Add me to the list of people who saved lots of money thanks to your video! I was about to spend $350 on a new alarm system but decided to give this a try first. Works better than new! Thank you!!!

Wow Terry, you saved me $350.00 I have a ham radio. The microphone keyboard began to go bad one key at a time. Kenwood has no replacement microphones for the radio. I even tried rewiring a newer mic to it but my mic is a completely different animal. I ran out straight away and some pencils and wow problem fixed!!!! I can control my Kenwood Transceiver now after 13 years of this problem. Thank you

THANK YOU SO MUCH, Terry! I have an old Ademco alarm keypad where many keys were not working. I tried your solution and lo and behold! it worked. You are very resourceful in how by using the pencils, created graphite powder and pasted it on the keypad. Thank you so much again. Hopefully, the graphite will stay on the keypad contacts for the next few years....

@terrymercer2379

3 жыл бұрын

I really appreciate your kind words. I did my first keypad repair 7 years ago. It failed again after about 4 years, and I did it again. Three years later, it is still working perfectly.

Thanks for the comment, I have now repeatedly tested mine, and it works perfectly! I am very pleased with the repair.

Thank you, my remote now works the way it is supposed to. A suggestion, I worked for many years in electronics and I used a soft white pencil eraser to clean the contacts on circuit boards.

What a nice and carefully explained video! Thanks so much for the great advice!

@terrymercer2379

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words. I am well pleased how reliable this repair has been. I had to re-do the process after several years, and it still works perfectly, six years after that initial repair.

Nice DIY. Works for me. Save Dollars. I was thinking of changing keypad but this works perfect

It's verrrry helpfull to me. Many thanks Mister. Two thumbs up for u.

Terry, YOU ARE MY HERO, i did what you said, i have a Yamaha Piano that had more than 25 keys that were'nt sounding, i got them working it cost me $5 US Total money i saw guys on the net selling stuff for $40 and you had to order it and wait, I got a bunch of my old carpenters pencils from my work , the ones with a thick amount of lead, shave them down added the alcohol just like you said, works great Goooday Mate from Rochester NY, USA

@terrymercer2379

8 жыл бұрын

+clarence shim. Hi Clarence. Thanks for the positive comment. As I mentioned to another comment, my repair has been working perfectly now for two years, and is used almost on a daily basis. I am well pleased with how reliable it has turned out to be.

@ralphteodoro8818

6 жыл бұрын

how is it now? did the graphite mixture layer chipped of?

@terrymercer2379

5 жыл бұрын

No, it does not chip off, but I did have just had one button become unresponsive, so I repeated the procedure. It now works fine again. Not bad for 5 years constant use I feel.

Thank you Terry, I finally managed to fix my remote, it works very well.

sounds pretty good, however I bought some conductive silver in a small vial and gave this a trial, it seems to work well but I have just done it so don't know yet how long it'll last. For those who use one of those tinny vial I would recommend though to put a cloth peg at the bottom of it to form a steady base as otherwise it's quite easy to tip over. As for the graphite I just remember buying a little container ages ago and I think it was really cheap. It was just to puff it in places like locking devices instead of applying sticky oil. But yes who has not a lead pencil about! My vial will last me heaps if it works well. I applied the stuff with the end of a flattened tinny skewer from the kitchen and used very little on the rubber contacts to cover them, actually only the most used that gave me me trouble. But may be one day I'll try this. (some say they mix glue with it?)

Well sir, you just stopped me from spending about $250. I don't know if this will work for me yet, but when I get home in a few days I'm going to try this and see what happens. I have 3 keys that will not work. I've tried contact cleaner, but that didn't phase it. I was about to buy a new system and I thought I'd check youtube one more time. I'll post an update later. Thanks for the video...I hope this will fix the problem I am having.

Hi, Nice job on the tutorial Terry. I'm going to use your technique to fix my electric piano contacts! Thanks from Richard, Pennsylvania, USA

@Drew.P.Todger

6 жыл бұрын

Richard Findlay did it work?

You should have worked in Hollywood Terry! You could have shown those directors how to make docos without annoying music and unnecessary SFX. Well done... You kicked a goal. 😊

@terrymercer2379

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your comments. Regards, Terry.

@brianmuhlingBUM

Жыл бұрын

Hi Terry, I reckon your train video/film documentaries are second to none. I am gradually getting through viewing them on my BIG picture screen. They look terrific. Well done, regards, Brian

@terrymercer2379

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Brian. Thats fabulous feedback! I proof my videos on my Sony 60" TV. It helps me to locate the little glitches that creep in, so that I can make the videos flow smoothly. I use Blu Ray quality, which is perfect for my 10 year-old equipment, which won't play 4K. Cheers, Terry.

Thanks! This actually works..

Great Video...

