Can I replace the components of a gaming mouse scroll wheel?

Thread Starter

rambomhtri

Joined Nov 9, 2015
548
I've a gaming mouse that works great. Nevertheless, the scroll wheel got broken last week. When I scroll down or up, it won't recognize all the movements, sometimes it will go down while I was scrolling up, and it's all crazy, it's impossible to control.

I'm 99% sure the scroll wheel is broken somehow, so I want to clarify that it's not my computer, USB port, drivers or whatever. It's the mouse.

So... can I desolder the borken componets of the scrolling wheel and solder new ones bought in internet?
Can I use different brands?

Here are some generic pictures. I think I should desolder the two components that are on the left and on the right of the wheel and replace them by new ones. The problem is that I don't know if the IC will recognize the new components, where to buy them, if the mouse will recognize all the movements, etc...


 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,067
Yes you can. I hope you realize that you might break something. Check the simpler fixes first:

If the scroll sensor is optical, then simply cleaning the wheel and the optics would probably clear the problem up. There is a tiny outside chance that the light output of LEDs decreased over time making sensing of rotation of the wheel intermittent.

If the scroll sensor is a set of mechanical contacts then most likely the sensor is mechanically worn. Cleaning with a contact cleaner (observe ventilation precautions) might restore operation. Eventually the sensor would have to be replaced if you can find one for that particular mouse.
 
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