got a working keyboard today. had an epiphany though:
after the nth person asked me “is the cpu under the e key?” i started to go “actually what IS under the e key?”
well, for one, there’s the wifi module. with a heat pipe going close by.
but what’s more interesting is what isn’t under there:
this is from the deflection kit installation guide, showing off where to put the sponges. there are two very close to the e key, it turns out.
… i haven’t installed it yet. i put it off because i wasn’t really noticing meaningful flexion in the keyboard.
but if:
a) meaningful heat was getting into the keyboard from that area
b) it was inadequately supported due to lack of sponges
c) i am leaning on that key like it’s my gas pedal (because i’m an esdf player and i discovered this problem playing minecraft, so, well, it kinda is)
i still need to pull the device apart at some point to get more data, but i’m strongly suspecting it was heat + pressure + flexing = increasingly damaged solder point.
this model is compatible with the behavior changes i observed over time as i continued to abuse the key.
in unrelated news, i plan on installing my deflection kit tomorrow.