You just save me $70 to buy an antique keypad (I have a very old system) from Czech on eBAy. I did not have the rubbing alcohol at the time, so I used the Acetone instead but mixed it with 6B pencil from my kid's art project. I took extra steps by using a white eraser to remove the black residues on the copper terminals. Before shaving it to the Acetone liquid, I tested the continuity on the pencil's tip making sure it conducts and followed your instructions. It works its wonder and sounds like new, means great continuity. . Just wondering how long the "compound" would stick to the rubber terminals

@terrymercer2379

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for you kind words. My repair has been working well for nearly 8 years now, with daily use. I had to redo it after 4 years, and the current "fix" shows no signs of malfunctioning after almost another 4 years. I am well pleased with it.

For Patrick R: Je ne parle pas non plus français, donc j'utiliserai Google. La colle est juste de l'alcool isopropylique, qui dissout le graphite et l'argile du crayon, qui lorsqu'il sèche, forme une coquille dure sur le clavier.

i would mix in some kind of glue too; i usually glue on the pad a tiny disc of aluminum foil, works perfectly until the day the remote is dropped and the disc moves; i can't seem to glue it well onto the graphite-rubber.

I'll be trying this repair on the buttons of my retic controller. It's just about kangaroo Edward... Thanks for sharing.

ow man, really helpfull...thank you very much

Have you ever seen buttons that use foam instead of rubber? I have a soundesign clock radio and it looks as if there's foam used instead of rubber to contact the PCB. I think I need to replace it.

I,mThankful for your video!

thanks for the vid !!

Thank you!

THANKS, Genius :)

Could I use just graphite powder that is used to put on keys to make them slide into the lock, or does it have to be shaved from a heavy lead pencil to make it stick together and give more hardness?

@terrymercer2379

6 жыл бұрын

Graphite would work perfectly. I like the lead pencil because it has the clay filler which makes the pencil hard. Once it is dissolved in Isopropyl, it goes on well, and it was my hope that once dry, it would once again get the hardness of the lead pencil, making the coating last longer.

Terry thanks for the info. I have the same alarm .Is there a trick to taking the cover off ,don’t want to force and break it

@terrymercer2379

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Steven. I prised my cover off with small screwdrivers, using the two notches on the top and the one underneath the controller. The plastic is quite tough, and didn't break. Cheers, Terry.

amazing thanks

Thanks

Excellent

Hello Terry. You use that sharp scalpel just like my old granny used to! I can't do that without I cut my thumb! Anyway I've tried doing this except I didn't make a slurry. I just used the soft pencil. And do you know although it worked OK it didn't last many weeks. Does the alcohol make it stick better? Thanks for the video - very helpful. Rgds Berry (UK)

@terrymercer2379

8 жыл бұрын

+Beresfordjohn Greene: Hi, thanks for your comments. My repair has now been working perfectly for 2 years. What I wanted to achieve by using the alcohol was to create a hard conductive surface similar to the original pencil graphite. I was hoping to dissolve the graphite and the clay binder in the pencil using the alcohol, and once it dried, for it to go back to that pencil like hardness on my keypad conductors. It was an experiment on my part, but it seemed to work.

terima kasih atas video anda sangat membantu

Thanks for you great video. Could you please tell me what are the components that we need? i just heard pencil graphite and alcohol . How can it stick without glue ? im gonna use this technique with my electric piano. Thanks a lot.

@terrymercer2379

6 жыл бұрын

It does not have to stick, like as in glue. The 2B or 4B lead pencil graphite shavings after dissolving in Isopropyl Alcohol gets applied to the pad, and then is allowed to air dry naturally, like paint.

Ingenuity!!!

What will keep the carbon from the pencil from falling off the rubber pads and gumming up (shorting out) the circuit board? I had great success by simply cleaning off the rubber contacts and the circuit board contacts with paint thinner. Alcohol and other cleaners were too weak. Now my 24 year old alarm keypad is working like new.

@terrymercer2379

9 жыл бұрын

Andrew X Hi Andrew. Thanks for your comment. I figured that the clay in the graphite which holds the pencil "lead" together should form a good bond also on the keypad rubber. This seems to be the case; my repair is now about 15 months old, and still working perfectly. Your idea also seems to be a good one. If my repair fails, yours is an option that I would be willing to consider. Cheers, Terry.

@andrewx7806

9 жыл бұрын

Terry Mercer Well, my paint thinner method has failed on the more-used keypad (I have two.) so I did your pencil graphite method. Ok, it worked. I also tried this on my TV remote and it didn't work, until I noticed that the circuit board looked oxidized (not shiny copper, but dull brown). Wiping with alcohol, then paint thinner did not remove the oxidation, so I got a dry dish sponge with a scrubber surface. I wiped the circuit board with the green plastic scrubber side of the sponge gently, wiped off the dust and put it back together. Works great. I think oxidation is probably more of a problem with a TV remote since it is held in our sweaty palms and used everyday. Oxidation builds up.

What does he say from 2:53 to 2:54 - sounds "this graphite, from this lead pencil is very very (persuativate) - you'll mess everything up". Couldn't be what I've put in brackets but I'm stumped to hear the correct words. I've listened dozens of times but can't get those few words. Hope the repair works as well for my remote.

