REMOTE CONTROLS - HOW TO REPAIR and CLEAN THEM

REMOTE CONTROLS - HOW TO REPAIR and CLEAN THEM

Replacing Infrared (IR) remotes can sometimes be avoided by trying to repair them yourself using the cleaning procedures oulined below.

There are usually 2 problems with remotes.

1.The Liquid spill

Someone drops pop, beer, or any other beverage on them or they get dropped in a sink, toilet or in a bathtub.

2. The Dirt Factor

They get messed up with dirty fingers, dust in the air, and simply by aging causing some buttons to quit functioning.

Background:

Most remotes are constructed with a piece of molded rubber that on the side that we see, are what we know to be the colored buttons (on/off, Channel up/down, Etc.) On the backside of this same molded rubber, opposite each button the rubber is coated with a conductive substance (usually black) so that when the button is depressed this conductive substance is pressed against, and makes contact across the remotes printed circuit contact surface for that function. This area is usually where the problems occur. Dirt or foreign substances prevent the conductive rubber from making contact with the printed board surface, this is why we have to keep pushing the buttons harder and harder until they will not work any more.

CLEANING PHASE #1

If the water was clean, and the remote was functioning well before the accident. Remove the batteries, leave the battery cover OFF, Shake out any excess water you can through the battery opening, and do "DRYING" below.

DRYING

Set in a warm drafty place for a few hours (I use my homes forced air heating floor register in the winter, and in the summer place outside in a sunny place). Or as a last resort, bake in your kitchen oven at 100 degrees for at least 4 hours. Put batteries back in and test.

CLEANING PHASE #2

If cleaning stage #1 failed, or remote is dirty, you have spilled beer, wine, soda etc. on the remote, and you can do this it MAY work. In a kitchen sink, with fresh hot water and 1/2 the LIQUID SOAP you would use to do the dishes. Remove batteries and cover completely submerge the remote and let it soak for 45 minutes. Then with the remote full of water, put the battery cover on and shake it, Shake it, remove the battery cover, drain the water, repeat the process. Now rinse with CLEAR warm water, flushing the remote out by running the water warm into the battery cover opening. Shake out any excess water you can through the battery opening, and do "DRYING" above. NOTE: I have had allot of success with a large Ultrasonic cleaner that can be substituted for the Kitchen sink, and clear water used for rinse.

CLEANING PHASE #3

With this you have tried phase 1 & 2 and remote replacement is eminent and you have nothing to loose. Remove the batteries and cover. Open the remote by: carefully inspecting the remotes case for screws and hidden screws. Screws are hidden in the battery compartment and under paper labels usually on the back of the remote. If the remote has these screws, remove them. The cases fit together by the bottom cover being slightly smaller and fitting into the top cover and then with a series of indentations and bumps they snap together. To separate then I use my pocketknife's small blade. I then carefully work the blade between the upper and lower case and slide it along the case, popping the case apart (this is the most difficult part). Once apart, the printed circuit board will usually stay with the back of the remote and the rubber will remain with the front. The Front case, gently separate the rubber from the plastic case and set aside, next gently remove the printed circuit from the back case.

NOTE: the battery contacts usually holds them together. Cleaning, using warm to hot water and mild dish washing liquid, put in 1/2 the amount of detergent you usually use for dish washing. Soak the cases and the rubber, with a small cut off paint brush (width = approx. 1 Inch) or acid brush clean the 2 cases and THE BUTTON SIDE ONLY of the rubber. Rinse well in warm clear water and dry, PAT ONLY, the non-button conductive side of the rubber, DO NOT WIPE. Dry the parts as in "drying" above. Once dry using "Q" tip cotton swabs and Rubbing alcohol, clean the Printed circuit board where the conductive rubber pad buttons touch them and clean the conductive side of the rubber with the q-tips and alcohol. Repeat the process twice using fresh q-tips and fresh alcohol, let dry and carefully re-assemble taking care not to touch the conductive rubber or printed circuit pads. Install batteries and test.