Is There a Way to Repair the Push Buttons on a LCD Monitor?

Question by fred: Is there a way to repair the push buttons on a LCD monitor?
The plastic parts are ok, but the microcircuit buttons on the inside are not working, or only work sometimes. I have a really high end monitor and am getting almost no results from the manufacturer support.

Best answer:

Answer by Onlyintheaters
Hi There. Tell you a story. I had a Dell which was decent, I had the worst time trying to get through DELL to purchase the push button circuitboard on the bottom right. My physical buttons were ok also, but when I would turn it on (or try to) it sometimes would or wouldn’t work. I also would get the OSD popping up in the middle of the screen.

One day when it was just ‘Kaput’ I figured I’d tear it apart and see what I could do. I was amazed at how small the circuitboard was, and the was it was assembled, one could break it so quickly. So make sure you find another website on how to ‘crack’ (open not break) the lcd bezels.

So I had an issue a year ago with the control knobs on my Guitar Amplifier beig “Scratchy” or fading out. That research led me to “Electrical Pot Cleaner”

Back to the lcd, I figured I’d marry the two, the instructions for the pot cleaner seemed appropriate for this, so I fashioned a peice of Aluminum foil into a ‘dish’ and carefully saturated the REMOVED circuit board with the cleaner, folded it up in the tin foil till it was ‘submerged’ in the stuff then when I knew the tin foil was all sealed (like a stick of gum wrapper) I shook it for about ten minutes.

I opened it up, patted it off and found an old drinking straw to blow bursts of air in the buttons (the two metal peices on the curcuit board) [I say burst of air because if you blow through a straw too long condensation (water) builds up and you dont want to “Inject” the buttons with a drop of water after all this work.

Tested unassembled for propper continuity and function and voila….been a year with no issues!

I firmly believe that the manufacturers add ‘sticky’ things to affect the functionality, and know that they supply just enough overwattage through the buttons to cause multiple things like electrical-corrosion on the back side of the buttons, and adhesive to get so sticky is melts into the buttons.

The electrical contact cleaner/ Pots cleaner can be found at every Guitar Center. And online.
The average price is for the ‘REAL’ good stuff is $ 14.99 (there are imitations for $ 6-7, which arent the same)

This chemical combination is specifically designed for Circuit boards, the cleaning of, and protection of the circuits, contacts and lubrication.

Remember to remove and/or keep away any and all plastics, and protect all surfaces (granit/wood/ and varnished tabletops)

WARNING: Do not think for a moment that Rubbing Alcohol, windex, Ammonia, bleach, Goof off, gasoline, petrol, or anything else will work. It will only damage the other resisters on the board, or gum up or dissolve other parts!

What do you think? Answer below!