Mouse Scroll Wheel Surgery#
Preface (Some random thoughts)
A while ago, the scroll wheel of the mouse I just unpacked broke after about a month of use. Maybe it's because it's a cheap mouse.
But it has lights and feels good to use, so even though I have a new mouse at home, I didn't replace it (it feels like a waste).
You can't imagine how I've been getting by during this time. Because I play osu with a dual mouse setup, I used the scroll wheel of another old mouse to scroll... I don't understand why I didn't just use the old mouse directly, maybe that's the charm of a new mouse.
After a while, the old mouse didn't work well either, and I was really worried. I spent a long time scrolling through the tutorial on fixing mice and made up my mind to perform surgery on the new mouse (I insisted on not replacing it because I'm stubborn).
The result was unexpectedly successful, at least it hasn't scrolled randomly even a bit.
So now I plan to fix all the old mice.
Disassembling the Shell#
Just unscrew the screws, they may be different but I won't say much about it.
Removing the Circuit Board#
Gently remove the circuit board, be careful not to pull the wires off.
The scroll wheel can also be removed by gently moving it.
Mechanical Encoder#
Let me explain briefly.
On one side of the scroll wheel is a button, and on the other side is the mechanical encoder.
After the mechanical encoder rotates, it will generate signals on three pins and send them to the chip. When the scroll wheel doesn't work, it's likely that the contacts of the mechanical encoder are not making good contact. In this case, you just need to disassemble it, adjust the angle of the spring on the rotor, and the rotor will make good contact with the stator. If you have time, you can also clean it with alcohol.
Okay, now let's get started.
Use pliers or a small knife to pry open the small clip of the mechanical encoder.
Separate the stator and remove the rotor (be careful not to lose any parts).
Use a needle to adjust the angle of the spring on the rotor, it's still very clean so I won't use alcohol to clean it.
Put the mechanical encoder back into the housing, tighten the clip, and reassemble the circuit board and mouse shell. Try it quickly, and it's really fixed, amazing.
In the past, when a mouse's scroll wheel broke, all I needed was a screwdriver and pliers, and it feels like I can give the mouse endless life. The manufacturer must be crying when they see this.