Membrane key pad on microwave oven

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PandaBear

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My 3 year old GE Spacemaker lost the 1, 7, Beeper Volume, and am/pm key recently and according to the web they share the common signal pin 9. The whole control panel including the stainless steel, frame, keypad, etc is sold as one unit from 110-150 depends on sellers. I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before and is able to tear it off and repair / solder / patch / clean the system instead of spending $100+ on the control panel.

The microwave is a hood / microwave combo and I am sort of stuck with it due to the lack of space. I prefer not to buy another one for $350-450 because the rest of the microwave works fine, and in theory should last at least 10 years on light use. Right now I'm using tricks to get around the missing 1 and 7 (like using 59 sec to 99 sec) but if I can fix it that'll be nice.

Prices on ebay aren't that much better.
 
Sometimes those membrane keypads get dirty inside from the black substance wearing off the inside if the key and depositing onto the circuit board. I've rejuvenated remote controls by taking them apart and cleaning the membrane and circuit board. Worth a try if you can get it apart.
 
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OMG I did this, I have to get pictures.

Picked it up from a nice old lady, the 10min and 1 min buttons had died and you could only cook in increments of 10 seconds.

I couldn't solder the flexible traces but I was able to wire a SPST momentary push switch to the actual circuit board, it just dangled off to the side. Gave me 1 min.
 
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That extra button is pretty cool. I was thinking about that but since it is also a hood, I'm concerned about condensation and cleaning. So I'd prefer to find ways to fix it clean, as in not hacking things with extra button.

Wife said leave it as is or fix it clean, no extra button dangling outside.
 
PB, explain to wife god , that it is a temporary fix until you can buy a new unit. or drill a hole and mount it in the panel. At work, I have successfully rejuvenated key pads by using a pencil eraser to clean the contacts.
 
Update:

After using math to get around 1 and 7 not working for 1 year, 1 more trace on the keypad is bad. Now the Vent on/off will not work either so I have to replace the keypad. The non working keypads are: 1, 2, 7, 8, Clock, and Vent on/off.

Took the control panel out and found a schematic inside for repair use. Trace 9 in the middle of a 16 contact ribbon is open circuit, it controls 1, 7, and clock. Trace 8 has increased resistance significantly (112k Ohms) compare to other traces (i.e. 70-90 Ohms). It seems like something inside the membrane is disintegrating as I cannot imagine exterior brunt force can increase the resistance like that.
 
Originally Posted By: andyd
have you tried cleaning the contacts with a pencil eraser?


yes, I've also tried 400 grit sand paper, doesn't do anything.

I called GE customer service to complain, and they reduce the price to $95 shipped from $200. I've found the typical price of the control panel (membrane keypad is glued to the control panel and replaced as a set) elsewhere to be $120-180 shipped.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear


I called GE customer service to complain, and they reduce the price to $95 shipped from $200. I've found the typical price of the control panel (membrane keypad is glued to the control panel and replaced as a set) elsewhere to be $120-180 shipped.


Call back again and politely request that the price be 50 dollars shipped, the fact is that you may likely be one of the ONLY buyer of this item of which they probably have many left in stock and will likely never sell them. If they don't want to come down in price tell them they should offer you two pieces for that price, perhaps they will do that type of deal. Most folks will simply throw that old microwave in the trash and buy new.

Congrats on being savvy enough to repair and not always replace. I'm sick to death of our throwaway society.
 
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