Secret key invalid help!

[histallness]

So I was keen to get my ripple to a desktop wallet and downloaded the Rippex desktop wallet. I was able to transfer the funds through to my wallet and it appeared there, however, I appeared to have made what seems to be a common newbie mistake and I didn't check where the default wallet was saving so when I tried to log back it would not work. 

When I created the desktop wallet I wrote down the secret key twice to confirm it was correct. So I thought this shouldn't be a problem i'll just use the key to get back in. But to my suprise the key will not work. It starts with s, has 29 characters to the sequence, I found a post elsewhere saying that there are certain alphanumeric characters that are considered "illegal" in a secret key and it did not have any of them. 

I'm at a loss as what I should do? This was the secret key that the Rippex desktop wallet displayed when I created the account there, checking the address on RPC tool provides these responses; 

https://ripple.com/build/ripple-info-tool/#rsTUsytsLBH6c5DCnQusEPqSTjNyo3ee8t 

However I'm not too familiar with the code behind it all so was hoping for some help!

Was there some further activation that I should have undergone once I was first inside the wallet before exiting? Is there some way of recovering my funds with this key? 

All help appreciated!

[Mercury]

How did you try to get back in?

Did you try 'import' new wallet and enter the secret key?

 

[histallness]

Yes. Tried immediately after realising what was going on. The secret key that I wrote down twice, separately, and matched, does not work.