I googled this and the official website says it’s possible but doesn’t give a video or image.
So I’m guessing I use the key cap switcher tools other side with the claw and pull the inbuilt switch? But when trying this it’d clear thd inbuilt switches are properly secured. So is it possible and how
With V1, switches are soldered in place, so it is only possible by disassembling the keyboard and unsoldering them… which is a painfully laborous process.
With V2, it suffices to pull them out with a switcher puller (which should have been packed with your V2).
(Without a switch puller, it is still possible to disassemble the keyboard and push them out from the back side with any suitable tool, e.g., a screwdriver.)
So I’m an idiot - I did not read forums or docs before attempting to remove the switch under the (QWERTY) “Y” key. It wouldn’t come up easily like my other hotswap-switch mechanical keyboards, so I pulled harder. One edge lifted up, but not the other, then I got nervous and pushed the switch back down. The switch doesn’t work now - the center part is depressed, but doesn’t pop back. (Perhaps I damaged the switch.) Then I came here and read that the v1 doesn’t have swappable switches. Idiot.
So now what? Is there a guide to taking this thing (right half) apart? I’m in the US, and shipping this to Hungary for repairs (if this is even an option) is a giant headache and cost. So please help. The tragedy of this is that I did this within 30 minutes of unboxing the keyboard and connecting it for the first time.
Yes, this is a v1 - I thought it was v2 or I thought v1s had replaceable switches. I really do not know what I was thinking (clearly). The switch did not come out, so I’m thinking it’s v1 and soldered. I have replacement switches on order, and hopefully the soldering isn’t too difficult.
Thanks, @mlac - I got the order of replacement switches and with my younger son’s keen eyesight, was able to 1) desolder the original switch, 2) solder in a replacement. All works now! Funny story - I wasn’t sure if the switches were sold singly or in packs, so I order 2 in case I flubbed the first one - turns out they were in packs of 10, so I have 19 spares.
Excellent tutorials on how to take the keyboard apart, and the solder pads were nice and large so we weren’t doing microsurgery here since my soldering iron does not have a super-fine tip. Whole project took 30 minutes or less. “Y” key is back in business!
Is there special care needed when swapping the switches? I already did that one time on the UHK with success, but managed to rip off the hot swap socket, when I tried to do that on another (non UHK) keyboard. I know this explanation.
Just wondering if the case normally will support the sockets fully or if there is still a chance to rip the sockets off – assuming one takes care not to try to push too hard, when one accidently did not have the switch pins aligned correctly.
I now have 24 spare Kailh hotswap sockets from my other keyboard adventure, but I am not keen on using them on the UHK, when I want to test other switches with/ on it.