom IC04E. Or, there are commercially made liquid solutions, often marketed as 'remote control repair' solution or similar. Whatever you use, it needs to be something which dries flexible rather than hard and shell-like because when you squash something like that it will gradually break up and shed little conductive particles inside the keypad assembly and eventually throughout the rest of the equipment. Another possibility is to get the rubber contact mat from a surplus but working remote control (or a new bargain shop cheapie), slice off the original dead conductive pill from the original button membrane sheet and transplant (i.e., carefully place and glue) a new pill taken from the 'donor' contact mat. Cleaning them is often a short term solution, indeed sometimes you can make them worse by inadvertently removing what little remains of the conductive coating. I feel your pain, because I have an otherwise working Icom ICW-21ET which is essentially disabled due to failure of the keypad button membrane. I had already replaced this item once, I should have obtained more spares when they were still available.

7th Apr 2017, 7:06 pm	#5
G1RAO keith Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bury, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 138	Re: Icom IC04E. Hi Thanks for the help I may try cleaning it,I don't use the set very much.I have left inquiries at a couple of icom suppliers, I will see if I get any response before I go any further.regards Keith.

7th Apr 2017, 10:31 pm	#6
Goldieoldie Octode Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Petersfield, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,043	Re: Icom IC04E. There is this conductive glue ( I have not tried it).Might be worth a try .It does say it can repair membrane switches eBay item 222456881212

7th Apr 2017, 11:04 pm	#7
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Icom IC04E. I have done a successful repair of a bicycle lamp switch (exactly the same principle as a remote control keypad: conductive rubber pad suspended above tinned traces on the PCB by the domed rubber button) using a black conductive pad robbed from a broken TV remote that I just happened to find in the street. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

8th Apr 2017, 10:24 am	#8
Outrun_uk Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 705	Re: Icom IC04E. This works well for repairing the conductive pad type keys:- http://http://cpc.farnell.com/bare-conductive/epaint-pen10/electric-paint-pen-10ml/dp/MK00208

8th Apr 2017, 6:39 pm	#9
G1RAO keith Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bury, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 138	Re: Icom IC04E. Hi some good ideas there everyone thanks for the info.regards keith

4th May 2017, 8:55 pm	#10
G1RAO keith Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bury, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 138	Re: Icom IC04E. Hi mods this can now be closed problem resolved.thanks.