eBay Replacement Keyboard

[0989383]

Some of the keys on my Mac are now playing up, before they were simply falling off but now they won't give any function when pressed on screen.

Last time I tried to replace the keyboard with an eBay part. It was doing the same thing - dead rows of keys - seconds after it was installed.

Perhaps I got a lemon. I hope so. Because now that my original is playing up in this way, I've decided to give it one more try.

Hopefully this time it'll work. There's a 1 year returns warranty on the part.

Anybody else got experience with these parts and had any success?

If only I could afford a new MacBook Pro. Sigh.

 

[tubeexperience]

Some of the keys on my Mac are now playing up, before they were simply falling off but now they won't give any function when pressed on screen.

Last time I tried to replace the keyboard with an eBay part. It was doing the same thing - dead rows of keys - seconds after it was installed.

Perhaps I got a lemon. I hope so. Because now that my original is playing up in this way, I've decided to give it one more try.

Hopefully this time it'll work. There's a 1 year returns warranty on the part.

Anybody else got experience with these parts and had any success?

If only I could afford a new MacBook Pro. Sigh.

I've replaced quite a few keyboards.

It's usually after customers spill drinks on the keyboards and the keyboards are either sticky or not working.

 

[0989383]

I've replaced quite a few keyboards.

It's usually after customers spill drinks on the keyboards and the keyboards are either sticky or not working.

Nothing has ever spilled on my current MacBook Pro original keyboard.

Did you use eBay parts? And did they work thereon after for a reasonable amount of time?

 

[tubeexperience]

Nothing has ever spilled on my current MacBook Pro original keyboard.

Did you use eBay parts? And did they work thereon after for a reasonable amount of time?

Yup, I used eBay parts. No complain at all whatsoever.

 

[0989383]

Yup, I used eBay parts. No complain at all whatsoever.

That's quite reassuring! I was hoping the one I tried that didn't work was a lemon , and say a, 1 in 100 sort of possibility.

I've also been looking into getting serious about reconditioning my original as a back up. Videos such as this:

They talk about how if a row or column is malfunctioning, then it's highly likely to be the ribbon connector itself. And that cutting it by 1mm will give a new contact surface.

If not this then checking and cleaning the logic boards connector or replacing it where possible is the next step.

Beyond that, checking the capacitors on the board and continuity between the I/O micro-controller and the keyboard connector is where to look.

I'm not sure how difficult or possible it is for a human to remove capacitors etc on a laptop logic board.. Not easy I'd expect.

I do plan on meticulously stripping down the original keyboard, cleaning it, scanning it for breaks / obvious signs of wear and cleaning it with petrol or similar solvent to see if this can remove any barriers causing the underlying printed circuit board to work correctly.

It is only G H J K L that stop working .. Holding it in after anything between 2-10 seconds can make it work briefly or for an hour or so again.. so odd.

I will say one thing.. the level of attention given by Apple to the insides of the MBP with the beautiful black logic board, immaculately finished and positioned amongst the other silver/black components is second to none. And when the keyboard is out, the rock solid array of holes for each key ... amazing. Satisfying. So satisfying that I don't dread doing the keyboard job now on Wednesday when it comes despite handling the delicate logic board etc. I'm looking forward to observing the quality!

 

[0989383]

Well I fitted my new eBay keyboard today and surprise surprise it was dead as a door nail.

I ensured the connector was fully in its socket too, and the power button worked but that's about it.

I sort of expected this.

I'm going to request a refund from the eBay seller and I've decided that since I can't afford to pay Apple to fix it and they refuse to sell me adequate spare parts whatsoever I'm going to sell my Macs components on eBay and buy a Lenovo ThinkPad.

As much as I love the Mac, apples labour of love policies of not offering spare parts just doesn't make sense to me. Why should I spend £1400 on a new MacBook Pro when my current one couldn't hack 3 years of moderate typing? Hardly pro level.

I used to always preach how well built the MBP was, but I'm wrong because if it was well built like many of my friends older cheaper notebooks I wouldn't have to replace the keyboard.

And if the augmented aspects of a MBP were as fine as I always believed Apples were I'd have access to spare parts!

I could cough up the £350 to get Apple to fix the machine but they said it's only guaranteed for 90 days... sigh.