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    CF-18 Backlit Keyboard Installation ?

    Discussion in 'Panasonic' started by mancow, Mar 4, 2010.

  1. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    My backlit keyboard for my CF-18 is supposed to be here tomorrow. Now, I need to figure out how to install it. Can you guys offer some tips or instruction before I start tearing into it and mess something up?

    Thanks
     
    mancow, Mar 4, 2010
    #1
  2. Alex

    Alex Super Moderator

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    Alex, Mar 5, 2010
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  3. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks Tomcat57.

    OK, I got it apart now here's my next issue.

    The keyboard I got was cheap because the end of the backlighting ribbon cable was torn off. My intent is to just solder some very small wires to the leads off the plug on the mother board. However, now that I've opened it up I see that the plug has 4 conductors and the ribbon cable from the keyboard only has two.

    Since the end is missing I don't know how they connected those two connectors to the four spots on the mother board connector. I wish I could find a decent picture of the end of one of the connectors or maybe a wiring diagram or something.

    I tried testing continuity across the mother board connector's pins to see if they just doubled up the pairs but they all seem to be independent of the each other.

    BTW, the socket on the mother board is labeled CN20 if that helps anyone.

    Also, if I knew how the keyboard back lighting worked I could potentially figure it out just by routing the wires to the socket leads with the appropriate matching voltages. However, I don't know if it's an EL inverter driven type of setup of LED or what. Is there high voltage on the two leads with the driver in the computer body or is a driver in the keyboard?
    :confused:
     
    mancow, Mar 5, 2010
    #3
  4. H-Bert

    H-Bert Notebook Enthusiast

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    hello, maybe that helps a bit.
     

    Attached Files:

    H-Bert, Mar 5, 2010
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  5. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    Freakin AWESOME THANK YOU!!!!
     
    mancow, Mar 5, 2010
    #5
  6. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    I just soldered some small wires to the legs of the socket and it works great. Thanks for the help!

    [​IMG]
     
    mancow, Mar 6, 2010
    #6
  7. ohlip

    ohlip Toughbook Modder

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    Good job! rep to you. Thats what I am talking about who has the guts to do it. I remember the keyboard cable ribbon on my cf-28 two years ago using a very fine thin wire from a headphone.


    ohlip
     
    ohlip, Mar 6, 2010
    #7
  8. Toughbook

    Toughbook Drop and Give Me 20!

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    Great job! Gutsy move... +rep for you!
     
    Toughbook, Mar 6, 2010
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  9. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks guys but I couldn't have done it without the help from this forum. My only other option would have been to try to find a full set of schematics including the back lit keyboard. I'm sure that would have been no small task in and of itseslf.

    I am extremely pleased how it all turned out. $40 on ebay sure beats some of the other crazy prices I've seen for these keyboards.


    The hardest part has turned out to be the actual use of the thing. The rubber keys sure are strange feeling At least I can now type while at work in the car in the dark, as I'm doing now. :D

    Rep to H-Bert for the pic. Thanks.

    I think I'm going to go ahead and keep trying to trick out this 18. I would like to add GPS and whatever else there is available so hopefully I can contribute more to the forum as time goes on.
     
    mancow, Mar 6, 2010
    #9
  10. mnementh

    mnementh Crusty Ol' TinkerDwagon

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    Were you able to get the cover back on & weather tight seal?

    mnem
    Ahhh... Polish-Engineering at its finest!
     
    mnementh, Mar 6, 2010
    #10
  11. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yes, the repaired portion is below the cover and the normal portion of the cable exits as it was designed.


    Polish-Engineering = fat wallet


     
    mancow, Mar 7, 2010
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  12. mnementh

    mnementh Crusty Ol' TinkerDwagon

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    Well done! Rep 2 U!

    mnem<~~~Polish-Engineer-Dwagon~~~<<<
     
    mnementh, Mar 7, 2010
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  13. mancow

    mancow Notebook Enthusiast

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    Right on! Glad you like it. :D
     
    mancow, Mar 15, 2010
    #13