Clevo P150 Lighted Keyboard Issues?

Recently started having a problem with the lighted keyboard on my P153SM-AS (P150). This is the first time I've had a lighted keyboard at all let alone a programmable multicolor one. The problem started with the LED's under the number pad not being able to do any color but Green, regardless of the color chosen for the rest of the keys. Spoke to ProStar and they had me remove the keyboard to check for any bad connections. The entire keyboard is one piece mounted on a metal backing with only the two ribbon cables connecting it to the laptop. One data cable and the smaller LED cable on the left side. I'm impressed with the set-up and was much more at ease about any future keyboard issues given this type of design. No worries of anything ever falling thru the keyboard into the chassis.
Long story short, keyboard lighting is defective and I need to remove it and ship it to ProStar to be checked and have another shipped to me. It's a pain in the backside and I'm going to lose use of my laptop for however long it takes to ship both ways across country, plus testing and then ordering a replacement keyboard once they're convinced that this one is one is defective. So no laptop for two weeks minimum, being a full time college student (yeah...I'm not happy).
My bigger concern is how common is it to have problems with lighted keyboards like this? How many times will I potentially run into this issue over the life of the laptop? I just checked eBay and it looks like the keyboard goes for about $100. Is this something that I should consider having a spare on hand for when this happens the next time? Two weeks without my laptop in the middle of Summer Sessions at school is MAJOR! I'm not bashing anybody at ProStar...I just want to be sure that I won't run into this BS again in the future, and if I do I want to be better prepared. I've got a few years ahead of me working toward a Masters degree and didn't buy a new laptop just so that I wouldn't have use of it from time to time. Or should I just give up on the whole lighted keyboard idea all together...even though it's a feature of the original build up?

Thanks,

Walt

 

It's not a common issue but is one that pops up time to time. Chances are with the replacement you'll be set as it seems if it's working initially it'll keep working so long as you don't damage it yourself. Although if the $100 isn't a big setback for you can't hurt to keep lying around just in case to avoid future downtime in small chance you do have more trouble.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a full time student...Everything is a setback... However I would expect that if I were to pick up a spare down the road, it could probably be found at a lower price. If I had just picked up a laptop without a back lit keyboard, I wouldn't know these types of problems even existed.

 

Hey Walt,

The transit time will be the real killer since we're at opposite ends of the country. It turns out that we can get a replacement keyboard pretty darn fast, just as soon as the problematic one comes in (if they're readily available, we can source one immediately). And Hutsady is right: the LEDs having a fault is pretty rare. Typically when a backlight problem on a keyboard arises, it's per the cable or the connection, or sometimes the firmware, and not the LEDs themselves.

You know how to reach us if you're able and willing to ship it back. We'll help out any way we can so that your'e not without your laptop for long.