Method to fix joystick buttons - rear window defroster repair "paint"

[rayik]

I have five 5200 controllers. It seems that everytime I take the system out of storage to use it, the fire buttons / start buttons (and sometimes keypad buttons) don't work that well. To get them working, I've gotten used to taking the controllers apart and cleaning the rubbers contact on the back of the buttons.

 

Hopefully, I'm done cleaning for good. I picked up a bottle of rear window defroster repair "paint" at an auto parts store. (They may have it at Walmart - but I've never looked there). The repair "paint' is for rear window defroster lines that get broken - cut through them, scratched out, etc. It is electrically conductive.

 

"Painted' all of the rubber contacts on the bottom of the fire buttons, start /paure /reset and keypad buttons. It goes on very thin and does not increase the "depth" of the contact. Tried it on one controller. Worked so good, did the rest of the controllers. They now all work very well. Slightest touch on a button and contact is made. No more mashing of fire, pause buttons needed.

 

Total cost for the "paint" was $13. I did 4 controllers and there propably is enough "paint" in the little tiny bottle to do 4 more controllers. Hopefully the "paint" will not wear away with use and this will be a permanent solution.

[TunnelRunner]

I have five 5200 controllers. It seems that everytime I take the system out of storage to use it, the fire buttons / start buttons (and sometimes keypad buttons) don't work that well. To get them working, I've gotten used to taking the controllers apart and cleaning the rubbers contact on the back of the buttons.

 

Hopefully, I'm done cleaning for good. I picked up a bottle of rear window defroster repair "paint" at an auto parts store. (They may have it at Walmart - but I've never looked there). The repair "paint' is for rear window defroster lines that get broken - cut through them, scratched out, etc. It is electrically conductive.

 

"Painted' all of the rubber contacts on the bottom of the fire buttons, start /paure /reset and keypad buttons. It goes on very thin and does not increase the "depth" of the contact. Tried it on one controller. Worked so good, did the rest of the controllers. They now all work very well. Slightest touch on a button and contact is made. No more mashing of fire, pause buttons needed.

 

Total cost for the "paint" was $13. I did 4 controllers and there propably is enough "paint" in the little tiny bottle to do 4 more controllers. Hopefully the "paint" will not wear away with use and this will be a permanent solution.

 

Yes, tried that. But it's stiff and cracks, falls off. Find a product by Chemtronics called Keypad Repair Kit. It's a two part contact treatment that is thin enough to flex but not so thin it doesn't conduct. As good as new keypads and way cheaper (about $14). Lasts a looooong time, too. And replace the flex circuit while in there (I hear they went up to 8 bucks...they were a buck and a half when I last bought them - Brad must be running out!).