Malfunctioning Keyboard Backlight keyboard backlight is not working properly.

TTTTTTT · August 2023

Hi, as you can see in the image, my keyboard backlight is not working properly, only a portion of it is lighting up.

My laptop had a mite infestation and I sprayed its insides with isopropyl alcohol to kill all the mites. I don't know what caused this because I didn't remove the keyboard assembly or anything. I just removed the motherboard and sprayed the alcohol on the black sheet underneath the motherboard to kill the mites. I sprayed on the keys from the outside too, to make sure that no mites would be left under the keys.

This is all that I did but now for some reason, my keyboard backlight has become like this. The keyboard is working fine it is just that the backlight is not lighting up, only a part of it does. I checked the ribbon cable that comes from the keyboard to the motherboard, which looks fine. I don't know where else to look to fix the connection to the backlight.

Can anyone help me with this?

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Puraw · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/690411/malfunctioning-keyboard-backlight

Alcohol is a no-no for laptops, I recommend bringing your laptop to Acer Services in your country for repairs.

TTTTTTT · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1223821#Comment_1223821

I thought isopropyl alcohol is what the tech guys use to clean hardware, is it not true?

Puraw · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1223832#Comment_1223832

To remove messy thermal paste not for cleaning the MOBO and never spraying. Google it.

TTTTTTT · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1223834#Comment_1223834

So I basically damaged my laptop *****. I'm thankful that it turns on. Actually, I used the isopropyl alcohol after watching a YouTube video. In it, the guy cleaned a mite infestation from a laptop like me. This was where I got my idea. I waited for more than 24 hours for everything to dry up though. Is there nothing I could do? Like to check the connections for the backlight if there is a connection. Also if my keyboard is damaged then can I replace it with the one that has an RGB backlight? Mine only has red.

Puraw · August 2023

Can you try if an external USB keyboard works, or OSK https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-the-on-screen-keyboard-osk-to-type-ecbb5e08-5b4e-d8c8-f794-81dbf896267a

I that works OK and it is only a matter of KB backlight it could be the power cable to the KB, IMO bringing your laptop to Acer Services in your country is still the best.

TTTTTTT · August 2023

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1223853#Comment_1223853

The external keyboard works and the keyboard on the laptop also works. The problem is only with the lights being partially lit.

Actually, the service centres here are not that great. Initially, I took the laptop to the service centre to get rid of the mites and they did not do much about it, Just brushed off the dust. This was the reason why I tried to deal with the mites on my own. I know for sure that they would say I need to replace my keyboard and would charge me a big sum.

I had a question, if it is the power going to the keyboard backlight, how are some of the keys lit and others not? I reconnected the cables for the keyboard yet it still has the same partially lit keys.