From: Duje Mihanović Date: Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:47:16 +0000 (+0200) Subject: New post: Fixing the scroll wheel on a Steel... X-Git-Url: https://git.dujemihanovic.xyz/duje/static/gitweb.js?a=commitdiff_plain;h=9fe11ea582559c756080a845400eb17d846d2c48;p=dujemihanovic.xyz.git New post: Fixing the scroll wheel on a Steel... ...Series Rival 310 --- diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/btm.jpg b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/btm.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e307fa Binary files /dev/null and b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/btm.jpg differ diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/index.md b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c48a5f4 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,77 @@ +--- +title: "Fixing the scroll wheel on a SteelSeries Rival 310" +date: 2024-09-14T16:00:03+02:00 +--- +If you've been using a computer mouse for a while, you might get an issue where +the scroll wheel moves randomly, jumps around while scrolling or at times +doesn't respond at all. My mouse also developed this issue recently, but luckily +it's very easy to fix. The only thing that happens is various gunk builds up on +the wheel sensor and this causes misreadings, so obviously cleaning up that gunk +makes the wheel work like new again. Here I'll show how I did that on my mouse, +but the general idea applies to any mouse. + +## What you need + +No matter what, you'll need the following: + +* A mouse +* Corresponding screwdriver(s) - *In 99% (if not 100%) of cases a Phillips #1 will + be enough* +* Some way to remove the gunk: toothbrush and/or blowing +* A working brain cell + +If the screws are hidden under the mouse feet *(like in my case)*, you might +also want to have a hairdryer or hot air station together with a sharp object to +remove the feet without damaging them. To do this, heat up the feet *(on low +heat, obviously; I used 100C as that's the least my hot air station can do)* +until you can no longer touch them, then pry them away with the sharp object. I +don't think I did the best job at this, but I was able to reapply them +acceptably well after the repair. + +## Fixing the mouse + +First, for reference, I'll throw in a picture of the mouse: + +![The mouse](./mouse.jpg) + +After removing the feet, the screws become visible: + +![Bottom of the mouse](./mousebtm.jpg) + +*Here you can see why I said I didn't do the best job of removing the feet: some +glue remains on the mouse. I'm quite sure that after a perfect removal it would +all be on the feet and this would allow them to be reapplied perfectly, but as I +said I was able to do so well enough IMO.* + +After unscrewing the 4 screws revealed under the feet, the bottom and top halves +of the mouse come apart easily. From there I was able to take a look at the +scroll wheel assembly, and there sure was something to see: + +![Scroll wheel](./wheel2.jpg) +![Scroll wheel, again](./wheel.jpg) + +To get to the scroll wheel in this case, I had to unscrew that `LED BOARD`, take +it out of the wheel *(which took a few seconds)* and then unscrew the entire +mainboard from the chassis. Once that is done, I attacked both the wheel and the +sensor with a toothbrush and blown air and then gave the rest of the mouse a +much needed clean while at it. This picture of the area under the board gives a +good idea of how dirty the mouse was: + +![Dirt](./btm.jpg) + +Once I cleaned that up somewhat, putting the 2 boards and then 2 halves of the +chassis back in place was pretty easy. To test the mouse, I screwed in 2 of the +chassis screws diagonally, plugged the mouse into my PC and hoped everything +would work, which it did. After the other 2 screws came reapplying the feet; +because I had not removed them perfectly, they didn't seem to pop back in well. +I worked around this by pressing them against with the chassis with the sharp +object, and as I have already said this gave an acceptable result. + +## Conclusion + +With that, the mouse was back in full order. One issue I didn't fix yet is the +side panels ungluing after a liquid accident long ago, but I doubt that's worth +describing. + +I hope that in the future I will be able to write about repairs of more complex +devices. diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mouse.jpg b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mouse.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43ea465 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mouse.jpg differ diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mousebtm.jpg b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mousebtm.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dffb7dd Binary files /dev/null and b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/mousebtm.jpg differ diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel.jpg b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6f6523b Binary files /dev/null and b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel.jpg differ diff --git a/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel2.jpg b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel2.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b669d77 Binary files /dev/null and b/content/posts/fixing-mouse/wheel2.jpg differ