mechanical kb led burn out rate

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burnt leds

  • 1

  • <5

  • <15

  • <30

  • <50

  • all of them

  • none

Results are only viewable after voting.
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
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How many leds have burn out for you guys on your mechanical keyboards ?
seems one burns out every other time I look at it.
my k70 now has 16 burnt out and 1 dimmed after about 1 month of use

EDIT: forgot to add a "none" option ...

All set.
-- stahlhart
 
Last edited by a moderator:
corkyg

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
239
106
Been using them for years. Never had a LED burn out. "None" would be my choice. You may be feeding them the wrong voltage.
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
corkyg said:
Been using them for years. Never had a LED burn out. "None" would be my choice. You may be feeding them the wrong voltage.
Click to expand...

can you add "none" to my poll ?
I don't see an edit option for it.

I suspect it might be a faulty design for the k70 (too much voltage) or just a bad batch. Atleast 2 others pop up during a google search.
http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121181
apparently a known issue :(
 
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B

Ben90

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2009
2,866
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I know how to type and my Num/Scroll/Caps Lock works on all 4 of my boards. So none.
 
bruceb

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
8,874
111
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A known issue .. see this other link at the Corsair forum about it.
They will RMA the keyboard
This is just an opinion: LED wires are typically a little heavy, like you would find on a 1/4 watt resistor. Depending on where the keyboards are being made (and my guess would be in Mexico) it may nothing more than cold solder joints to the LEDs .. all it takes is for the component leads not to be cleaned properly before they are soldered for the connection to look ok, but not work for long.

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=119701
 
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corkyg

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
239
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Soulkeeper said:
can you add "none" to my poll ?
I don't see an edit option for it.
Click to expand...

Sorry - I don't have a tool for that in my "Thread Tools."
After reading Bruceb's response, it just may be brand related. All my LED KBs have been Saitek and Logitech.
 
D

dma0991

Platinum Member
Mar 17, 2011
2,723
1
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That certainly puts a damper on me getting a Corsair K70(or any back lit mechanical keyboards). :|
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
4 more leds burnt out today

up to 20

I think i'm more inclined to take it apart than send it in for rma.
I'm curious where the flaw is.
 
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Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
Ok I took it apart.
I was hoping the issue wasn't the leds themselves, but testing by applying voltage confirms the leds are infact nonfunctional.
Another thing that concerns me is how they seem to daisy chain a few leds together.
This leads me to believe the first in the series gets the highest voltage and current (and fails first). Why do they have to make such complex things on such budgets ?
How about 4 leds for the whole board and some clear plastic to direct it ?
I'll never be happy with the way things are built today ...

IMG_0424.JPG

IMG_0427.JPG
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
I'm thinking i'll just dissconnect the leds on ALL keys.
Dissconnect the nonsense sound, brightness, volume, "bios", etc. stuff

I'm very unhappy with the direction keyboards/mice have taken over the past few years.
K.I.S.S seems to be lost on them. Too many keys and too many "features". Quality isn't what it used to be.
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
Ok, I desoldered the led control chip (the big one in the pic above).
desoldered the usb plug, removed media keys and extra buttons.
Also put a thinner more normal usb cord for the board.

The only thing left to do now is bondo the holes and paint the keyboard.
I'll take picutres when i'm done :)
 
FeuerFrei

FeuerFrei

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2005
9,144
929
126
Well I for one am glad I held off buying a Corsair keyboard. Been over a year, maybe two, now since the K-series came out so I'm getting tired of waiting for them to get it right. All the features I require are there now, finally, but the build quality isn't cutting it.

I'm wondering if the newest K70s due to hit the market this month have the LED probs - the boards with the blue/brown switches. :hmm: Maybe they'll be delayed??? Again ...
 
JamesV

JamesV

Platinum Member
Jul 9, 2011
2,002
2
76
Glad I didn't jump on the bandwagon for those Corsairs; was figuring there would be problems with their new mechanicals (not being known for keyboards).

Have never had a LED burn out in my Razer or Logitech mechanical keyboards. In fact, can't think of one single device I own that has EVER had a LED burn out, including my five year old, heavily used LED headlamp that has been dropped in rivers.
 
D

Dizon

Junior Member
Dec 26, 2010
23
0
0
I'm glad that Corsair didn't meet their deadline for the K70 with blue/brown switches or I would've purchased it. I got this instead and am damn happy!

large_459_SDC12626.jpg


Great keyboard. PBT keycaps, lasered and infill legends, steel plating so no flexing.
 
birthdaymonkey

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
1,176
3
81
Soulkeeper said:
I'm thinking i'll just dissconnect the leds on ALL keys.
Dissconnect the nonsense sound, brightness, volume, "bios", etc. stuff

I'm very unhappy with the direction keyboards/mice have taken over the past few years.
K.I.S.S seems to be lost on them. Too many keys and too many "features". Quality isn't what it used to be.
Click to expand...

Most keyboard geeks wouldn't touch a Corsair with a ten-foot keypuller, and the keyboard enthusiast community seems to be growing.

The most sought after makes continue to be KISS staples like Filco, Topre, and even classic IBM/Unicomp.
 
S

stahlhart

Super Moderator Graphics Cards
Dec 21, 2010
4,273
77
91
I had two go out a couple of months back -- the top row "7", and the "N" -- and then strangely, both of them resumed working after a few days, and there hasn't been a problem since. Weird. So none for me. It's the keyboard in the sig.
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
birthdaymonkey said:
Most keyboard geeks wouldn't touch a Corsair with a ten-foot keypuller, and the keyboard enthusiast community seems to be growing.

The most sought after makes continue to be KISS staples like Filco, Topre, and even classic IBM/Unicomp.
Click to expand...

The only reason I got it was because I could buy it locally.
corsair and razer were my choices, i've had bad experience with razer quality so I figured i'd give it a shot.
 
B

Ben90

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2009
2,866
3
0
birthdaymonkey said:
Most keyboard geeks wouldn't touch a Corsair with a ten-foot keypuller, and the keyboard enthusiast community seems to be growing.

The most sought after makes continue to be KISS staples like Filco, Topre, and even classic IBM/Unicomp.
Click to expand...
Please expand this KISS acronym.

I collect keyboards like women collect shoes. I have a fullsized Filco Blue, Black and Brown in the Tenkeyless variety and a Realfoce. When I buy a house, I'm going to go for a custom Model F 122key and build a desk that accommodates it so it's not quite so bulky.
 
Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,731
155
106
I just made my K70 better :)

IMG_0450.JPG

IMG_0452.JPG



Painted black, put 2 coats of clear on the keys to help against wear, desoldered the led controller chip on the inside, removed all unwanted keys, put some rings behind the keys for silence(and reduced travel), and put a smaller cord on it.
 
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