My new keyboard is dead - I think...?

[JJ5678]

My problem, in a nutshell, is that my brand new Logitech G910 mechanical keyboard had a substantial amount of my hot coffee (w/cream) poured exactly where you don't want it to go. After trying a few things we arrive here today with the keyboard disassembled and cleaned, and all of the keys working except one. The spacebar. Which if broken renders this a hunk of garbage I paid AUD$230 for. If you know if just a spacebar is repairable then please be my guest and skip straight to the head of the queue!

So let's rewind...my coffee gets spilt on the keyboard.

I yank the keyboards USB to power down the keyboard. There is only one USB on this model.

I flip the keyboard instantly and drain what I can onto my desk which is a lot, but the keyboard is holding a fair bit in hard to get to places, I can just tell so I soak it in a bathtub full of luke warm water for 15mins to try and loosen anything (like coffee) that may have congealed under the spacebar. I can't tell if it worked so I decide to start drying it.

I go and get Chux towelettes to soak up what liquid I cannot reach, and what will not drain for whatever reason. I proceed to use over the next half an hour paper towels, ear cotton buds (for where my fingers couldn't fit), make up removal pads, kitchen sponges (clean & dry), a tea towel and finally a blow dryer (not on "inferno" setting either btw if you happen to be playing along at home with the same problem.

I then reassemble the whole unit and try it out only to get the same results. All good except for the space bar doesn't work.
I partially disassemble the keyboard again and leave it in a warm place to dry slowly in case I missed something, but I don't think I did.

After 7 days of rotating the keyboard while it sun baked itself dry (not extreme hot btw), it gets me excited so I plug it in to test it, but alas, it disappoints me again. Everything is fine bar that stupid spacebar again.

I have no idea if it can be repaired, the spacebar problem I mean.
If it can be, is it a lot of $$$ to fix just one key?
Is this a dead pony? Should I just buy a new one tomorrow?
Thanks for any help you can provide me. I am so peeved at myself. I had saved up for months to buy myself this keyboard for my 40th birthday and it only lasted me 7 weeks.

Jim

[camerongray]

While it's quite a big job I'd recommend taking the keyboard apart down to the raw PCB, then try shorting across the space bar switch contacts with something metal, if this types a space then its just the switch that has gone which is cheap (under $2) to replace (although it does require some soldering).  This may also show up some other areas affected by the coffee.

This is the good thing about mechanical keyboards, they are generally fairly serviceable.

[mrfesh]

In order to dislodge the spacebar here is a site that can show you how to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RSyi-PS7nU
before you mess with any electronics repair inspect the keyboard.
If it only really needs a clean, try that first!

[JJ5678]

ok

[mrfesh]

The keyboard, as cameron grey said, should be tested. The metal contact is so that you can tell if the switch was working (making the contact) whether or not it gives a signal to make a *space*. If it doesn't its a more complex issue.
I don't know how good your keyboard is and whether you are particular about it but you can theoretically but a pretty decent mechanical keyboard from a goodwill shop for a buck or two (but I understand you would like to try and fix it first).

[JJ5678]

Well I have cleaned every square inch of it, so it's not anything I can visibly see.

I tried shorting across the terminals like you said and I can get it to type out this over and over -

"333 +3 3+3 3333+33+g v+ vvvvv+ v v33  +3++++v+3 33v+v g3 3 +g3 gvv3++++ v+ v3v v+ + g3+v3+ v3vv3vt+  g3+v3t  g+g3++gxe2/2//xx/x2x/xxx2x2e2e/e/eeee/d2d2d2d2x2dddd/d2xd/x2xded/2xx2x22mkmmmkmmkkkkmkkkmmkmkkkkmmmkkkkkkkkkmkkmkkmmk"

soooooo, I'm thinking that's not great either?

@mrfesh - thanks for your reply mate, that video is good but the new Logitech designed mech keys are different to the Cherry MX design that is so commonly used. They are called Romar-G keys. I know that it's possible to grab a cheapie but I spent $240 on this one as it's the new RGB model from Logitech and I sorta love it.

[mrfesh]

and that's over the spacebar?
Seems kinda bad.
Can't return it right?
A professional repair might be your best bet. It would require some electrical engineering i.e. replacing components. If you do grab a look at the pcb look to see if anything is charred. If so, you could potentially replace that piece.

[mrfesh]

It also potentially could be the moisture. My two cents is to leave it to dry longer or something like that. (Blow-dry) there could be static charge offset across the board due the moisture, if it seemed under some of the pcb plastic (sometimes can). when pressing other buttons what does it give?