Hello, maybe someone had a similar problem or has any ideas for possible solutions.
I’m using the CPG123201D01 switches from Kailh for my super-low-profile keyboard. The reason I choose them is that they a couple of millimetres lower even than the choc switches, and I really want my keyboard to be low-profile.
I already used them in one previous keyboard, but due to a couple of design mistakes on my part, and, now I realize, to due to problems with those switches that I didn’t notice back then, it was unusable. Now I decided to scavenge that project and re-use those switches, but without the design mistakes it is now patently obvious that the switches are a problem.
But what is the problem exactly? Basically, the switches are clicky, and they click very nicely when they are pressed, however, that click is not accompanied with closing the circuit. In fact, they don’t close the circuit until the bottom out. You can imagine that getting a click but not getting the letter is extremely frustrating.
As far as I can tell, the clicking mechanism is completely separate from the contact mechanism in those switches, you can see it on this animated gif:
I wonder if there is any way to rescue this project somehow, short of re-doing it with properly working switches. Any suggestions welcome.
I don’t have any other switches to recommend to you, but I can confirm that the click mechanism is separate from the actuation mechanism. I’m not sure how to open these, but I think you can remove the clickbar and convert the switch to linear - at least then you wouldn’t have an errant tactile event leading you astray.
A quick update, for anyone considering using those switches: I just got a second batch, because I was missing a few of them and I ordered replacement before I found out those problems, and they also have the exact same problem, fresh out of the box, so I don’t think it’s a faulty batch or something I did wrong when handling them — they are just horrible switches.
That’s unfortunate - at very least some members here will benefit from your experience.
I have little experience with low-pro switches myself, but I’ve heard various complaints about most of them dating all the way back to the original Cherry ML. I think the only low-pro switch I haven’t seen lots of complaints about are the Kailh Chocs, which I know are a little taller than what you’re going for. This is definitely a space with plenty of room for innovation.
If you find yourself reaching for some comic relief from this frustration, here is a video of Chyrosran22 roasting a low-profile keyboard - one that would be interesting if not for its tragic inclusion of the aforementioned garbaggio Cherry ML switches.
