Whether for your RV or for at home we all have remote controls for our TVs
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They all stop working at some point. The good news... 99.999999% of the time it's an easy fix.
Any typical household has a remote and we're all guilty of dust, humidity, grubbies from our hands or juices flowing from popcorn to the kid's Koolaid spill (never beer spills)
If you're looking at buying a new remote anyway and your have written your off, you still have one more kick at the can to save That few bucks.
Even if it's a rental unit, either return it or do the same service.
- Remove the batteries before you do anything
- Down the side of the remote you'll see that seam that divides to two halves.
- Slowly with a flat edge screwdriver start splitting that halves apart. SLOWLY.
- Once they break apart remove the rubber key pad and then remove the circuit board
- use a dish soap or laundry detergent solution with warm water and use a tooth brush type bristle and clean the gunge for the two halves.
- Gently brush down the circuit board paying attention to where the contacts meet the rubber keypad, then do the same for the rubber keypad.
- Use rubbing type alcohol and a Q-Tip to clean the very contact points on the circuit board and the black tips of the rubber keypad.
- Let all the pieces dry. I placed mine on top of the furnace floor vents and waited for a few cycles until I knew there was no moisture remaining.
- Snap it all back together and you'll discover 99.9999% of the time your remote control works like new
It's important for any electrical circuit to remove the power source. many years ago I use to hit the auction scene. At the end of the auction I bought the box lots and some junk TVs and stereos. Some smelled like cigarette smoke and the obvious dust bunnies. I'd use the garden hose and nozzle with TV opened up and wash away any crud. The place the TV in the hot sunlight for a day or so. No odor or junk was left. These old TV circuits looked like brand new. Then I would plug them in, turn them on and do any repairs that was needed. Since I was in the flea market back then I learned how to make some extra pocket money. Mostly I did it for fun and to prove a point. I was there every week so told my customers "any problems bring it back next week and I'll refund" Not one came back
As long as the power source is removed and turn it on for any capacitor charged is discharged I would forge ahead. This approach was proven time and time again.
Some of you techy's might remember the old spark gap capacitors. Too much dust and humidity build up would cause that loud snap. This same cleaning process virtually removed those problems.
Back to the remote. For the novice: If you have already written off that old remote with the intention of buying a new one anyway, here's an opportunity to try a fix on you own and if you're not successful then you have not lost anything after the fact. However, you might surprise yourself.
I've done 5 remotes so far. One of my own wasn't 100% when I was done, took it apart again and realized I missed a small contact on the buttons. re-cleaned it and it was perfect.
I have a brother-in-law that doesn't know one end of a screw driver from the other. He tried it and was beaming with pride of achievement. It's vital that you remove the batteries and then do your thing
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Jerry & Debbie
Ford Explorer 4.6 Triton V8, AWD, 4x4
1985 Sunline Saturn T-1350
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