Voyager keyboard issue

[John Richards]

I've recently acquired a Voyager that has an intermittent keyboard issue. There is one key in particular that often (not always) registers twice when I press it: once on the actual keypress, and then again when I release pressure on the key (seemingly on the way back up). This often (but not always) causes a failure on the keyboard self-test. The problem seems to be more pronounced for a firm keypress than for a light keypress: in particular, if I deliberately press the key all the way down, hold, and release, then the problem usually manifests itself; but if I quickly press and release the key, as I might in a series of rapid keystrokes, then the problem does not generally appear. All other keys seem to work fine, regardless of how I press them.

I'm wondering if anybody more knowledgeable can enlighten me: Is this a common failure mode for Voyagers? Is there any repair or solution, or is this a permanent condition?

Thanks,
John

[Bruce Larrabee]

My first guess (and it is a guess) is that there is a foreign particle of some sort located between the key's disk and the contact on the PCB. It may go away after a careful cleaning. There are various (good) descriptions of how to clean this calculator on this web site. A basic approach is to place the calculator in to a container filled with distilled water. With the calculator standing up so that the water does not reach the display area. Soak for 30 - 40 minutes or so. Specifically, with the unit standing vertically in water no more than two inches in depth. Also be careful to keep the calculator upright when drying it off. Then allow it to air dry for 24 hours or more before testing it. I usually place them in my desktop PC (which has many internal fans) to dry. If this fails you can retry this using a few drops of dish soap (or something milder and cleaner if you have it) mixed in the water. Then soak it in pure water to rinse. Let me know if this helps or if you need additional assistance.

[John Richards]

Bruce, thank you so much for your detailed reply. I will search for the cleaning posts you reference, read them carefully, and try this method. (As soon as I have a quiet Saturday or Sunday.... :-)

One more question: is it beneficial to remove the back of the calculator before cleaning in this way, or do you leave it in place?

Thank you again for your response!