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05-30-2011, 10:37 AM - 8 Likes   #1
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K-r E-dial repair

There is a frequent issue with the e-dial of K-r. When it is being rotated it does not switch corresponding parameter (apperture, exposure time) at all or sometimes shifts a parameter to undesired value. This bug is caused by a lubricant inside the wheel mechanism. Silicon oil is a dielectric. It's intended to make wheel rotating smooth, but it covers contacts of sensor inside the e-dial and prevents it from normal functioning.
Is it a mistake of developers or a hackwork of taiwan assemblers I can't say. But I can tell you how to fix it.
I have attached 3 pictures showing how to disassemble the camera.
1. Remove the battery. Unscrew the screw from the bottom of the battery bay. It is not pictured because there is only one screw and it is too dark in the battery bay.
2. Unscrew all screws from the top of the body. Couple of screws are located under the built in flash.
3. Remove the top cover. Be carefull not to tear wires and flat cables connecting elements on top cover with the rest of the body. You can disconnect a flat cable from the slot at the body side to make the top cover more mobile. On the picture you can see 3 screws holding the e-dial module. Unscrew all those screws.
4. The end of a flat cable connected to the e-dial is glued to the top cover so you will have to use some force to unglue it.

5. Now you are ready to clean the e-dial sensor. Take a pure alcohol (vodka would suit too) and a clean syringe (5-10 ml). Hold the e-dial as far from the body as possible. It would be a good idea to cover the body with something water resistant. Aim a powerful jet of an alcohol under the wheel. Repeat such wash from all four sides of e-dial module.
6. Dry the e-dial module with an air flow. I used a large squirt that I use to remove dust particles from lenses.
7. Assemble everything carefully back.

Attached Images
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PENTAX K20D  Photo   
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K20D  Photo 
05-30-2011, 11:01 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Using spray electrical contact cleaner with the thin red tube attached to the spray head seems to work too. Good that you got yours working. Faster than sending it in under warranty.
05-30-2011, 11:42 AM   #3
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Welcome aboard predictor! +1 rep for a very informative post.
06-10-2011, 09:00 PM   #4
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Wish I had seen this before I sent mine in for service! Thanks for the info!!

06-30-2011, 10:05 AM   #5
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After unscrewing all screws, I still cannot open the top cover. Seems it is too hard to open it safe.
Could you give some trick to open it??

QuoteQuote:
3. Remove the top cover. Be carefull not to tear wires and flat cables connecting elements on top cover with the rest of the body. You can disconnect a flat cable from the slot at the body side to make the top cover more mobile. On the picture you can see 3 screws holding the e-dial module. Unscrew all those screws.
There are two screws hidden by the view finder cover. After removing it, I can open the top cover.
But now I do not know how to disconnect a flat cable from the slot at the body side... Can you show me how?

Last edited by espanola; 06-30-2011 at 10:27 AM.
06-30-2011, 10:28 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by espanola Quote
But now I do not know how to disconnect a flat cable from the slot at the body side...
You can disconnect only one of flat cables. It is on the second picture at the left side near the e-dial. To disconnect it from the body you should unlock a black plastic lock at the body side and just pull the cable out.
07-01-2011, 10:14 AM   #7
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Complete "washing" e-dial today. It works ok now.
Will follow up to ensure the camera really gets rid off the problem.

Thanks for great great post Predictor!

07-12-2011, 12:45 AM   #8
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I used this advice to "wash" my e-dial. It's already been in for service once for this. I was disappointed to see the problem come back. I didn't feel like waiting 2 or 3 weeks for the repair, so I did it myself. After the rinse, the motion felt a little less smooth, so put some contact cleaner/lubricant in there too. It's better than before in that it no longer registers movement in the wrong direction nor does it jump multiple clicks. But I still notice a missed click when I spin it fast. I hope it improves over time.
07-12-2011, 07:58 PM   #9
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thanks, I did almost the same in my kx. in kx one screw under the flash was not necessary to remove
07-13-2011, 12:48 PM   #10
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for devorama missing clicks on control wheel

This problem happens on my K10D clone camera as well - dont spin the dial, just turn it fairly slowly.
07-14-2011, 02:47 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by jlaubza Quote
This problem happens on my K10D clone camera as well - dont spin the dial, just turn it fairly slowly.
It is not a bug. All mechanical rotation sensors work that way, if you rotate it too fast it skips some clicks.
07-14-2011, 04:49 AM   #12
jac
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Actually, I think it is a bug. Happens on my K5 too. Since I have a grip on it, I simply use it's dial - my problem is the shutter speed. Occassionly it will suddenly jump up to the 6000/8000 range and no amount of slow, gentle rotation will bring it back. It doesn't happen all the time which indicates it is not how I use the dials but rather something internal.
10-29-2011, 07:40 PM   #13
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Have to say this advice was invaluable. I live in Jamaica and brought the camera whilst on holiday in the States so as opposed to paying shipping costs back to Pentax in the U.S. and probably Customs tax on arriving back in Jamaica, I followed the instructions and used 'Electronic Cleaner' by Gunk and hoped I wasn't going to screw up my new K-r...It works like it always should have, now.

Thanks so much

Jason
11-02-2011, 07:40 PM   #14
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GREAT, great post, thank you, really, very much!!
Have my K-r for 5 months and I stil don´t have that issue because I try to not speed or over-use the e-dial, or may be I´m just lucky. Any way I´ll bookmark this for posibles future problems.
11-03-2011, 12:53 AM   #15
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wax
I suppose you are lucky. It does not depend on intensity of use.

Pentax is frustrating. E-dial bug in k-r and recent image sensor stains issue in k-5. I'm thinking of moving to another brand.
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