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Thread ID: 46010	2004-06-10 04:49:00	OT- Cleaning Cordless Phone Key Contacts	Winston001 (3612)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
243255	2004-06-11 01:22:00	Does anyone know if these mobile handsets work alright if plugged into a fax machine?	metla (154)
243256	2004-06-11 02:00:00	Should be fine. The docking cradles are bog standard Telecom analogue.	godfather (25)
243257	2004-06-11 02:29:00	Yes Metla, but the thermal paper can get stuck in your ears.	Winston001 (3612)
243258	2004-06-12 12:25:00	> I use Uniden, and replace the keypads. Cheap enough. Peter H Where do you obtain them and roughly how much? Before I found about the graphite fix, I tried to source a replacement but had no luck. Winston001 Sorry you had problems. If it is just on the flat contacts area I wonder if there is anything that would stick to it to remove the excess? Blue Tack? You said you tried everything to remove it, so I guess you tried holding it upside down and using a fairly stiff brush? I have a half inch paint brush that has had the bristles shortened to about half length. It is very handy for jobs like that, not too soft and not too harsh. Cheers.	exLL (515)
243259	2004-06-12 23:37:00	Bought mine from "Trade-Tech" who are Uniden agents. $9.14 each + GST - not sure what others they stock. http://www.tradetech.co.nz Bye	Peter H (220)
243260	2004-06-13 02:08:00	Ok back to basics, which I should have done in the first place . Here is a helpful link . howstuffworks . com/inside-rc1 . htm" target="_blank">electronics . howstuffworks . com I've now managed to assassinate an almost perfectly good TV remote . Returning to the phone, I now realise that I have connected each circuit on the board with an oversupply of graphite . They are all trying to send signals . I might try to clean each contact just for the sake of learning . So, what I now wonder is how you put a tiny conductive surface on the black rubber contacts on the underside of each button? I posit (as you do) that in my experiment with graphite powder, it seems to fall off once the button is pressed . Thus it stays on the circuit board and its as if that button is now permanently on . Anyone got a suggestion to stick graphite or anything conductive to the fullstop sized buttons? Glue a tiny piece of aluminium foil?	Winston001 (3612)
243261	2004-06-13 02:13:00	Try "massaging" it in with a cotton bud, to each rubber pad. I also found some "indian ink" that had reasonable conductivity. However the loss of conductivity from the rubber pads is a sure sign of planned obsolescence, and any repairs tend to be somewhat temporary in nature. Beware using some chemicals / solvents / glue, as they can instantly turn the conductive pads into permanent insulators. Silicon sealers come to mind, even the fumes will ruin the conductivity.	godfather (25)
243262	2004-06-13 03:31:00	Did you put graphite on the gold contacts? :_| I said to put graphite on the black dots. The gold contacts are gold. ;-) Gold is a "noble metal" -- it doesn't corrode or get a non-conductive film. As long as the pads are there they are OK. Clean them with something like isopropyl alcohol, An artists supplies shop should have a very soft (BBB or so) graphite pencil. A carpenter's pencil isn't soft enough -- it's just big. You need soft. That would be a better bet than graphite powder, which goes everywhere.	Graham L (2)
243263	2004-06-13 10:08:00	Peter H . Thanks for the info . Winstone001 > . . . . . . . . So, what I now wonder is how you put a tiny conductive surface on the black rubber contacts on the underside of each button? I posit (as you do) that in my experiment with graphite powder, it seems to fall off once the button is pressed . Thus it stays on the circuit board and its as if that button is now permanently on . . . . . . . . . . . The others have virtually said it all, but this is my experience . . In my case, I removed the rubbery membrane which has the little black contact points for each button, placed it contacts up on a newspaper, applied just enough graphite to make a slight smear on each button contact, then tried to "make it stick" by using a small flat screwdriver blade to carefully press/smear it down a little to make it partially embed itself into the material . I then took it outside and gently blew away any excess . There was so little graphite on each button that it didn't transfer to the circuit board contact points . I guess it is a bit like polishing a car, put it on sparingly, rub it in, polish it off . There is a protective layer left on the car, but the polish doesn't come off and leave marks when you brush against it . As godfather said, due to planned obsolescence any repairs tend to be somewhat temporary in nature . I agree . Although my repairs have lasted about a year so far, it is anybody's guess as to how long that will continue . Also, my phones are used for domestic purposes so don't get much use . Cheers .	exLL (515)
243264	2004-06-13 22:17:00	Once again thanks for the guidance Exll, GF and Graham. And yes, mea culpa - I did put the graphite on the gold contacts although in my defence they look black on the Panasonic circuit board. Also I adopted the principle that if a little graphite was good, then a lot of graphite would be great. :D	Winston001 (3612)
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