I'm trying to fix this game controller.

[Rayniac]

The right bumper (is that the right word? I mean that button above the right trigger) on my Gioteck VX-2 controller was taking an unreasonable amount of pressure to register so I decided to open it up and check out what was going on in there.

When I did so I was a little stumped because the this button thingy didn't make sense to me.
http://imgur.com/mkHKkVl
http://imgur.com/WZKq26y I was confused because I expected there to be some kind of metallic thing under the rubber thing that would complete a circuit when pressed against the board, but it looks like that on the metal there are two rectangular black things where the button presses down. And another thing: http://imgur.com/SZuItuh Those black things under the rubber part that are supposed to make contact with the other black parts, (that I don't know the material of) they bend and feel rubbery. Not at all what I was expecting. Surely these are not meant to be conductive? How could these possibly close a circuit?

This leaves me utterly confused because to make this bumper button more responsive I should know how this button operates but I have no idea how I should make it happen. If I just short pin number 1 and the middle pin I get the response of the right bumper button being pressed but I have no idea if that is how this switch is supposed to work. What if this is some kind of capacitance based switch? No idea what's the point of implementing something like that but what do I know of electronics design?

Swapping the rubber part from the left trigger/bumper button board to the right side changes nothing. The button still needs too much force to make it register whereas the left button does perfectly fine with the right rubber part.

So there must be something wrong with the right board piece, right? How can I fix this thing? I was thinking that if I manage to solder on some tiny aluminum foil pieces to the board to make a better contact area that might fix the problem. Any suggestions?

 

[Paperdoc]

Actually, it makes complete sense.What you don't grasp is that the circuits involved are basically called high-impedance circuits, meaning that they expect the external components (the switch contacts) to have higher resistance than a clean metal-to-metal contact, and the currents flowing through the switch contacts are quite small. The black rectangular contacts on the board, and the round button contacts on the pushbuttons, are actually little blocks of carbon which DO conduct electricity, but with more resistance than a metal contact would. For this circuit, they do the job quite nicely.

Now, the common trouble that does emerge as this type of contact ages through use is that they get "dirty", either with minute particles of themselves or with dust from outside. That interferes with good contact. In concept, the solution is similar to what you'd do with metal contacts - clean them. BUT these are not nearly as tough as metal. One of the best ways I know for these is to use a simple pencil eraser to rub over the contacts on both sides - the board and the pushbutton back. This will tend to loosen and remove the foreign material. Then use a small clean artist's brush to dust them off so that there is no remaining loose debris on the surfaces. Re-assemble the switch and check that they both work.

 

[Rayniac]

Thanks for the educational reply doc!

The thing is though.. I already tried cleaning the contacts. with a papertowel and some solvent (white spirit). It didn't help. But I'll try it with the eraser and see if that works. Cheers!

What is the purpose of this kind of arrangement? wouldn't it be much simpler to have that metal to metal contact? Does it make the rest of the design simpler if you don't have to put a resistor somewhere?

 

[Valantar]

Paperdoc is exactly right. On a side note: damn, this must be a cheap controller, to use mechanisms like that for the triggers. That's what I expect from the remote controls bundled with cheapo clock radios, not game controllers where button inputs actually mean something.

 

[Rayniac]

Paperdoc is exactly right. On a side note: damn, this must be a cheap controller, to use mechanisms like that for the triggers. That's what I expect from the remote controls bundled with cheapo clock radios, not game controllers where button inputs actually mean something.

Yeah it was cheap! I knew I shouldn't have bought it but I liked the looks of it so much

 

[bruceb]

You need to use this (you can also find it on Ebay)
I used a similar item to fix the contacts on a an alarm system keyboard. Does the job.

Keypad Fix, Clean and Restore Conductivity to the Carbon on the Keys and the Copper PC Board Pads
4.2 out of 5 stars 90 customer reviews
| 3 answered questions

Price: $12.93

• Restore Your Remote Don't toss it and buy a universal remote. (How many things are really universal, after all?) Try this jar of Keypad Fix, designed to clean and restore conductivity to the carbon on the keys and the copper PC board pads that make up the rubber-coated switches on remotes, game controllers, and security keypads. Contains enough to coat over 200 button contacts.

 

[Valantar]

I knew I shouldn't have bought it but I liked the looks of it so much

That statement boggles my mind. Oh well, to each his own I guess. Now save yourself a ton of trouble and go buy an Xbox One controller.

*snip*

I love how you linked everything except for the actual product.

 

[Rayniac]

@bruceb Oh nice. Had no idea these kind of switches were in such a wide use that there is a product like that. Thanks for the tip

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, I had to open up, and use a nice eraser on the carbon contacts on my console game unit controllers, every few years, as they would develop a sort of "surface polish" layer that would build up on them, and lower the ability to make proper contact with the circuit.

 

[ZipfelNm1]

I think there must be something wrong with the right board piece. return man 3 hacked But I am not quite sure how to fix it.