ideas on how to repair rubber keypad buttons

[gasgrassorarse]

As the title suggests, I'm looking for a reliable long term method to repair the rubber keypad buttons on things like scanners.

I've googled and come up with several methods, including the "paint" type liquids but I was just wondering if anyone has a proven long term solution?

At the moment it's for my UBC120XLT. About 7 years ago I had an accident with my motorcycle, I had my scanner and a 4 litre bottle of engine oil in the luggage carrier and somehow the bottle split and fully immersed the scanner in engine oil for upto 3 hours of travelling time before i noticed.

As soon as I realised what had happened I stripped it out and cleaned it up with 3 full cans of electrical contact cleaner and it worked fine for about another 3 years before I noticed the keypad was getting harder and harder to make contact when I pressed the buttons.

I stripped it out again and used electrical contact cleaner again it worked well again for another 6-9 months before it started playing up again.

I've contacted Uniden both here and in the USA and neither have the keypad available, also searched the internet with the same result

I don't want to have to keep redoing it every 5-6 months and obviously don't want to make it worse.

[Radio_Australia]

I can't help you with the issue but admire your determination to keep the scanner going , keep us updated .

[gasgrassorarse]

thanks as I said, I've found a few options but I want the most reliable and long term option.

Figured I'd ask in here as someone must have repaired these touch buttons before.
They are manufactured with some sort of conductive substance on them, what seems to be the main options so far is a choice of either conductive silver or conductive graphite paints.

They seem to be a slightly rubbery substance from what I have been able to find (maybe latex? ) and you paint it on with a small brush, or you can buy it in a syringe, usually about 3ml to 5ml.

[gasgrassorarse]

ps. I've had the scanner (a Uniden bearcat UBC120XLT) for about 18 years all up now and I've been stripping it and cleaning the contacts over and over during the past 7-8 years lol but it's becoming more and more frequent in recent times, now down to around 3-4 months.

I'm certain the engine oil that spilled got in behind the keypad but only along one side, so there are about 4 buttons that are problematic. I've eliminated circuit board and component issues and when the problem occurs I can strip it out and reconnect it without the casing and use other buttons to make it work.

[response09]

This post comes a long time after you posted gasgrassorarse and I have no idea whether you still have the 120 or even if it is still working. If you cleaned the oil out properly, and it sounds like you did, then I can tell you what is causing the button contact problem. The conductive buttons (or keys as they are sometimes called) contact the printed circuits on the PCB itself and it is these circuit tracks that wear out. I'm amazed your scanner is still usable after 18 years, as mine started playing up at about the 8 year mark. I cleaned the printed circuit contacts and the keys a few times but it was obvious the PC tracks were worn out. Now none of the keys work and the 120 just merrily scans away on its last setting which was only 2 bands and 2 channels. Luckily one of these channels is the local Police, the one I mostly listen to.
My radio still picks up the signal as well as when new and was used a lot over time, hence the worn out circuit tracks.
I agree with the other post here about determination. Save yourself a lot of hassle & buy a new scanner like I did.