Acer TimelineX 3820TG Backlit keyboard mod

[Bronsky]

hey all!
I was wondering. What is the impact of this mod on battery?

Once we fit a switch ... none . It does drain 500 MA more than without it on. So it will decrease battery live. Hendrickson estimates a half hour over the course of an entire charge.

Bronsky

[Bronsky]

Looks like ALPS has a bunch of very small slide switches. The 6.7mm x 3.5 mm units look like they will fit the K-Lock. This looks like the best on-line distributer for them in the US. ALPS Slide Switches I'm going to order 4 or 5 different models.

Bronsky

[Hendrickson]

Hi Bronsky, I removed my switch today, 13mm in length. This is just too big right? It looked good at the time. Do you think an iphone switch would fit perfectly? Let me know how you get on with the switchs you have ordered.

[Bronsky]

Hi Bronsky, I removed my switch today, 13mm in length. This is just too big right? It looked good at the time. Do you think an iphone switch would fit perfectly? Let me know how you get on with the switchs you have ordered.

I think these alps switches will come very close. The Iphone switch looks close too. I'll order some extras and if they fit, I can just mail one to you if you can't get it there.

BTW, I sent a request to Shark technology to see if they will send me the 3G motherboard. I like the idea of trying to adapt the USB 3.0 half card. If not, I'll get a regular one.

Bronsky

[Hendrickson]

Ok I will try the iphone switch, do you have a link to it?

[Hendrickson]

Ok went to order 5-6 different switchs for around 6 euros from ALPS.
Including this one:

Which will be small in that space And requires filling. One switch is also 8.5mm which is good for fitting.

However they charge 20 euros for shipping!!...what the hell.

Edit: That 6.7mm is no good, no lug (plastic bit on top, so you would need a pen point to use the switch)

[Bronsky]

Here is the link to a pic of the IPhone slide switch. iPhone 3G & 3GS Silent Switch Black - Switch ONLY I'm not sure about its size and I haven't seen the back to make sure that there are soldering points. It could be modular.

That alps switch comes with and without the lug. From the description I read, I thought the lug was a locater pin that stuck out of the switch, not the black thing that you slide. My issue with the one shown is that it is a side switch and it might have the soldering points on the side instead of the bottom. There is anohter 6.7mm switch that is a more standard configuration. That is quite a hefty shipping charge. I think it is $4.5 here in the US.

Bronsky

[Hendrickson]

Since I see no other options and I want to solve this and get a switch in so I can do the CPU swap, IC diamond 7 compound on both cpu and gpu. And fit my 3820TG backlit keyboard I got 6 different switches all within the dims we have. A couple of 5mm and 6.7 switchs. If none are suitable I will give up and use the speaker 3.5 volts as i did before. It is only a fraction less bright than the 5v source.

My keyboard is filed down and the tabs re-sized on the top and sides making a really good fit. I have painted the black where i did the work and it looks great.

I also found bending the keyboard in, in the middle removes a lot of flex. This keyboard for some reason fits better than my last one.

[hox]

I am thinking of a different route for the switch. I think a single on/off switch attached to the missing key zone above the left arrow key would be a good place to locate it. Then I could route the wiring through a small hole in the KB to the USB power source. I found a 3.5 x 6 mm one

http://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data%20...client_id=5042

That may fit in the missing spot on the keyboard, then I could drill/dremmel holes for the contacts to go thru the black plastic and bend them on the other side. I would have to either trim the long posts or bend them so they do not take up more than the ribbon wire.

What do you think?

[Bronsky]

I am thinking of a different route for the switch. I think a single on/off switch attached to the missing key zone above the left arrow key would be a good place to locate it. Then I could route the wiring through a small hole in the KB to the USB power source. I found a 3.5 x 6 mm one

http://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data%20...client_id=5042

That may fit in the missing spot on the keyboard, then I could drill/dremmel holes for the contacts to go thru the black plastic and bend them on the other side. I would have to either trim the long posts or bend them so they do not take up more than the ribbon wire.

What do you think?

The 6 x 3 switch is a no-go becuase it only has a momentary action (see the specs). That means it will only turn the KB off or on when you are holding it down. As soon as you release it, it goes back to its original state. There are momentary action switches that have a lock to keep it in open or closed position. The smallest one we have seen of them was one Hendrickson found. It was 6mm square. That might work for you. There is also the Alps slide switches that are linked in the recent posts. They measure 6.7mm x 3.5mm x .7mm. One of them should fit okay. I still think the kensington lock is still the best location for a switch. The wires can run from the KB to the USB and then from the USB down through the hole in the wifi compartment across the compartment and up again next to the kensington lock to complete the circuit.

Bronsky