About to teardown my Helix LT to clean the footswitches: any tips?

[molul]

A couple of my Helix LT footswitches have been double-clicking lately (for ~4 months I think). It was bearable at first, but lately it's screwing up rehearsals for the last couple of weeks, so I'm trying to apply some contact cleaner to the footswitches in the hope it's only that.

I've spotted several videos, most of them about tearing down the Helix Floor, and some tearing down the LT but for fixing Exp pedal issues (footswitches PCB is not unassembled in those).

So, if anyone has done this before, any tips?

 

[the-trooper]

Aside from chassis opening, it should be the same for Floor and LT:

Helix Footswitch Repair Video

I've been using my specific Helix unit since 2017 and over the past year or so I've noticed FS11 starting to not register presses, or only acting as a momentary switch even when set to latching -- I had to press it at a certain angle to make it function properly. Soon after, FS5 started doing...

www.thegearpage.net

 

[molul]

Thanks, I saw that thread. Not sure what he means with "DON’T VACUUM THE FOOTSWITCH ACTUATOR AREA UNLESS YOU FIRST REMOVE THE BLACK PLASTIC PLUNGERS AND SPRINGS" ^_^U

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Thanks, I saw that thread. Not sure what he means with "DON’T VACUUM THE FOOTSWITCH ACTUATOR AREA UNLESS YOU FIRST REMOVE THE BLACK PLASTIC PLUNGERS AND SPRINGS" ^_^U

The physical switches press down on small miniature switches connected to the footswitch PCB. Between the physical switch and the mini switch is a small plastic piece tensioned by a spring. When I pulled the footswitch PCB up all of the little pieces went flying everywhere and I had to go looking for them.

 

[molul]

Oh, I see now. Thanks!

 

[the-trooper]

The physical switches press down on small miniature switches connected to the footswitch PCB. Between the physical switch and the mini switch is a small plastic piece tensioned by a spring. When I pulled the footswitch PCB up all of the little pieces went flying everywhere and I had to go looking for them.

Wait, aren't they here? I'm not getting where they fly off, shouldn't they stay there when you pull the PCB up?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Wait, aren't they here? I'm not getting where they fly off, shouldn't they stay there when you pull the PCB up?View attachment 2008

Some of them like the one you've circled stayed down with the footswitches, some of them were under tension of the springs and flew off.

And that picture looks like it was captured from after that happened.. It's been a while since I made the video. I have to go back in and do it again soon

 

[the-trooper]

I have to go back in and do it again soon

On the same switches? That tells us approximately how long deoxit fix lasts.

 

[molul]

Well, I did this yesterday and it got better, but it still happens sometimes on a stress test. I'll try playing normally today and see. I wonder if it's the springs.

 

[molul]

Well this was an useful tip I would have liked to know: where to launch the contact cleaner xD

Guess I'll reopen the Helix tomorrow xDD

 

[Alex Kenivel]

On the same switches? That tells us approximately how long deoxit fix lasts.

Yeah, one of them is acting up again, along with one that wasn't acting up before.

Contemplating just getting the switches replaced.

 

[Bob Zaod]

Yeah, one of them is acting up again, along with one that wasn't acting up before.

Contemplating just getting the switches replaced.

I hope you have better luck than I did. They did nothing to mine nor did they update the ticket at all. Just sent it back and closed the ticket. Luckily after I cleaned them all up with air and DeOxit everything is fine now.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I hope you have better luck than I did. They did nothing to mine nor did they update the ticket at all. Just sent it back and closed the ticket. Luckily after I cleaned them all up with air and DeOxit everything is fine now.

Kinda why the thought is still in the contemplation queue rather than in motion. Also contemplating selling off the Floor after I clean the switches again.

 

[shanesiegle]

Well this was an useful tip I would have liked to know: where to launch the contact cleaner xD

View attachment 2034

Guess I'll reopen the Helix tomorrow xDD

That should fix it.

 

[Holden Afart]

Those fucking switches are junk and shouldn't ever be used on anything. There's a metal convex disc in there and they warp or something and don't pop back up. I've taken the switch apart and popped the disc back to where it belongs and reassembled them. Sometimes they last afterwards sometimes they don't.

 

[molul]

Well it looks like applying the contact cleaner inside the switch did the trick. Been pushing the footswitches for a while and no double click issue so far. What a relief! :-D

 

[holoholo]

Anyone had to have their stomp's footswitches serviced? I sent it to my local authorized service center wanting to support local business...thinking it would only need a cleaning due to the glitchy footswitches (it's still under warranty). But it's been there for a month and my service center said their just waiting on replacement footswitches from Line 6.

 

[Bob Zaod]

Anyone had to have their stomp's footswitches serviced? I sent it to my local authorized service center wanting to support local business...thinking it would only need a cleaning due to the glitchy footswitches (it's still under warranty). But it's been there for a month and my service center said their just waiting on replacement footswitches from Line 6.

Sore subject for me but just to let you know. They may be out of switches completely. I sent in my LT for the same thing DIRECTLY to Line 6 for FS2 and FS8 issues and they sent it back in the exact same condition with no updates to what they did or didn't do. I took it upon myself to tear it down and fix (clean) the switches then sold that LT.

 

[holoholo]

@Digital Igloo Do you guys have a footswitch shortage?

 

[holoholo]

@Bob Zaod Welp now I'm in the same boat as you. Line 6 told my local service center just to do reset procedures. No parts were sent. He's over with arguing with them going in circles and now sending me back the pedal in the same condition I sent it. Disappointed with the customer service on this "warranty".