From 5bccfb01121a47dd8aa4fc04b7a2ec73480ff72d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Luke Granger-Brown Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2024 16:41:36 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] lukegbcom: add 2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel --- .../2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel.md | 50 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 50 insertions(+) create mode 100644 web/lukegbcom/posts/2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel.md diff --git a/web/lukegbcom/posts/2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel.md b/web/lukegbcom/posts/2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..c9bbb01c46 --- /dev/null +++ b/web/lukegbcom/posts/2024-01-06-replacing-a-mousewheel.md @@ -0,0 +1,50 @@ +--- +title: "Replacing the mousewheel on my Steelseries Prime Wireless" +date: 2024-01-06 +layout: Post +--- + +The mousewheel on my Prime Wireless mouse recently broke - it would "click" but +was free-scrolling and had a fair amount of wiggle to left and right, so it +effectively just turned into a middle mouse button. + +--- + +This was a bit annoying, and after taking the mouse apart, I discovered the +cause: the wing of the mouse wheel's shaft that goes into the rotary encoder +had snapped, so there was now a small piece of plastic wedged inside the +encoder, and the mouse wheel was supported just by the outer chassis of the +mouse and the interior LED. + +First, I tried to repair the existing mousewheel using some plastic glue. +Honestly, this might have worked, except my approach was to pop out the tiny +bit of plastic from inside the encoder, and then glue it back outside the +mouse. This was really a mistake, given what I had available - the plastic part +was too small to manipulate well, and I didn't have helping hands or a +magnifying glass to help me put things together. + +I checked the Steelseries [replacement +parts](https://steelseries.com/gaming-accessories/replacement-parts) website +and... they don't sell replacement mouse wheels. Bummer. However, I did find +what looked like it might be a compatible [mouse wheel from +AliExpress](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005140797172.html). This is for +a different SteelSeries mouse, but the main difference appears to be the +pattern of the rubber. The Prime Wireless has straight lines cut into it, but +this part has a more "tyre-like" pattern. + +To avoid being held up by potentially spotty shipping from China, I also just +ordered a replacement identical mouse. Hey-ho, at least I'll have a spare if +the battery in this one starts to go bad. + +After the replacement mouse wheel arrived, I pulled the broken mouse apart: +there are four Torx screws on the bottom of the mouse, underneath the PTFE +mouse feet. (Note that you might want to also buy replacements for these: they +probably won't stick back on very well after being removed.) Once those screws +are removed, the mouse can be carefully pried apart. Be careful! There's a +generously-long flex cable that attaches the main mouse PCB to the mouse +buttons on the upper chassis, and this can be unclipped from the main mouse +PCB. Once you have the mouse apart, there are two cross-head screws that hold +the mouse LED PCB onto the bottom chassis, which should also be removed. This +frees up the mouse wheel, which you can now swap and replace with the +replacement. Afterwards, you can reassemble the mouse (don't forget to reattach +the flex!)