Studiologic Sledge - problem (SOLVED)

[eivind]

Hello!
Any other owners out there? On my Sledge almost all push buttons on the left side have stopped working - some of them will work intermittently. Have you ever had this problem? My unit is pretty old - most likely among the first yellow ones. I later upgraded it with new firmware. The pushbutton problem has been there all the years I've had it - but it seems to spread to the other ones.

Now - I do have a pretty decent electronics workshop these days - and I have the unit opened. There's pretty easy access to the buttons (which are small tactile micro switches - much similar to the ones on a computer keyboard - with an odd plastic shape holding the cap). Sadly there is no service manual for the Sledge available online (which would be a big help).

Most of all I am curios if I am alone of having this problem. I will first measure the contacts to find out what they are (suspecting they are all momentan switches). Then I will try to clean some of them. If that does not help - I'll replace the lot. Thankful for any tips you may have.

[BertKoor]

Sounds like there's an intermittant contact.
Detach and reattach the ribbon cables?

[eivind]

nah - it is deffo the contacts themselves... I just tested the lot of them. I have then used a tiny bit of Deoxit F5... wigglin' them and pushing them numerous times - and voila - I have now three of them working. Wonder how long they will stay good of course. If it weren't for the LCD-panel I'd drop the whole board into my ultrasonic cleaner. The LCD-panel have way too many points to desoler for comfort (even with my special desoldering gun) - and they are extremely close to each other.

So I will clean them all using the Deoxit F5 - if the problem returns I will desolder the lot and try the ultrasonic cleaner - or simply replace them all. Not the best of quality on my switches I suspect.

[eivind]

So - all of the contacts are now working properly. The caps are in my ultrasonic cleaner. There are three larger PCB's in the Sledge, and one smaller (modulation and pitchbend section among other stuff). Most of the push-buttons are located on the left of large PCBs. However - there are some push buttons on the two other large ones as well. The switches on them are working, maybe apart from one.. which is working for the most. Not sure if I can be bothered to fix that one as of yet. Anyway: Use Deoxit F5 for plastic and carbon switches and faders. Use Deoxit D5 for metal switches and faders. The F5 also lubricates. Personally I had to order them from Banzai in Germany. Deoxit is not available in here in Norway. If nothing else - I hope some of this thread may be useful to others. Also - the tip on ribbon cables from BertKoor: Absolutely! Sometimes they only need to be reseated.

[eivind]

Update - my Sledge is now assembled again. Tried - and working! Happy with how this turned out. (I'm pretty good with my hands and a soldering iron, and I'm decently equipped, but I am no way an electronics expert (I hate the math involved).