Atari 800 sticky Atari key

[+slx]

When pulling my 800 from storage I found the Atari (Fuji) key to be sticky. I can't really remember but maybe it was a bit "weak" already 30 years ago.... Sometimes it just sticks in the depressed position which is a nuisance, given I often hit it instead of the shift key Usually a few careful taps will let it return to the "not depressed" position.

 

Thanks for any hints on how to "unstick" it? Cleaning? New Spring?

[Mclaneinc]

Seems you have a sticky key on the PC as well (you double posted this)

 

Pop the key off, check around it for any dirt and give it a nice clean, no joy then check the spring for give, it should be lightly springy.

 

Next if no joy try a spray of aero duster (compressed air in a tin), if all that does not work then a little bit of switch cleaner spray on a cotton bud and lightly clean in the contact hole.

 

Emphasis on lightly!! .....Its old tech and needs TLC.

[ACML]

If this is an 800 with either a Hi Tek or later Stackpole keyboard then I'm guessing the plunger has cracks in one and most likely two corners. The cracks allow the key to depress too far down until sometimes it binds and can stick due to the friction of being too far down the punger. The early Hi Tek keyboards have white plungers and the later Stackpoles have yellow plungers. There is the middle low run production of Mitsumi 800 keyboards, but they don't use plungers, or at least not the same type, and they usually don't exhibit this problem. They are however very unreliable due to oxidation of the mylar trace contacts and should be avoided like the plague. Anyway, back to your remedy. Bradly Koda at Best Electronics sells replacement plungers for both types. A bag of 10 should last you a long time. As mentioned in an earlier post, pull the key straight up and look for cracks in the corner of the white or yellow plunger. Don't pull on it if you have a Mitsumi, they don't come out and you can identify a Mitsumi by its "Shiny" (glossy) keys like a 1200XL that are very smooth a have little feedback. Again, if you have a cracked plunger they can be pulled straight up, but be careful not to bend or damage the gold plated contact fingers inside the plunger (the gold contact fingers are part of the switch and they stay with the keyboard). The new plunger will restore proper operation. Oh yeah, white and yellow plunger are not interchangeable (different OEMs). Hope this helps.

Edited July 4, 2013 by ACML

[Bryan]

Pull off the Keycap, what color is the plunger? (White, Yellow or Green)? I can possibly send you some spares.

[+slx]

Thanks for the tips. Will have a look at the keyboard and report back. Sorry for the double post, browser somehow froze when I tried to edit and so I posted again.

 

To pop the key, do I just need to carefully pull it upwards or is there any other technique/trick to observe?

Edited July 4, 2013 by slx

[Commodore Loadstar 81]

Sorry for the thread-necromancy, but I'd like an answer to slx's last question. I'm experiencing the same issue with my lately-acquired 800's "System Reset", "Option", and "Select" keys (but not "Start", curiously enough).

Edited November 5, 2013 by Commodore Loadstar 81