Author Topic: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair  (Read 714 times)

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Offline WA3SCM

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Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« on: January 22, 2019, 01:35:33 PM »
How have you folks been successful in repairing your carbon coated keys?

Offline miraculon

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2019, 03:08:04 PM »
You mean this? You can just replace it once you have the console apart.

https://www.scaledinstruments.com/shop/davis-instruments/davis-7346-050si-vantage-pro2-console-rubber-keypad/



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Offline WA3SCM

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2019, 07:11:41 PM »
Yes.  Only one key seems failed.  Wondering how it can be repaired.

Offline Old Tele man

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2019, 07:20:09 PM »
Yes.  Only one key seems failed.  Wondering how it can be repaired.
Which key is the offending key?
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Offline SLOweather

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2019, 09:03:26 PM »
The buttons are either conductive rubber, or, more likely, have a conductive ink or paint on the back side. They press against interlaced traces on the PC board, effectively shorting them out like a switch.

They are very similar to other rubber keypads, notably the ones on your TV remote controls.

I have repaired these in the past by a couple of different methods.

Buy and use a kit like this:



This one is from Amazon.

Or, glue a patch of aluminum foil on the offending button with rubber cement, carefully applied superglue, or another adhesive. In the past I have also used adhesive alarm system foil window tape.

The kit is ~$22. The foil is essentially free, depending on your glue selection. The keypad is $12.

You choose...


It could also be that the contacts and button are just dirty. You might try disassembling the console and cleaning them first.


 

Offline WA3SCM

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2019, 11:57:48 AM »
Thank You!  This is the info I was looking for.  I will try copper foil from a LI cell and super glue.

Offline WA3SCM

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 push button repair
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2019, 01:40:50 PM »
Contacts are painted onto face of rubber key.  Most contacts had about 200 ohm resistance across diameter of the 1/8 inch circular face.  Problem push button (Rain/day) measured about 800 ohm.  Applied 1/8 strip 1/4 inch long thin copper foil strip to contact post with CA glue after cleaning contact paint off with alcohol.  So far so good.
Would like to find a more pliable adhesive.  Would like to find a homebrew conductive paint.

 

anything