How To Remove Switches From Corsair Keyboard

Replacing Mechanical Keyboard Switches: Corsair K65 RGB Mod

January 19, 2017 | 12:38

Companies: #corsair

Corsair K65 Switches Mod

Since the release of the Corsair K65, I have been interested in getting my hands on one; my main problem? Well, I like green switches. I don't actually mind if they're Ruby-red or Gateron as long as they are heavy and click. Corsair doesn't utilise Green switches in its products (hint hint, Corsair!) and then I thought I would mod one and then that I could use information technology with my Corsair builds.

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Before I go whatsoever further, I will say that modding your keyboard, every bit with pretty much everything else, volition void your warranty. At that place is as well a good chance that yous volition damage either the keyboard or yourself if you do non take your time with it. Don't do it unless you are confident, or you can afford a new ane should it go incorrect.

Tools

Kickoff of all, these are the tools I'll be using. I also have some soldering wick, but these are the ones that I utilize far more. I don't own any really expensive tools, and well-nigh if not all of my tools can be bought from local stores. The soldering iron is the near expensive thing hither, and I would suggest buying a temperature-controlled 1; the cheap and cheerful ones by and large don't go hot enough to desolder the stuff manufacturers utilize.

Other than the soldering iron, I am going to be using a soldering pump (or soldering wick), some screwdrivers, and some solder. As well, I grabbed a box of drill bits that really fit in a screwdriver, and they're excellent. They were called 'quick-alter hex drill bits', and they are great for when you lot want to be careful and gentle when making a hole. You will come across why I employ this afterwards.

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Disassembling the Keyboard

Keyboards generally come up apart quite easily. There are typically four to six screws on the rear of the lath, and one of them is usually hidden under a sticker so they know if you lot take tampered with the board or not. The Corsair K65 RGB is slightly dissimilar, as all of the screws are on the front of the keyboard and there are a lot more than of them - 17, to be exact!. To access them, I removed all of the keycaps. There was a sneaky screw hidden under the Corsair logo, only luckily the logo can be removed hands plenty with a fine tip screwdriver or craft knife.

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One time I had taken out all of the screws, I could then remove the back plastic cover from the keyboard. I had to make sure I was very careful, as whilst I was doing it, I could experience that at that place was a split up PCB and I figured there would probably be cables connecting the 2. Being cautious paid off, and I was able to separate the case from the PCB. I removed both ribbon cables from their little slots every bit well equally the earthing wire and another connector.

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Desoldering the Old Switches

This then left me with all the switches soldered through the aluminium front end plate and PCB, locking them in place. People desolder in dissimilar means; I prefer to use a solder pump to suck the solder away, but sometimes solder wick can exist useful likewise. I tried solder wick outset, but reverted to the pump after a while, as it only worked far better. I removed all the solder then that I could just push the switches out.

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A skillful few hours later and after some rather fourth dimension-consuming PCB cleaning, I got the keyboard to this bespeak. Y'all can really remove the aluminium frame now. I did play with the idea of actually spraying the keyboard and changing the colour entirely, just I idea I would save that for another 24-hour interval so I could evidence y'all guys!

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Now we have got to this stage, it is fourth dimension to add the Green switches... On to the next page!

Source: https://bit-tech.net/guides/modding/project-log/corsair-k65-rgb-switches-mod/1/

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