Alcohol and AL

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
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gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Alcohol and AL

Post by gammaray »

If anyone has any ideas about using alcohol to clean the keyboard membrane contacts let me tell you my simple story. Spirits can be used on you while you clean the contacts with a non-alcoholic beverage.
"Son some keys on my keyboard on my Timex 1500 does not work!"

"Dont worry I'll check it out."

After opening case, "Maybe the contacts are dirty? Ill get the rubbing alcohol and clean them!" (Even though the unit is not even a year old and there is no fan.)

Son grabs a cotton swab and dips into bottle, pulls out contacts and starts scrubbing.

"Oh no the contacts are disappearing.", the son says grimly and under his breath. A dark shadow passes over his soul.

"It does not work any more mother."

Son puts computer (doesn't have a real keyboard) together and it gets put into a box in the closet for the next 30 years.

...

SMR produces a replacement keyboard and son renews involvement in 8-bit computing of the Sinclair variety.

"Mom do you have that Timex computer still?" "Oh I don't know", she says.

"Could you please look for it, I can fix the keyboard now!"

"Sure. I don't have any interest in using it."

The son thinks it was a long wait but he finally got his inheritance, early.


Turns out alcohol dissolves aluminized surfaces or components. As a result, i have not tried and am not going to try alcohol on the other generation of membranes in the ZX81, Spectrum or the new modern replacements.
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
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1024MAK
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Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:56 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Alcohol and AL

Post by 1024MAK »

Nooo! Keep solvents away from membranes :o

Only use (mild) soapy water on membrane keyboards ;)
Follow with a rinse of clean water. Unless you live in a soft water area, I suggest deminiaturised water is used. Otherwise ensure that the water droplets are wiped off with a lint free cloth.

Also with some plastic model railway parts (points/switches), they "melt" with solvents (no guessing how I know that....!).

Mark
ZX81 Variations
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Looking forward to summer later in the year.
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gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Alcohol and AL

Post by gammaray »

:lol:
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
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