Rhodes Chroma Polaris

To elaborate, having replacd many polaris switches:
If you do find it is a problem with the actual membrane switch you 
can replace with a small pushbutton switch.

I have successfully used panel mount switches (very cheap, $1 each 
from www.allelectronics.com).  You will find that there is very 
little clearance behind the switches as a result I was forced to bend 
the leads of the switches and remove the IC sockets from the PCBs 
under switches that I wanted to replace.

Before you attempt this repair, review the service manual and look at 
the switch matrix wiring chart.  

I'm very good at rework, it took me about 1hr to drill holes and bend 
switch leads and 3hrs to solder the 150 or so wires to replace all of 
the switches in one of my chroma polaris keyboards. 

If you just want to to replace one button and locate it where there 
are no clearance issues, it should be a simple fix for you or a local 
technician.

Good luck,
Ben

 
--- In chromapolaris@yahoogroups.com, David Clarke <ac151@...> wrote:
>
> > so replying to my request, looks like no
> > one here knows an answer to the named issue,
> > it never happend before?
> > any repair address in berlin?
> 
> Harald - the 'switches' on the panel are actually just sandwiches 
of plastic 
> and conductive layers.  These sandwiches are right inside the 
overlay on the 
> panel.  If you want to 'get at' the switch, you'd need to peel it 
off the 
> panel.
> 
> That having been said, there's really not too much to 'see' there.  
If 
> you're very lucky, it might just be that the button is permanenly 
stuck 
> down.  If so, you might be able to use something 'sticky' to put it 
back up.
> 
> It would be important to know if this is the _only_ switch which is 
> affected, or if others are also affected.  If there's more than one 
switch 
> which is not behaving properly, then it is less likely the membrane 
in the 
> panel itself and more likely a sick part or a bad connection on one 
of the 
> plastic connections.  (While these connections looked good in the 
pictures 
> you provided, it would only take a hair-line crack further down the 
neck of 
> the cable to cause problems).
> 
> If the membrane switch is found to be bad, then:
> 
> 1) You could keep your eyes open for a replacement Polaris 
panel/switch 
> (they do come up on Ebay every now and then).
> 2) you could make connections directly to the circuit board 
yourself and add 
> your own switch (either drilling a hole in the panel where the LF 
switch 
> location current is - or simply mounting it somewhere else.
> 
> David Clarke
>