3 New Elite controllers seem ruined, how to fix?

hobib_ali

hobib_ali

hobib_ali

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So I have 3 new special editions Microsoft Elite controllers, all on my desk on holders

Unfortunately when I was out a toddler child managed to get all 3 controllers and dribble all over them, literally wet like soaked, when switched on it seemed someone was pressing the buttons like spam pressing, so I know its conductive so the buttons are being pressed

So i took off the front cover housing, and used cotton bud tips to soak up the baby saliva

it was all over the D pad and analogue sticks

I then placed for 2 days on a heated vent, like luke warm air

Now its dry Ive tested all of them, they work other than the D pads, on one of them "down" doesnt work on the other 2 "right" doesnt work, unless I APPLY a lot of pressure on one of them

How to fix, i mean baby saliva is not acid, 3 new elite controllers replaced is like £400

So im thinking because its saliva, its dried up and left residue which now is causing a contact issue? or could it be its fried so some buttons dont work


Any recommendations to a fix?>
 
I think it's too late, you turned the controllers on while wet. Game over. Sorry :(

It will be a very luck day for you if drying them out again will work. I wouldn't be surprised if they slowly get worse.
 
It’s either bad contacts from residue or you shorted something when switched on whilst wet.

The latter would be game over for the controllers…which is likely the reason.
 
by the sounds of it it wasn't your toddler child. if that were me and my lad I would be offering to replace them IF you can't fix.. (unless you were meant to be looking after it of course)

personally I am more optimistic a total stripdown and clean up with alcohol will sort it
 
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PardonTheWait said:
Try a bit of isopropyl alcohol to go over the affected bits and let it dry.
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This.

Likely impurities in the drool have left a bit of a layer on the contacts.
Iso is always the first thing I try when I have to clean contacts on anything these days, as it does a pretty good job of loosening up gunk and any iso left over just evaporates.

It's also cheap, I've got a 1 litre (or is it 2?) can in the garage I bought about 15 years ago.
 
If they're 'new' clean them and if they're still showing issues and you've managed to put it back together without causing damage, i'd register them on the MS website and start a return. Usually, they don't even test and just send a new one.
 
NVP said:
Have you put them back together correctly?
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This is not a bad shout - I took an Xbox 360 controller (I think!) apart years ago. When I put it together my hazy memory tells me I had a similar issue with it after. When I opened it up again a pcb, or part of it, had popped up off a plastic lug so it was pushing down as I pushed the d pad. Popped it back in place and all was good. Admittedly I didn’t open it to clean baby slabbers (can’t remember why the hell I opened it - probably curiosity!)

That said, if it is back together correctly, as already said, a drop of isopropyl might well sort it.
 
Thekwango said:
This is not a bad shout - I took an Xbox 360 controller (I think!) apart years ago. When I put it together my hazy memory tells me I had a similar issue with it after. When I opened it up again a pcb, or part of it, had popped up off a plastic lug so it was pushing down as I pushed the d pad. Popped it back in place and all was good. Admittedly I didn’t open it to clean baby slabbers (can’t remember why the hell I opened it - probably curiosity!)

That said, if it is back together correctly, as already said, a drop of isopropyl might well sort it.
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its the D pad that doesnt work, all the other buttons work, one of them just spams so thinking its still wet with baby spit
 
Werewolf said:
This.

Likely impurities in the drool have left a bit of a layer on the contacts.
Iso is always the first thing I try when I have to clean contacts on anything these days, as it does a pretty good job of loosening up gunk and any iso left over just evaporates.

It's also cheap, I've got a 1 litre (or is it 2?) can in the garage I bought about 15 years ago.
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i think this is the case

so I bought a can of WD40 contact cleaning spray

its non conductive so I can spray on the effected d pad, hopefully it will breakdown the dried baby drool from the contacts

if that doesnt work then i will teardown and clean properly

if that doesnt work then in the bin or the bay for a tenner for parts or so,

damn the elite controllers are so expensive, so I will buy the core edition.

and I was gonna buy the PS5 elite controller, luckily i didnt for 200 quid otherwise that one would have been damaged too
 
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never use IPA on the rubber conductive membrane (fine on circuit board) - if you have seen the black residue that comes off on a q-tip (it etches the surface)
the deal on using ethanol based petrol e10 on on old cars is the same issue.

rather use a moussing cleaner from a spray can with a q-tip, or just detergent.
 
jpaul said:
rather use a moussing cleaner from a spray can with a q-tip, or just detergent.
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was on the weekend tasks list

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