Spilt a drink on my keyboard - Cherry keyswitches washable? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 08:07:27 pm
content: I spilt coffee on my keyboard for the umpteenth timeusually it's water or tea lol. It's a Cooler Master Storm with Cherry MX keyswitches.What I do is unplug the USB, take the keyboard apart and toss it in the bathtub, shower wand hose it down, which also flushes out the dirt, crumbs etc. Swear and cuss profusely.Then I shake it off and let it air dry for a couple days or bake it overnight. This works fine, no problems after doing this a few times.But I wondered if the keyswitches are actually washable? Their design is from decades ago. Today, a no-clean process would be used but in the 80's it would've had a CFC-113 solvent wash cycle.From a randomMX datasheet:Flux: Fry type GR8 applied by foaming.5. CleaningA. Fry GR8 is non-hygroscopic flux and does not require cleaningB. If cleaning is required on isolated areas such as finger connector, cold cleaning by hand with Alpha 564 is recommended. Care must be taken to avoid solvent entering the keymodule."There is no Fry GR8 info, never heard of foaming flux application. For large through-hole parts, wash/vent holes I would expect or the keymodule gaps are enoughJust a curiosity.CherryMX.deis more about marketing to gamers they have no decent datasheets.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 08:32:40 pm
content: Well, distilled water is probably no problem as long as you let it dry properly. But tap water... That's not so good IMO. Depends on were you live, but tap water always contains minerals and will leave a residue when drying. After doing that a few times, ...

author: ealex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 08:50:21 pm
content: i've used alcohol to clean mine ... after it got soaked in beer (enough to trigger the USB over-current protection)i did not use tap water, as it's very hard and highly chlorinated - just disassembly, flush with denatured ethanol (way cheaper than IPA, but very hygroscopic), flush with clean IPA, then let it dry in a warm place.distilled water might have been enough, but I did not have any available at that time.it looks like it was enough to keep it working, as it happened more than a year ago.

author: bborisov567
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 09:29:08 pm
content: Type of water is not such a problem, it is just a switch, there is not sensitive curcuitry. Just make sure that you leave them to dry enough, at least a week at room temperature.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 09:38:54 pm
content: Quote from: bborisov567 on December 28, 2021, 09:29:08 pmActually switches are among the things most sensitive to contamination. Contamination on the contact surfaces will result in a bad contact. And nope, non hermetic switches are not washable, since cleaning agent will bring contaminants inside and then it's really hard to completely get them out from enclosed box.

author: bborisov567
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 11:19:55 pm
content: A problem might occur only if high current is going through the switch, not the case with keyboards. Also with mechanical switches there is always friction between the contacts which will clean the residue from tap water.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 11:26:10 pm
content: I've cleaned electronic stuff many ways, by hand, slosh around in the bathtub, dishwasher, you name it. But I always do a thorough final rinse with distilled water. I've never had any problems that could be blamed on the cleaning. Distilled water is cheap, I keep a few gallons around at all times.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 03:04:41 am
content: What your keyboard needs is a good dousing in…. Cherry Aid. 😛

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 04:29:13 am
content: If I may, I'd like to proffer some advice re drinking at a computer: I always put my drink about one hand length BEYOND my arms length, so I have to lean right forward and make a concerted effort to reach said drink.It may sound over the top, but I also grab the cup firmly, VERY much in an overly aware sense, and swoop it around in a deliberate outward arc, at arms length, to my drink takes a "flight path" that is a deliberate arc that goes outward, and then back toward me once it's well away from the desk area.It sounds far more long-winded and OCD than it is. It's a quick, instinctive but considered way of taking almost NO chances with drinks.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 05:32:18 am
content: Contact cleaner spray (usually it's some chlorocarbon solvent) will work to remove any contaminants, but may also remove any lubrication they may have had.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 08:21:30 am
content: Quote from: bborisov567 on December 28, 2021, 11:19:55 pmExactly opposite. High current can clean the contamination. Not the case with low current and voltage.

author: bborisov567
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 07:25:12 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on December 29, 2021, 08:21:30 amHigh voltage cleans contamination. Current won't even go when the resistance is too high.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 10:51:33 pm
content: Quote from: bborisov567 on December 28, 2021, 11:19:55 pmSignificant friction would only occur on wiping contacts, MX switch does not using wiping contacts. This is why tactile/limit switches are always kept well sealed.http://xahlee.info/kbd/ikm/Cherry_MX_Brown_v004_j3qr3.gifQuotehttps://inspectapedia.com/heat/Limit-Switches-%20Basics-Eaton.pdfhttps://sensing.honeywell.com/honeywell-sensing-basic-switches-general-technical-bulletin-001017-2-en2.pdf

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2021, 02:44:07 am
content: I think the switch currents are the pullup value in the MCU say 30-50k ohms at 5V. At first, I had to fix some broken solder joints/dead keys. The board was covered in flux, your usual messy PC board so leakage currents aren't enough to be a problem.After the shower scene, water deposit marks are hard to see but who knows what goes on inside the key module, if gold is involved or how much friction happens. Some are rated 100M cycle lifetime. I don't see a vent so how water vapour gets out is still a puzzle.Good.gif'sof the mech of each type.