Laptop keyboard repair options

[anxious_ant]

Accidently spilled some beer on my HP laptop. I have switched it off and dried but now some keys don't work.
Well the do, but pressing one key triggers multiple keys. This seems to be limited to the numpad side so in the mean time I can still use my laptop.
Delete key doesn't work, so have to use backspace so it is a bit annoying.

I am guessing the keyboard needs replacing? My laptop is HP Envy x360 15, and according to the manual the part number for the keyboard (it's actually the whole top cover assembly) is L32763-031. However I cannot seem to find this part.

Does this mean I don't have any repair options?

[Kenny6868]

I would call someone at https://laptopbitz.co.uk/

We use them for all our HP spares. They are very good at getting stuff that appears to be out of stock everywhere else.

[anxious_ant]

Kenny6868 said:

I would call someone at https://laptopbitz.co.uk/

We use them for all our HP spares. They are very good at getting stuff that appears to be out of stock everywhere else.

Cheers. I will give them a go.

[bigandclever]

Can you not just ping some of the keys off the keyboard and actually clean the dried, sticky beer from underneath? Might save the rigmarole of replacement.

[quinny100]

That's a spare part code and is not stocked by the normal HP reseller distributors.

https://www.eetgroup.com/en-gb/l32763-031-hp-top-c... - EET are a HP parts distributor, they won't sell to you directly but if you can find a reseller with an account with them they will be able to order it.

[anxious_ant]

bigandclever said:

Can you not just ping some of the keys off the keyboard and actually clean the dried, sticky beer from underneath? Might save the rigmarole of replacement.

Looking at the design of the keys, I don’t think it would be possible to un-clip them. It looks like whole unit needs to be replaced. I’ve used cotton buds and hair dryer, but didn’t work.
I suspect it’s not keys sticking (as they don’t feel sticky) but short circuit somewhere…

[anxious_ant]

quinny100 said:

That's a spare part code and is not stocked by the normal HP reseller distributors.

https://www.eetgroup.com/en-gb/l32763-031-hp-top-c... - EET are a HP parts distributor, they won't sell to you directly but if you can find a reseller with an account with them they will be able to order it.

Wow, great sleuthing. Thanks for this
Not really easy finding spare parts for laptop these days, found one on eBay but out of stock. Plus it was £90.

[sgrimshaw]

anxious_ant said:

Looking at the design of the keys, I don’t think it would be possible to un-clip them. It looks like whole unit needs to be replaced. I’ve used cotton buds and hair dryer, but didn’t work.
I suspect it’s not keys sticking (as they don’t feel sticky) but short circuit somewhere…

It is possible to remove them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QigRg6-QoEU

Got to be worth popping the keycap off and giving it a good clean with contact cleaner.

[Funk]

anxious_ant said:

quinny100 said:

That's a spare part code and is not stocked by the normal HP reseller distributors.

https://www.eetgroup.com/en-gb/l32763-031-hp-top-c... - EET are a HP parts distributor, they won't sell to you directly but if you can find a reseller with an account with them they will be able to order it.

Wow, great sleuthing. Thanks for this
Not really easy finding spare parts for laptop these days, found one on eBay but out of stock. Plus it was £90.

I'm an HP reseller and supply from EET regularly. The problem I'd have supplying is that we're B2B, we're not set up to sell to consumers unfortunately. If it's any help EET's price is a ton plus VAT plus delivery; I reckon your best bet is probably ebay to be honest...

[stevensdrs]

There are some tutorials on youtube showing how to replace the keyboard. It is however a complete bugger of a job as it requires nearly everything to be removed and the keyboard itself is not screwed in but held by plastic pegs. They don't really make them to be easily swapped out anymore. There is no chance of being able to clean it from the front and it probably would be futile even if you could.
To pay a repair place to do it you are likely looking at a £200 bill.

[sgrimshaw]

You can get just a replacement keyboard, no idea how easy/hard it would be to fit.

https://www.laptops-keyboard.co.uk/hp-envy-x360-15...

I was lucky, when my Envy 360 keyboard had a minor spill, popping the keys off and giving them a good clean sorted mine out.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

sgrimshaw said:

You can get just a replacement keyboard, no idea how easy/hard it would be to fit.

https://www.laptops-keyboard.co.uk/hp-envy-x360-15...

I was lucky, when my Envy 360 keyboard had a minor spill, popping the keys off and giving them a good clean sorted mine out.

I am sure there are plenty of Youtube videos that show how to do it, failing that once you have the replacement keyboard take it to your local phone/tablet/pc repair shop.

[anxious_ant]

stevensdrs said:

There are some tutorials on youtube showing how to replace the keyboard. It is however a complete bugger of a job as it requires nearly everything to be removed and the keyboard itself is not screwed in but held by plastic pegs. They don't really make them to be easily swapped out anymore. There is no chance of being able to clean it from the front and it probably would be futile even if you could.
To pay a repair place to do it you are likely looking at a £200 bill.

Yup, I have done some research on how to repair but it looks very difficult. Not sure if I can justify 200 quid to repair, maybe I just need to live with it :P

[anxious_ant]

jesusbuiltmycar said:

sgrimshaw said:

You can get just a replacement keyboard, no idea how easy/hard it would be to fit.

https://www.laptops-keyboard.co.uk/hp-envy-x360-15...

I was lucky, when my Envy 360 keyboard had a minor spill, popping the keys off and giving them a good clean sorted mine out.

I am sure there are plenty of Youtube videos that show how to do it, failing that once you have the replacement keyboard take it to your local phone/tablet/pc repair shop.

Thanks for the link. Looking at the part I would need to somehow seperate the keyboard from the top case. I will have a look at the YT videos to gauge if this is something I can do, or if there is a local shop that might be able to do it.

This is the part I've found on eBay, which looks like a straight swap, but it's out of stock.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273770583834

[sgrimshaw]

Seriosuly. if you've not already tried it ping the key caps off and give them a good clean out with contact cleaner.

[anxious_ant]

sgrimshaw said:

Seriosuly. if you've not already tried it ping the key caps off and give them a good clean out with contact cleaner.

Ok, will give this a go. Don't think it's keys sticking as pressing one key triggers another key thay is far away, but worth a shot I suppose.
Are you sure the keys ping off? Doesn't look like the normal "scissor" type keys to me.

Edited by anxious_ant on Friday 30th July 13:42

[sgrimshaw]

anxious_ant said:

Ok, will give this a go. Don't think it's keys sticking as pressing one key triggers another key thay is far away, but worth a shot I suppose.
Are you sure the keys ping off? Doesn't look like the normal "scissor" type keys to me.

There's a video for removing the cap from these keys in my earlier post, worked for my 360.

[Harpoon]

Active Electronics in High Wycombe had a HP spares operation. I'm not sure if they sell to consumers though - my previous job was an IT reseller and we sourced a variety of spares from them.