@terrymercer2379

7 жыл бұрын

Sorry about the confusion. As you can tell, I'm not much of a public speaker. I was saying that as any run off, or spill overs, because it is so conductive, may short out other areas. I found that I needed to be very careful as I applied it, to keep it exactly where I wanted it.

Thank you for your video , it was very helpfull, I fixed today two telephone key pads. can u tell me why u use alcohol?

@terrymercer2379

7 жыл бұрын

Hi, thanks for your comment. I found that the alcohol hardened up the carbon mix to bring it back to more "pencil like". Just shavings works well, but I couldn't see it lasting because it is so soft and powdery, and would rub off quickly. The alcohol mix, once dry, forms a hard, more durable conductive surface was my logic. Seems to work well for me.

@terrymercer2379

7 жыл бұрын

I forgot to mention; there is a clay fixer as well as carbon in graphite pencils. This clay is what gives a pencil its hardness. I was trying to dissolve this clay as well as the carbon using alcohol, and once it dried, to go back to its pencil like hardness.

Hi Terry Thanks, that was helpful. Just want to commend you on how you presented the video. So good to hear clear sound. What mike do you use? I took your idea and used a mix of Carbon and Wood glue, just to hold onto the rubber. Works fine. Thanks again.

@terrymercer2379

6 жыл бұрын

My microphone is just a generic stereo unit I bought from my local electronics store. I like your idea of the wood glue. It may work for longer than my Isopropyl Alcohol.

What is the boding material of the pencil lead to the silicone? How does it bond and stay stable? Was this one of those fake videos that are all too common?

@terrymercer2379

Жыл бұрын

I had hoped, and it seems to have worked, that dissolving the lead pencil shavings (Made up of Graphite and clay filler) in Isopropyl Alcohol then painting it on the pads, that once it dried it would resume the hardness of the pencil, but be bonded to the pad. Mine needs redoing now, after being regularly used since I posted.

hi what the camical name ?

@terrymercer2379

4 жыл бұрын

I take it you mean "chemical". It is Isopropyl Alcohol, and can be bought from most hardware stores, many Supermarkets or Pharmacies

Could anybody please write down the components of the clay as i'm not a native speaker of English.... Thanks

@terrymercer2379

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry about the delay. The clay is already mixed into the black center of the pencil.

I tried to make conductive ink with pencil,with fevicol general purpose glue.if i mixed grafite powder with this gule,i did not result but if if use sprinkling grafite powder on glue it works ,but resistance high.i was just in searching how to repair rubber keypad and i come across in your video.i have ip solution.but i fear that ,i had cleaned the rubber with this solution that damaged the rubber coating.but here you used ip to make conductive ink my question/doubt whether this last long as grafite powder will unmix from ip on time.

@terrymercer2379

Жыл бұрын

The Isopropyl Alcohol appears not to damage rubber; in fact I would clean your rubber pads with it first to stabilize the glue already on them, then make up a mix of Graphite from a 2B or 4B pencil dissolved in the Isopropyl. (4B would be better in your case as it is more conductive), apply it and let it dry for 24 hours to harden. (The clay filler in the pencil graphite helps the process to last quite some time. Mine, after the years since I posted, has now just failed, and I need to redo it.) Thanks, Terry

@victorb22622

Жыл бұрын

@@terrymercer2379 thank you for the quick reply.i measured keypad rubber carbon part for resistance, it shows 200k ,it's very high i surprise.its wireless walkie talki keypad .i tried your method, but graphite not mixed with ip solution.i just rubbed pencil lead on rubber. Grafite sticked on rubber just as we write with pencil on pepper.lets see what happened.

We found that the carbon contact material and the silicone oils that make the keypad flexible would continue to deteriorate even after cleaning and resurfacing the carbon contacts by using conductive ink, contact repair solutions, etc. However, a customer of ours of whom is in the Alarm business found that our membranes fit the alarm keypads and worked perfectly, never failing in the future. Here is a link to order- cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291583354988

@terrymercer2379

8 жыл бұрын

+BARCLAY ENTERPRISES INC. Thank you for informing me of this product. It looks like a great answer to keypads. I have today ordered 4; I have 4 model train controllers which also need repair. Looking forward to testing these out. Terry

@EdOfTheNorth

8 жыл бұрын

I've looked at you product and can't figure out how sticking a conductive dot directly onto the contacts can work, rather than onto the old dots which are attached to the rubber pad. Does this not short out the circuit perpetually? If you can answer my question, perhaps I will purchase your product but at present you video which I have watched, makes no sense to me.

What liquid you are using. I did not understand.. plzz

@terrymercer2379

3 жыл бұрын

It is Isopropyl Alcohol. Here is Australia it is sold by Hardware Stores (Bunnings) Many Chemists (drug stores) will also carry it. It is relatively cheap to buy. Thanks for you interest.

@junaidyousaf9442

3 жыл бұрын

@@terrymercer2379 bundle of thanks dear.. love you 💕💕💕 from Pakistan

@thole4894

3 жыл бұрын

It's rubbing alcohol used around the house or hospital.