How I Fixed My Razer Naga Epic Mouse Left Click
Last Updated on May 5, 2020 by Michael Brockbank
Recently, I had to repair my Razer Naga Epic gaming mouse because it would either multi-click or not click at all on the left side. When you’re playing a game, this can be very troublesome. It was getting near impossible to even work with it. Here is how I fixed its left click problem.
When I tried to highlight text, it would release even though I was pressing down. Moving objects around the screen was very difficult. Finally, I had enough and tore into it.
What Was My Razer Naga Epic Experiencing?
When the mouse was acting up, I took to Google and YouTube to see if I can fix the problem myself. What I found is that Razer brand mice are quite problematic after a short period of time. They work great, but have a tenancy of wearing down too quickly. Here are the troubles I was starting to experience.
Multiple Clicks at Once
When I would press the left button, it would rapidly commit several clicks. For example, my Netflix screen would maximize and minimize quickly if I pressed the maximize button once.
In games, I would fire too many rounds – which can be a problem if you’re saving ammo. And if you’re in a game with allies and wind up shooting one of them, it bodes badly for future play.
Release When Selecting
If I didn’t press down on the Razer Naga Epic left button hard, it would often release when I was trying to select text. I use this ability quite often when I work. Sometimes, it would quickly click after selecting which would move the selected text to where the mouse pointer was.
Cleaning the Left Click
There are several videos on YouTube regarding how to clean the left click unit on the mouse’s PCB. From what I gathered, a lot of people were having issues with the left button in general.
The cleaning ranged from using WD-40 to others using alcohol. Other people claimed that using canned air within the opening of the mouse was just as good. Unfortunately, none of this helped in my case.
No amount of cleaning was getting the left click to work.
How to Clean the Clicker
Essentially, you open the Razer Naga Epic, place a few drops of cleaning solution on the black “clicker box,” and pressed the white knob on the top several times to get the solution within the unit. It’s a pretty tight fit, so you have to do this several times in the hopes that any solution gets within the black box.
Here are a few things I saw people use when cleaning the clicker:
- WD-40
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Contact cleaner
- Anti-static electronic cleaner
The gist is that you want to use something that evaporates quickly. The last thing you want is a liquid creating a short on the PCB of the mouse. That has the potential to fry several key components within the Naga.
Some people claimed that blowing into the cracks of the mouse worked just as good. Well, this depends on the issue. If the internal workings of the clicker box are compromised, no amount of blowing will help. This is because the clicker is sealed relatively tight. No airflow means no cleaning.
I’m not saying that blowing into the mouse doesn’t work. It all depends on what is causing your specific problem.
How I Fixed My Razer Naga Epic Mouse
After the cleaning didn’t work, I was getting frustrated. It got to the point where I wrapped the mouse up and was ready to toss it into the trash. Then, I decided to try once last thing: replace the left clicker entirely.
At this point, I was using a 15-year old Logitech optic mouse. The optical part of the mouse was going out, but the clickers all worked perfectly. I then decided to go buy a new $10 mouse from Walmart so I can work and play while using the Logitech to cannibalize for parts.
I didn’t want to use the new mouse because I wasn’t sure if this was going to work.
1. Taking the Logitech Apart
The old Logitech mouse has only one screw in the bottom holding it all together. It was relatively easy to get to the PCB of the mouse and access the black clicker boxes.
Soldering it Off Didn’t Work
I decided to remove the solder from one of the boxes so I can pull it free from the PCB. This failed miserably. Apparently, the heat transfer from the soldering iron to the click box was more than it could take. The metal components within the box warped and became unusable.
Scraping Off the Solder
The only small tool I had was a precision screwdriver. I used the small flat-head to essentially chip away the solder from the contacts of another clicker within the Logitech. I didn’t really care about scraping the PCB since the Logitech was done at this point.
Carefully, I scraped off the small amount of solder, enough to free the clicker box from the circuit board.
Inside the Clicker Box
Out of curiosity, I began pulling the broken clicker box apart to see what it looks like on the inside. Essentially, it was a series of thin metal pieces designed to be flexible to the point where it made contact when pressed. This is the actual “click” part you hear when pressing the button.
All this trouble because of a few thin pieces of copper.
2. Taking Apart the Razer Naga Epic Mouse
I can safely say that taking apart the Logitech was far easier than the Naga. For one, the Logitech didn’t have wireless batteries, 15 side-panel buttons and magnetic weights. Make sure you are unplugged from the USB cable and remove the wireless battery.
The Rubber Feet
Removing the rubber feet to access the four bottom screws is the easiest part of this ordeal. I began slowly pulling the feet free from the bottom so I could unscrew the casing.
If you do this, remember to keep them in a safe place. I lost two of them, and suspect that they got stuck to my cat’s feet since he walked across my desk while I was working.
Casing Disassembly
Once the four screws were free, the casing came apart relatively easy. However, the top is held to the bottom due to two ribbon cables for the internal electronics. These are easy to remove as you simply lift up on the black locking mechanisms.
The side panel of the mouse was a bit more tricky since there is a support piece that comes up through a small hole near the back of the mouse. Carefully pulling this apart will free it.
The Clicker PCB
Now came the most difficult part, removing the circuit board from the Razer Naga Epic to get at the broken clicker. There are two small screws on either side of the scroll wheel holding this board down. I Would suggest removing both. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that luxury.
