Colecovision Controller Fire Button Mod / Fix (1 of 2) (NOTE: I have a newer fix using aluminum foil instead)

(NOTE: I have a newer fix using aluminum foil instead)

http://atariage.com/forums/gallery/image/10312-colecovision-fire-button-fix-mod/

My right fire button would not work on my Colecovision controller. I flipped the board of the controller over and, during a game of Mr.Do's Castle, I touched a wire to 2 points under the switch to see if it activated the fire button. It did!!! That means the wires and board are fine, but the switch is messed up.

I heard that this type of switch can get dirty and you may have to de-solder the switch, pry the metal that holds it together back, clean the switch and re-pry the metal things back and re-solder the switch together just to get it to work.....That is way too much for a switch that my stop working again in another 3 years.

My Controller Mod/Fix:

1) Find a piece of metal that won't get in the way of the little black square piece that holds the grey plastic button on.

2) Solder a piece of wire to the piece of metal. Make sure the wire has some slack so it be tucked into the button a bit. (use skinny threaded wire). Test to make sure the wire you are going to use is small enough so it doesn't get smooshed when the button is pressed.

3) Hot glue the metal to the inside of the plastic button so that you don't cover the hole for the black square piece (so the grey button can still go on fine). My piece of metal wasn't the best choice....it would be best if you find a piece that goes all the way across the inside of the grey button to keep it even when pressed. You could just glue the wire itself on, but I'm not that great with hot glue as you can see from the pics.

4) Finally, solder the other end of the wire to the back of the controller board under the switch. It should be the 3rd pin towards the middle of the board. (see pic 2 of 2)

Put it all back together and try it out. Surprisingly, the Box of the switch itself can be touched with the metal and complete the switch. I thought I would have had to solder 2 wires, but nope, just 1.