Computer Space button fix How-To

KPW66

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Donor 2018, 2024
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I'm helping a friend fix his Computer Space boards and other game parts for his restore and came across two nonworking buttons in the CP.

These buttons are interesting as they are obviously an older design (probably a jukebox part or something), they are dual function (can be wired up normally open or normally closed) and are sealed and non-serviceable.

CS uses them for the four rocket actions: thrust, fire, rotate left and rotate right as normally closed, and for the Game Start button but that one is wired as both normally open and also closed. Anyway, as mentioned, two were non-working.

I desoldered and removed those two and could see through the clear plastic and determined that the contact points were both dirty and not touching (closed).

So, I drilled a small hole in the side, and was able to spray in DeoXit to clean it and also insert a small tool to re-close the "points" and re-establish the normally closed connection.

Both work like a champ now. Hope that helps someone down the line as these cannot be easy to find in the wild.
 

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Well done! I'd suggest a small piece of electrical tape (punch it with a hole punch) to cover the hole.

That keeps the dust out.
 
Well done! I'd suggest a small piece of electrical tape (punch it with a hole punch) to cover the hole.

That keeps the dust out.
That's a great point! But taking your idea one step further, I think this is one of those very rare occasions where hot glue is the right answer. PVC tape never stays where you put it as long as you want it to.
 
That's a great point! But taking your idea one step further, I think this is one of those very rare occasions where hot glue is the right answer. PVC tape never stays where you put it as long as you want it to.
I can align on that. Better sealing, provided you wait for the gun to heat up.
 
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