The first screw came out with ease. The second, however, stripped out completely. It was in there so tight that it broke my precision screwdriver. What could I do? I couldn’t install the Logitech’s clicker without access to the underside of that PCB.
Queue ominous soap opera music.
3. Reaching the Underside of the Board
At this point I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I was thinking about tapping the screw up with my Dremel, but that would create a bit of a mess while risking damage to the circuitry. While playing with the side that was loose, I found that I was able to lift it up slightly from the mouse.
Scraping the Solder
I figured that scraping the solder worked so well on the Logitech, perhaps I could have the same luck on the Razer Naga Epic. This time, however, I needed to be careful not to scrape the PCB. One good gouge and it’s over.
Using the same precision screwdriver, now somewhat loose because of the stripped screw, I carefully began to remove the solder. This was especially difficult because I only had access to a small area within the casing. The stripped screw made sure of that.
Freeing the Clicker Box
After the solder was free, I began to wiggle the clicker box. It was coming loose, but still in its socket relatively tight. At this point, my frustration was replaced with anger. A pair of pliers makes short work of clicker boxes that don’t want to come out of the socket.
Pulling the box to pieces, I was able to access the pins and pull them through the circuit board. Holes, where the box sat, were the only thing remaining.
The Inside of a Naga Razer Epic Mouse Clicker
Curiosity struck me once again and I examined the internal workings of the clicker box, or at least what was left of it. To my surprise, the clickers within the Naga were of far less quality than that of the Logitech. The metal within the Naga is much thinner, and the design doesn’t have a ball-point that makes the connection like the other mouse.
Perhaps this is the source of so many issues with the Naga Razer Epic. Do they use inferior clicker boxes in their design? Amazing what companies will do to save a buck during production.
4. Placing the Logitech Clicker into the Naga
Luckily, most mouse designs are universal when it comes to the clicker component. The unit pulled out of the Logitech lined up perfectly in the Naga. At this point, it was time to press the box into the PCB.
Not Wide Enough
When trying to plug the box into the circuit board, I noticed there was too much leftover solder from tearing it out of the Logitech. I was so close to completing my task that I could taste it.
Using the same screwdriver, I began to carefully scrape away the remaining solder. If I bend one of these pins, the project may be over. After 10 minutes of scraping, the clicker box was ready to go into the socket.
A Gentle Hand for Installation
Forcing the box into the board could ruin it. However, the box still needed to go into place. Slowly, I began to push the unit into its holes until it was flush with the PCB. The whole process took about five minutes as the unit went in fractions of a centimeter at a time.
It was time to breathe a sigh of relief. The hard part was indeed complete.
5. Securing the Clicker Box Into the Circuit Board
All that I need to do now was secure the unit to the board. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to the bottom of the PCB thanks to the stripped screw. And yes, I tried a few times to get a small dab of solder onto the pins.
The solder simply balled up and rolled away. How else could I get this unit to stay in place?
Slight Bending of the Pins
There was still a small bit of solder on the pins from when it was in the Logitech. This is why it was so difficult to install. I had an epiphany. What if the solder already there made a good enough connection to work in the Naga?
Assuming this, I bent the pins slightly using the screwdriver in order to give the box stability from shifting around. In reality, I probably didn’t need to since it was secure in the PCB after pushing it in.
6. Reassembling the Razer Naga Epic
Now that the replacement box was secure within the Naga, it was time to put it all back together. I never did find the missing feet that go on the bottom, but the mouse works fine without them. I’m sure I’ll find them eventually. At which point, I will glue the feet back on.
Until then, it’s a small price to pay for what I accomplished.
Moment of Truth
After putting the Naga back together, it was time to test it out. Although I had to fight with Windows 7 as to what USB port I could use without giving me that damn, “Code: 43” error, the lights finally began to glow on the Epic. It was all I could do to not pee myself right there.
I left clicked the desktop and was selecting everything like a pro. It seemed I had fixed my Naga using parts from a 15-year old Logitech!
What I learned From the Experience
Here is some information I learned from the experience. Hopefully, it will serve you well in the future. If not, it may still be interesting to you.
- Cleaning Doesn’t Always Fix Left Click Issues: The click box is sealed; blowing into the cracks of the mouse doesn’t clean the connectors within.
- Logitech Clickers Are Better: The internal components of the Logitech clicker box were far superior to that of the Naga.
- Don’t Let Your Cat Help: For those who have felines, they can be a pain in the ass when trying to do precision work.
- Stripped Screws Suck: Never use a cheap precision screwdriver when trying to take apart a $100 mouse.
- Never Hold a Soldering Iron Too Long On a Pin: Thin metals warp relatively easy under the pressure of heat.
- Never Underestimate Yourself: I honestly didn’t think this project was going to work.
- Analyze and Troubleshoot Before Getting Angry: Keeping a calm head and taking your time to view each problem will play a part in your success.
I apologize for not having quality images of the experience. In all fairness, I didn’t think it was going to work, so I didn’t bother to take any snapshots. I just wanted to share my experience on how I replaced a Razer Naga Epic mouse clicker with one from a Logitech from the turn of the century.
It’s been two days and all systems are go. I’m looking forward to putting it through the ringer tomorrow while playing the event server on EverQuest 2.
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