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Electronics => Repair => Topic started by: Pcmaker on January 01, 2020, 06:43:05 pm

Title: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: Pcmaker on January 01, 2020, 06:43:05 pm
This came from my Steelseries Cataclysm mouse. It's the part that the mouse wheel goes into and detects scrolling

It came from here:

(https://i.imgur.com/YMcgbsa.jpg)

it says ALPS 1 on the front

(https://i.imgur.com/jm36tl8.jpg)

This is the back:

(https://i.imgur.com/0yVTydp.jpg)
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: tooki on January 01, 2020, 06:50:50 pm
It's a rotary encoder. Likely one from this series: https://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/HTML/Encoder/Incremental/EC10E/EC10E_list.html (https://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/HTML/Encoder/Incremental/EC10E/EC10E_list.html)

Be sure to measure the height precisely to match the drawings, since otherwise it won't line up with the wheel itself.
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: Pcmaker on January 01, 2020, 06:55:09 pm
Do I measure this distance?

(https://i.imgur.com/ryzW9Iw.jpg)
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: tooki on January 01, 2020, 07:02:16 pm
No. Look at the datasheet: https://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/PDF/Encoder/Incremental/EC10E/EC10E.pdf (https://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/PDF/Encoder/Incremental/EC10E/EC10E.pdf)

It says the height is dimension "H", which appears to be from the PCB level (the lower of your two lines) and the center of the hole.
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: Twoflower on January 01, 2020, 07:03:20 pm
Check the drawings included in each specific encoder (e.g. EC10E1220505 (https://www.alps.com/prod/info/E/HTML/Encoder/Incremental/EC10E/EC10E1220505.html)). There is the complete drawing with measurements given.
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: Pcmaker on January 01, 2020, 07:28:06 pm
I have it narrowed down to EC10E1220503 and EC10E1260507

The only difference I see are the detent torques, which I have no way of measuring, but I don't think that really matters and also operating temperatures, of which there's a massive difference between the two

*edit* ugh, can't seem to find this on Digikey
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: james_s on January 01, 2020, 07:35:43 pm
Is the original part broken? Mechanical encoders are notorious for getting flaky but usually a squirt of pot cleaner/lube gets them right back into shape.
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: Pcmaker on January 01, 2020, 07:40:43 pm
It just feels weird when I turn the mouse scroll like the detent isn't stopping the movement like it used to and it overdoes it sometimes when I scroll one click
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: james_s on January 01, 2020, 07:42:39 pm
It might be worn out then, you could try cleaning it and see if that helps, or look and see if you can see what's wrong.

Finding replacement parts like this can be tricky, at least in this case it *looks* like it's a standard Alps part. It's not uncommon in high volume consumer devices to find custom components though.
Title: Re: What's this part and where can I get it?
Post by: tooki on January 01, 2020, 07:50:55 pm
I have it narrowed down to EC10E1220503 and EC10E1260507

The only difference I see are the detent torques, which I have no way of measuring, but I don't think that really matters and also operating temperatures, of which there's a massive difference between the two

*edit* ugh, can't seem to find this on Digikey
Hmm. The temp difference is simply because one is rated for automotive use, the other is not. So for your purposes, of absolutely no consequence.

Digikey doesn't carry Alps products. But Mouser does (and it looks like they have the EC10E1220503 in stock), as does LCSC (sorta the Chinese Mouser), and they're easy to find on eBay, either as originals or clones. It looks like if you search for "steelseries mouse encoder", there are vendors selling replacements specifically for your model.