Build A Backlit Keyboard For Your DELL INSPIRON 1525

Wanna build yourself a backlit keyboard for your Dell Inspiron 1525?
It's not as hard as you might think!













One thing that annoys me most about working in the dark with a laptop that doesn't have a backlit keyboard is that I have to move the screen when I need to find a specific key.  I got my inspiration for this mod from the notebookreview.net forums, watching a user build a backlit keyboard for his XPS 1530.  What I immediatly noticed was that the part number for the XPS keyboard and the Inspiron 1525 keyboard were the same.  So, in theory, the mod should work on this platform, as well.  It did!!!  Credit for the idea and certain steps goes to forum.Notebookreview.com's AMurderOfCrows

This was an expensive project, and a frustrating project.  However, the end result after purchasing 3 backlit keyboards and 4 0mu194 keyboards is outstanding and well worth it for the completed result.  This mod does require some soldering.  So, if you're not comforable with that I hope you know someone who is.  Now, lets get to the good stuff.

Skill level = Moderate

What you'll need:
A prying tool or butter knife. I used a plastic pry tool often used for mobile screen repair
Soldering Iron
Solder
Electrical tape
Philips head screw driver
Extra Power switch board (Suggested by AMurderOfCrows )
A donor Dell Studio 1535 Backlit keyboard Model# 0KR766
A Dell keyboard Model# 0mu194

***IMPORTANT***
Note:  The 2 keyboards must have the bracket type shown below!!!

Luckily for me my keyboard matched this requirement.  However, I ordered the black version of the XPS 1530 keyboard, as well.  Which will be explained later.  Now we'll build our hybrid, backlit keyboard.

Prying up on the keys from the top is the easiest and safest way to remove them.  Leave the F keys in place, as the the brackets are not the same as the donor board and are not transferable.  The silver keys allow light through so I left mine on.  If you must, a black keyboard Model#:0mu194 can be sourced for the keys.  Start with the number line of keys at the top.  Then work your way from either side, replacing the keys in sequence from top to bottom.

Once you've completed the swap, you'll need to remove your stock keyboard: Tutorial here!
Now, we'll need to remove the LED pad from the Studio donor board and wire up the LED pad to the Power Buttom logic board.

Remove the screws behind the donor keyboard:

Next, you'll want to peel the LED pad away from the keyboard frame.

Since I couldn't find any wiring diagrams online or from Dell, I simple wired up the 2 points pictured below.  Once you're finished you MUST insulate the solder points with electrical tape.

Then I used a 3V watch battery to test for which wire was POSITIVE (+) and which was NEGATIVE(-).

In my case, the white wire was the POSITIVE (+) and the blue wire was NEGATIVE (-).  I then soldered the White POSITIVE (+) wire to the CAPS lock LED on the Power Switch logic board at the HOT point.  This is the side of the LED that is always supplied with power.  As a side note in this case, when the AC Adapter is plugged into the laptop, the LED pad lights up.  This was nice when finding power for the LED pad but NOT having the laptop powered up.  Reason why, was that when I tried the switched locations the board would short... This was why it is suggest to purchase another Power Switch logic board.  Luckily for me all that was needed was to remove the laptop battery and everything would come back to normal.

The blue NEGATIVE (-) wire was grounded to a screw that had nothing else near it.

Once you've wired everything up, go ahead and remove the A/C Adapter and set the laptop aside.  Now, its time to prep the hybrid backlit board you built earlier.  As long as the keys are installed, the last thing we have to do is remove the rear shield behind the keyboard.  You'll see small spot welds.    I used a small flathead screw driver to pry the spot welds apart.  And dremel drill will be a much safer option, but not necessary... BE CAREFUL while doing this because you WILL distort the keyboard shape if you're too aggressive.  Just be careful. And patient.

Once you've removed this back shield, light will then shine through the keyboard illuminating the keys.  When you're finished installing the keyboard, go ahead and inspect your solder point and grounding point.  If everything looks good reinstall the speaker grill and battery.  You should end up with this!

I'm not really keen on the silver F keys, but function over form applies here.  It really looks great, especially with a silver background (very Mac'ish).  Feel is little weird to get used to.  The keys are stiffer now and the space bar sits slight lower than the rest of the keys.  But with a week or so, you'll get the hang of it.

Hope you enjoyed this project and now enjoy not having to use your screen lighting to find a key!

Thanks again.
Nathan