Thinkpads Forum

Hi, first time poster from the land down under (Australia).
I have done several searches on this site as well as the internet and cant seem to find what im after.
I pulled my laptop apart to replace the keyboard, which I have successfully done before. While I was doing this the small black plastic switch that determines when the laptop is open or closed fell off(sets system to standby when closed). After a bit of a search of my lounge room floor I found it and put it back in. The problem is that the switch now just flops about, Im just wondering what is meant to go in behind it? eg, is there supposed to be a spring or something behind it. If so where would I get one of these from?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you
Justin

Have you downloaded the hardware maintenance manual and taken a look at it?

Hi, sorry for my ignorance, I have done a search for the "Hardware maintenance manual" but keep getting a sql error with the search feature. I have also had a browse of this website and can't seem to find the manual. Just wondering where I download it from.
Thanks
Justin

I too have a 600X with a broken lid closure switch. I have had some success in locating sources for various switches for other electronic devices before so I intend to look around the net for this particular switch. The hardware manual doesn't contain a specific part number or source (manufacturer) for individual parts so it just takes a little detective work in tracking down who makes the switch and then who sells them in single-unit quantities.

I'm assuming that the switch is broken such that the display/laptop is always on, correct? And that you would like to have the switch fully functional again (be able to put the laptop in standby/hibernate/power off)? The switch is normally spring-loaded so it is possible that it's laying somewhere around your room but it's highly improbable that you will be able to put the switch back together.

Give me a few days to look around for the switch and I'll post my results back here.

And just when I thought of another solution it seemed like the forum was unavailable for a few hours....

Anyway, you could always replace the entire SUB CARD. There are currently several available on eBay starting around $5 US (none in Oz at the moment). The 600X maintenance manual has the FRU number as 10L1335 but I have seen other FRUs such as 10L1488 and 10L1111 as being replacements (although neither one shows up on a search at IBM's site however).

IBM search:
http://www.ibm.com/help/us/en/help/

Well, that didn't take too long, did it? It seems like I ran into a large pool of luck. It appears that an OMRON D3C-1220 switch will do the trick as a replacement for the original switch. I've ordered two switches from one of my favorite single-quantity sources (www.mouser.com) at $1.08US each (plus ~$6 shipping, ouch!). Probably would have been cheaper to snipe a Sub Card at an eBay auction, but oh well...

I grabbed a Sub Card here and I eyeballed the switch and of course it didn't have any useful part number or manufacturer name on it. So I entered the following search terms into Yahoo:

spdt lever switch pcb mount

(SPDT=Single Pole, Double Throw; the type of switch it is because it has three terminals and is marked NC, NO and C)
(PCB=printed circuit board)

and the SECOND hit was for:

http://oeiwcs.omron.com/webapp/commerce ... rmenbr=316

I downloaded the datasheet that was provided at that web site and then out came the calipers. After all of the measurements were taken, the only one that is different between the original switch and the OMRON one is that the lever of the OMRON is a little bit longer (2mm vs 4.6mm). Nothing that a little filing can't take care of. There are also two different operating force versions. That's the amount of pressure required to push down the lever and make the switch operate (40g and 130g). So, how do you tell what the operating force is of the original switch? Easy, if you have a digital scale. Simply turn the scale on, place the lever down on the scale and push until the lever starts to move. Read the weight (force) on the scale! The original switch is just about 40 grams; same as OMRON's "low operating force" version. The only other option for the OMRON switch is whether it is shorting or non-shorting. That can be determined by placing an ohmmeter across the NC and NO terminals and seeing if it shorts out when the switch is moved (it didn't, ergo, non-shorting).

Now, since you're Down Under, you might want to try searching for an OMRON D3C-1220 from a local supplier. I thought about Dick Smith, but they don't appear to carry the line. Radio Shack is probably not a choice either. There appears to be a OMRON Sales Office in Sydney. You might want to start there.

http://www.omron.com/ecb/service/index.html

If you can't find a suitable switch, that's less than $5-7AUD, then I would say eBay is your best bet to get a complete Sub Card. The one that I pulled out of one of my 600X systems has two FRUs on it: 10L1335 and 10L1488.

The other option is to simply remove the switch from the Sub Card and solder a wire between the NC and C holes. That would be the two holes closest to the "S1" label. It would insure the LCD stays on all of the time, but you would lose the standby/hibernation function.

Finished my little lid closure switch replacement project. Details can be found at:

http://www.rkawakami.net/ibm_600x/sub_card/

The Omron D3C-1220 switch can be used as long as the lever is shortened slightly. It is available from several different sources as outlined in my previous post.

Great writeup Ray.

Regards,

James