LED Remote Repair (Buttons Not Working)

This fix covers fixing buttons on these cheap little remotes that come with a lot of electronic devices (in my case, an LED strip light). The problem is that the carbon contacts either wear out or corrode (in my case it corroded... for reasons unknown). This means the pad no longer conducts when pressed so the signal does not trigger the remote to send anything to the device. Diagnostic Tip: You can see if your buttons are sending anything by pointing your remote at a camera and looking through the viewfinder to see if the light is shown on the remote. Most cameras can pick up Infrared light, but our eyes cannot see it. This will eliminate the problem of buying a new battery to test if you don't have a multimeter handy. If all other buttons work, but one or a few (in an area) do not work, you will see this in the viewfinder. To fix, use commonly available foil tape (aluminum foil) which you can find at many hardware stores for about 6-12 dollars per roll. This can be pricey if you don't have it laying around, but it's generally cheaper than shipping your device for warranty service and/or junking the device which uses the remote (if required for function). Adhere a small square of foil tape to cover the contact pad making sure that the aluminum side faces the circuit board. Ie. the adhesive should stick to the carbon contact, covering it. You are basically putting aluminum tape in place of the carbon. Anything that makes this connection and bridges the gap will work. This just happens to be cheap, convenient and easy to install. Hope this helps someone else out there and saves you shipping and or the cost of your device.