On my F62 (manufactured 2021-05-23) all the keys work except for the right Shift. That key does not “click”, it just moves up and down without clicking and without sending a key-down event (or sometimes, it sends the key-down but not the key-up). I have replaced the keycap a few times, holding the keyboard with the space bar uppermost and the keys facing away from me so that the spring settles near the top of its hole before replacing the cap. Usually, while I continue to hold the keyboard vertically the key will work well. If I lower it to an angle of 45 degrees tilted away from me then the key still works. But with the board flat on my desk the right Shift no longer clicks.
I wondered whether the larger keycap was the issue. Sometimes these big keys are more troublesome than the little square ones. So I removed a square keycap (the right Fn) and put that in the place of right Shift. Indeed, with the small cap it works, clicking up and down nicely. Then I tried using the right Ctrl key, which is bigger than square but still not quite as long as the right Shift. With that keycap installed in the right Shift position, it too works.
On the other hand, if I take the left Ctrl keycap, which I believe is exactly the same size as right Shift, and install that in the right Shift position, it gives the same problem of not clicking. So the problem is triggered by the size of the keycap used. Smaller ones work, but a full sized right Shift (or equally sized keycap) won’t activate the key properly.
I know I could open up the board and replace the flipper and spring entirely for this key. But I see that as something of a last resort (and unfortunately, I left the spare parts behind when travelling, I only have the board itself for the moment). Given what I’ve found, is there anything else you can suggest? As far as I can tell the board is clean and there aren’t bits of fluff or gunge obstructing the keywell.
Hi Ed,
Yes, it does address the issue of keys not working well. Even if it works with one key but not another the video describes how to troubleshoot (hint: swapping springs is an important step). Also if one key is not working the video describes how to adjust the key itself (hint: the wiggle method is a main step).
Also there is a lot of additional detail in the manual. Only watching the video is not recommended.
Hi Edward,
To be honest, you would have saved yourself a lot of trouble if you went through the manual on the project web site and watched (or rewatched) the hour-long setup video before proceeding. There is a section dedicated to getting keys installed and fixing ones that do not work well.
The process you are describing is not right for fixing a key that does not work. Opening up the board to replace a flipper and spring is likely unnecessary.
Fixing such an issue likely takes no longer than a couple minutes after you have gone through the manual.
Thanks for your answer. I did watch the video and I’ve re-watched it. It doesn’t particularly address the question of a key that works with one keycap but not another keycap, so I wondered if that might suggest a slightly different fix.
As I don’t have the spare parts with me, I didn’t want to blunder in and risk making things worse before checking here. I think my next step may be to swap the spring with another key. Perhaps I can minimize the risk by swapping with a key I don’t use much, such as Caps Lock.