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Ceiling Fan Light Working Again

The ceiling fan in the bedroom has a remote control to turn it on and off. Over the past few weeks it’s become increasingly hard to turn it on and off, with the switch inside the remote feeling like its failing. Taking apart the remote tonight I found that instead of small tactile switches (like I thought it had from the feel) it instead has cheap, printed contact switches actuated by conductive rubber on the back-side of the buttons. As common with switches like this some of the rubber had worn off on to the PCB, fouling the copper and causing the buttons to not work well. A bit of quick work with a pencil eraser and alcohol-soaked paper towel cleaned the contacts up nicely and everything is working great again.

Click here to see a high-res version of the photo above, clearly showing the bits of rubber stuck on the PCB.

4 Comments

  1. Mom
    Mom October 26, 2010

    :o) Hmmm.. . . .maybe that is what is wrong with the remote to my Select Comfort bed?

  2. c0nsumer
    c0nsumer October 26, 2010

    Mom: If the buttons are rubbery and are the kind that feel a bit soft when you press them, it’s very likely this kind. It’s probably pretty easy to take apart most remotes, so you could check for that.

  3. Mom
    Mom October 27, 2010

    :) I will look for that . . . after i make sure the bed is set where I want it. .. . :) in case I mess it up & end up at your house at your workbench! :oD (with a bed that won’t adjust – that’s a bad thing) :)

  4. Ken L. Klaser
    Ken L. Klaser December 22, 2010

    Those buttons’ description seems the same as a TV remote. I’ve had some luck supergluing a small shape of kitchen foil to the contact on the backside of the button. The shape needs to be the same size as the contact.

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