FOB problems ?

[Cuda]

OK I washed one of my FOBs put battery in good for three days?
and then goes dead ?  FOB repair anyone

[VirginiaJim]

I've washed mine before.  Let everything dry out and replace the battery and all was well.

[Conrad]

Take it apart completely and with the battery removed place it in a baggie with some UNCOOKED white rice. Or if you have a bunch of those lil desiccant packets around, use them instead of the rice. Let it dry out in the baggie for a couple of days and then try it again. 

[chap]

Hopefully you have a spare. So you don't haver to repalce the ECU. That is if it doesn't come back to life

[B.D.F.]

What Conrad said, also look on the circuit board for corrosion; any white or greenish- white, powdery looking stuff anywhere on the board, even under components if you can see under there. Everything on the board and the board itself should have a sheen or outright shine. If you do find any corrosion, use a small amount of 91% rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to gently wipe it off.

It is usually a small amount of corrosion between components or traces (the copper lines on the board) that causes electronics to drain batteries quickly, especially after they have gotten wet.

Even if you cannot get the RF or the remote part of the fob to work correctly, the fob will still function as an RFID unit if held against the ignition switch housing so DO NOT throw the fob away. The owner's manual has directions on how to use the fob this way (with a dead battery).

Brian

OK I washed one of my FOBs put battery in good for three days?
and then goes dead ?  FOB repair anyone

[koval68]

^^^ what Brian said- after all, he is an " wet fob" expert...

[stevewfl]

the KiPass FOB has all mad pow-ah 

[VirginiaJim]

All hail KIPASS!

[VirginiaJim]

^^^ what Brian said- after all, he is an " wet fob" expert...

Yep, that ought to about do it for me.  Thanks, Brian.

[stevewfl]

Kirby wishes he was with that^^^   FOB too

[B.D.F.]

I still remember the look on the barkeep's face when I asked her to put more wine in the glass to cover the fob.... which I then dropped in the glass to show her how much more wine was needed. That fob still smells like Riesling by the way. I had that glass for a long time too- I remember sneaking the glass (with the wine and the fob in it) out of the restaurant. Violating state liquor laws and soaking my fob.... good times. 

Brian

^^^ what Brian said- after all, he is an " wet fob" expert...

[Pokey]

All hail keys!!!!!!! 

[PH14]

I washed the key for my old bike once and... nothing happened. 

In fairness, I have also washed my FOB and... nothing happened. 

I didn't do anything with the fob when I washed mine since it worked and the FOB has some weather sealing. Brian's suggestion of cleaning it with rubbing alcohol is good advice with the exception that rubbing alcohol is usually 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, what you want it a 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. Rubbing alcohol has too much water content for use in electronics.

[B.D.F.]

Ah, finally- proof that mechanical keys and electronic fobs are completely equal! Except, of course, for the fact that fobs are so much better. 

I would agree with you on the alcohol but note that I recommended 91% rather than 70% for exactly the reason you mention. 99% would be even better but 91% is the purest readily available in local stores. 99% is an industrial mix and much harder to find and purchase in small quantities.

I also specifically recommenced rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol is called rubbing alcohol in the US) because it will not attack anything inside the fob, the electronics, the plastic or the rubber. Using something like denatured alcohol is risky because it is usually denatured with a fair dose (technical term) of acetone which attacks many kinds of plastics and is hard on some electrical components (anything coated, varnished, the silkscreen on the board itself, etc.) I have found that the 9% water in 91% alcohol will evaporate pretty fast and does not leave any water behind.

But by all means, if 99% isopropyl alcohol is available, it would be better than 91% for cleaning anything electronic for exactly the reason you mentioned; less water is always better around anything electronic.

Brian

I washed the key for my old bike once and... nothing happened. 

In fairness, I have also washed my FOB and... nothing happened. 

I didn't do anything with the fob when I washed mine since it worked and the FOB has some weather sealing. Brian's suggestion of cleaning it with rubbing alcohol is good advice with the exception that rubbing alcohol is usually 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, what you want it a 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. Rubbing alcohol has too much water content for use in electronics.

[koval68]

. Violating state liquor laws,soaking my fob and torturing Cap'n Bob.... good times. 

Brian

I fixed that for you...

[PH14]

Ah, finally- proof that mechanical keys and electronic fobs are completely equal! Except, of course, for the fact that fobs are so much better. 

I would agree with you on the alcohol but note that I recommended 91% rather than 70% for exactly the reason you mention. 99% would be even better but 91% is the purest readily available in local stores. 99% is an industrial mix and much harder to find and purchase in small quantities.

I also specifically recommenced rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol is called rubbing alcohol in the US)
Brian

I saw that you recommended 91 percent, I was only clarifying since most people see rubbing alcohol and simply buy what they usually see, which is 70 percent. Most places I shop have regular rubbing alcohol and anything above 70 percent is labeled isoproplyl.

[Cuda]

I'll have to get some tomorrow all I have is 50% on hand
I washed it about a month ago and thought all was well 
So dielectric silicone compound is a no no ?
I screwed up my truck key door opener type thing (Dodge) while kayaking (salt water ) does the same thing, works for a while then _____
Where do you get 99%
Glad this one is my spare .

[maxtog]

I'll have to get some tomorrow all I have is 50% on hand
So dielectric silicone compound is a no no ?

I wouldn't

Where do you get 99%

I have NEVER seen 99%.  But I use 91% all the time.  You can get it at Walmart or pretty much any drug store.  I never use anything less than 91% when doing stuff like electronics, cleaning magnetic read heads, and many other uses.  In fact, I just don't buy anything else now.

[Conrad]

Instead of using alcohol I'd recommend using a good contact cleaner. Hands down the best contact cleaner/restorative that I've used is Cramolin. It'll clean the contacts and keep them from oxidizing.

It ain't cheap though...

[Cuda]

So will that stuff help corrosion on the board?
or is that just contact cleaner.