Kensington wireless trackball

[Donald]

I bought a Kensington wireless trackball several months ago to replace my Logitech wired track ball that kind of stopped working at times.

I liked the new trackball. When the ball got a little stiff to move I popped the ball out and used tape and my finger to clean the guides that hold the ball of dust buildup. Tape to attract the dust and remove tape.

Now a few months later the pointer on the screen jumps around often. I have cleaned the sensor and ball with a lint free cloth for glasses. It makes it work better for awhile.

At this point it's not really usable and I see nothing I can clean to make it work properly?

Time for another brand trackball?

 

[racer12306]

Qtip with rubbing alcohol maybe?

 

[alarmguy]

I assume based on your post you popped out the ball and with a paper towel moist with some glass cleaner or lemon pledge cleaned out the socket... (which I suspect is the sensor you mention)

Funny I have used MS track balls for decades, never really had one fail except the one I was using for about 20 years (guessing) started getting wonky recently, it was more the scroll wheel seemingly getting internally worn down, loss of friction.

No company makes one like it, except this I guess China company. They have wireless and wired. I chose wired because it sits on my desk and I dont have to bother with batteries. Its seems ok, not sure how long it will last, had it about a year. Works the same as the old MS did.
I tried a high end standard mouse, my wife's company gives her a whole ergonomic selection to avoid issues being at a keyboard all day. I just love rollerballs over sliding a mouse around. At the same time my wife wont use my computer because of it *LOL* She cant get the hang of it.

 

[Donald]

Mine has a ring for scrolling which I like. When I remember it's there. So I like the trackball just need it to work perfectly.
.

 

[Pew]

Qtip with rubbing alcohol maybe?

I do this or window cleaner with no ammonia, rub down both the frame and the ball. You're supposed to rub some sort of light oil or lotion around the ball too but I've never done that. Might work in your case?

 

[Rand]

See if any of these catch your fancy?

https://www.rtings.com/mouse/reviews/best/trackball

 

[alarmguy]

I do this or window cleaner with no ammonia, rub down both the frame and the ball. You're supposed to rub some sort of light oil or lotion around the ball too but I've never done that. Might work in your case?

Yeah, after cleaning Lemon pledge will make it slide easy if it's an issue. Sometimes I used to just use pledge to wipe out the lint in the socket.

 

[Donald]

Yeah, after cleaning Lemon pledge will make it slide easy if it's an issue. Sometimes I used to just use pledge to wipe out the lint in the socket.

The ball rolls fine on the "ruby" guides. But even when rolling the ball smoothly, the cursor sometimes jumps around.

 

[97prizm]

I bought a Kensington wireless trackball several months ago to replace my Logitech wired track ball that kind of stopped working at times.

I liked the new trackball. When the ball got a little stiff to move I popped the ball out and used tape and my finger to clean the guides that hold the ball of dust buildup. Tape to attract the dust and remove tape.

Now a few months later the pointer on the screen jumps around often. I have cleaned the sensor and ball with a lint free cloth for glasses. It makes it work better for awhile.

At this point it's not really usable and I see nothing I can clean to make it work properly?

Time for another brand trackball?

Contact cleaner on a q-tip.

 

[alarmguy]

The ball rolls fine on the "ruby" guides. But even when rolling the ball smoothly, the cursor sometimes jumps around.

Yeah, I dont know much about it, before I got rid of it though can you remove the Bluetooth connection and then the batteries, reinstall and see if it makes any difference? Other than that .. I would be clueless and replace it. It stinks, shouldn't happen with a premium name.

 

[Pew]

The ball rolls fine on the "ruby" guides. But even when rolling the ball smoothly, the cursor sometimes jumps around.

You can try to clean the sensors. The manual states:

• Cleaning the Internal Sensors: With the trackball removed, carefully clean the three small support points (rollers) and the optical sensor lens inside the trackball cavity using a cotton swab lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol or a dry, soft brush. Ensure no lint is left behind.

On reddit it looks like some people have disassembled the 5 hex screws holding it together to clean it out also.

 

[Donald]

You can try to clean the sensors. The manual states:

• Cleaning the Internal Sensors: With the trackball removed, carefully clean the three small support points (rollers) and the optical sensor lens inside the trackball cavity using a cotton swab lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol or a dry, soft brush. Ensure no lint is left behind.

On reddit it looks like some people have disassembled the 5 hex screws holding it together to clean it out also.

I tried that this morning. I use the spray eye glass cleaner. But on a Q-tip, did not spray any part of the trackball. So far so good.

Previously I had used a eye glass cleaning cloth with a little spray eye glass cleaner pushed into the recess where the optical sensor is. Thought I had cleaned it just fine.

But time will tell. Sometimes after just popping the ball out and back in it works for awhile.

Definitely more sensitive in that area than the old Logitech track ball it replaced. The Logitech (or any trackball) gets dust on the "ruby" guides but you know that as the ball does not move smoothly.