Faulty keyboards: membranes, ribbons and cleaning
Keys that don't respond are among the most frequent faults in both families. On the Spectrum it is almost always the membrane; on the Amiga, dirt or worn contacts.
Difficulty: Take careTime: 1 h
⚠ Before you start
- Before washing keys, make sure they don't have painted legends that could rub off; and let everything dry completely before reassembling.
Spectrum 48K and Spectrum+
The keyboard sits on a plastic membrane with ribbons that go into two connectors on the board. Over the years those ribbons crack exactly where they fold. The typical symptom is whole rows or columns of keys that stop working.
It is not worth gluing a cracked ribbon: new membranes are made today, and swapping one is simple. On the Spectrum+, the membrane has several layers and the problem is the same.
Amiga
The A500, A600 and A1200 keyboards also use a membrane. A key that fails may be dust or dirt between the layers, or the contact itself being worn. On the A600 and A1200 the ribbon that connects the keyboard to the board is fragile: open the case slowly, without pulling.
- 10Take a photo of the keyboard before removing the keys, so you can put them back in the right place.
- 20Remove the keys carefully and wash them in warm water with mild soap.
- 30Clean the base and the membrane with a cloth lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol.
- 40Let everything dry completely, preferably overnight, before reassembling.
When to bring it to us
If you have replaced the membrane or cleaned the contacts and the same keys still fail, the problem may be in the connector, the board or, on the Amiga, the keyboard controller itself.
Request a repairThese guides are for information. Working on old electronics carries risks: do it at your own risk, with the machine unplugged, and never open power supplies or CRT monitors. If in doubt, bring the machine to us.