TouchSmart Wireless Keyboard stopped working

[Sonja1255]

About 2 weeks ago, the wireless keyboard on my TouchSmart stopped working for no reason. Nothing has been spilled, it has not been dropped, and no cat has laid on it!!  I have tried re-booting, exchanging the batteries, but to no avail. If there is anything else I should be doing, could you please let me know; otherwise I would like to find out who to go about getting a new keyboard, and how much that would cost me.

The numbers on the bottom of the keyboard are as follows:

FCC ID: J75RK713A

Model No.: RK713A

P/N: 492904-001

S/N: SJ838KBJ05881 REV: A2.3

[bcope01]

Did you replace all FOUR batteries, or just the two that are visible?

[JimT]

in another thread regarding keyboard batteries also reports that your standard duracel battereis don't seem to work in these keyboards, try either duracel ultra (which is what I used and found they work) or energizers.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/TouchSmart-PC/Keyboard-Not-Working-does-it-require-Energizer-batteries/...

[lizard]

Some have 4 batteries, some only have 2 (Same model # keyboard)

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/TouchSmart-PC/Warning-about-wireless-keyboard-batteries-for-HP-Touchsma...

[Sonja1255]

mine only has 2 batteries, but I had to double check when I read your response....

[Sonja1255]

Seriously!!! I would have never thought that the brand of battery actually mattered!! Thanks guys, you saved me from buying a new keyboard!

[bcareymis]

More than one way to skin a cat... with duracell batteries...

I found the same issue with the keyboard and it was very frustrating... first it seemed that the batteries that I had in my stockroom cabinet may have been bad/old... but in a different product they were full strength... so I decided to compare the Eveready batteries to the Duracells//// lo and behold there is a very slight difference in the tip of the batteries (positive post) that plus the fact that the design wizards at HP elected to inset the positive spring clip behind two raised plastic bosses on the positive side...

result... the slightly longer and narrower tip (only a few thousands of an inch mind you) was the difference between the duracells working normally or not working at all....

SOLUTION.... taking a pen knife or other such implement insert tip into the coil of the spring contact at the positive end of each battery location in the keyboard (batteries removed obviously) apply some lifting torque to spring that clip out from between the plastic retainers so that the tip of "ANY" brand of batter will contact it and the problem goes away...

such a subtle flaw.. a better spring design would have fixed the issue..... a thinner plastic boss structure would have fixed the problem... such a basic defect and still occuring today in my almost new touchsmart 800 series... go figure....

again just spring the center of the positive contact for each of the batteries so that it is even with or just outside of the plastic retainers in the battery housing and the problem is cured.... gently tho... there is no warranty for breaking the spring or the plastic retainer clips.... LOL

[lizard]

Hey mods,

There are 4 threads on this keyboard issue and it seems to be effecting more of us.

Should these be combined and made a sticky ?

[mreniff]

Switching to the brand of battery fixed the problems I was having with my keyboard. I was using Costco Duracell standard batteries.

Never would have figured it was the brand of battery!

Ditto on being so happy with Windows 7.  Vista was horrible.

[garmyroog]

Holy smokes!!!  I'm able to type this e-mail because of the advice.  I bought some generic kroger batteries and was freaking out when I couldn't connect the keyboard.  Adjusting the coils worked perfect.  Thanks for the help, guys!