dropped some beer on my new Alesis Micron

Persio · Joined: Aug 24, 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Arentina

I have just bought an Alesis Micron. In Argentina, where I live, it is a very uncommon piece of hardware, so it is quite expensive around here. Some days ago, I was happy playing with it, when a friend accidentally dropped some beer over some of the keys. Now those keys feel somehow different when I press them. This difference is not really important for playing, but I've hard that soda beverages have some chemicals that can damage the keyboard after some months. Is this true? Should I be worried, even though nothing seems to have happened by now? Is there anything I can do to help this?

DES · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:22 am Post subject:

I can't say for certain about the Micron but most modern keyboards have conductive rubber contacts under the keys that bridge copper traces on a circuit board under them. Beer, Soda, etc. can get sticky as it sits on these - the keys can become sluggish, connections intermittant, etc. Plus if there is a high sugar or other corrosive material in the liquid it will eat the copper traces away. I would recommend having the unit opened and the beer cleaned out of it. It's not very difficult to do on your own - just make sure it's not plugged in when you work on it! As for what to clean it with - denatured alchol works fine (you can use rubbing alcohol but it leaves a film...not preferred.) The keys will have to be removed most likely to get at the rubber contact strips. If you do this yourself - be careful removing the keys - there are springs that can pop out and get lost or hit your eye and you can possibly break the key. If you are at all uncomfortable working on your gear - have an experiened tech do it. But I would strongly rcommend getting it cleaned out soon.

EdisonRex · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:29 pm Post subject:

I agree with Dave's post above. Two additional comments.

If you are going to have a piece of equipment that's rare and unusual in your locale, you need to learn to work on it to maintain it, and you will probably (as a result of having to work on it) both develop an appreciation of it, and you may defend it better from people who would bring beer, corrosive liquids or drunken antics near it. I'm not sorry, and someone had to say it.

Use a mild soap solution on a non-lint cloth (a cotton bud will not work well, but a toothbrush and a cotton cloth to mop with with leave less lint). Do not use a lot of liquid, and I said MILD soap- one drop in 20cc of water. Be thorough. This will take a couple of hours to do properly. Allow it to dry. Be very patient, and careful.

Persio · Joined: Aug 24, 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Arentina

Denatured alcohol or mild soap/water? I don't know which one to go with...

Do you have any ideas of what I'll find when I open it? I hope i don't run into troubles when trying to close it...

Damn it, I'm scared now Sad

DES · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:31 am Post subject:

The alcohol will evaporate much faster then the soap/water....but you probably have the soap and water on hand. If its pretty gummy when you open it the alcohol may cut thru better.

If you're patient and take your time you shouln't have a problem. Most relatively modern synths are very simple inside (a couple circuit boards and the keyboard for example)

Persio · Joined: Aug 24, 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Arentina

I'll do it this week and keep you posted. Thank you very much for the help!

YashN · Joined: Jun 27, 2011 Posts: 58 Location: Canada

Hope you get it fixed, Persio. It's a very clever piece of gear. I got mine for quite cheap as it had a broken plastic encoder and I repaired it with a metal Bourns encoder. It's like new now.