3DS XL no power on (2012 model)

[Kurai_496]

Hi guys,
I have this junky 3DS XL 2012 model, I guess it suffered water damage (or coffee spill who knows).
Battery was puffed up and I've found a brown rusty trail around battery like it leaked something.
The unit has been previously opened because of shoulder button cables ripped, I don't know if to dry it or something, by the way the board didn't have bad corrosion, only a tiny bit on headphone jack soldering points and the positive battery lead soldering point. Contacts are good.
I cleaned it properly and reflowed those joints.

Now the behaviour.
I don't have an oem battery to test but I hooked up to my bench power supply with alligator clips on battery contacts and it basically do nothing.
I checked fuses and are ok. If I put a charger it will light up the orange led for some seconds and then shut off.
I tried with a lion battery (3pin, same layout as its original one) and it does the same.
Checked with multimeter power button and itworks ok.
With battery connected and a multimeter I see correct voltage flowing first and second fuse.
I searched a lot but didnt found any answer or hint, all interesting threads are about NEW 3DS xl which have different board and components layout.
No info on the 3DSXL first version.

I have very good soldering skilks, and I can use a hot air rework station too..
May it be the power regulator? Anyone can address it on the board?
If someone would be so kind to help me..

I am doing it to learn something new, to improve.. so I am not interested in buy a new board (even tho I'd need to check other components too before doing it). If I manage to repair the board I would be happy if not.. it goes into the trash.
My point is try my best at it and learn something new.
Thanks!

 

[CoolMe]

IIRC, the 3DS needs the battery (oem or 3rd party) to turn on, so you might want to get one just to make sure it's not the battery that's causing this.

 

[Kurai_496]

Hi, as I wrote, I already tested it with a battery and even with a bench power supply.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

IIRC, the 3DS needs the battery (oem or 3rd party) to turn on, so you might want to get one just to make sure it's not the battery that's causing this.

Basically all DS demand voltage from the battery connectors to turn on (even with charger connected – which makes zero sense). Providing 3.7V from a lab power supply with alligator clips should suffice (I can confirm this a 100% for the DSi)↓↓↓↓↓

I don't have an oem battery to test but I hooked up to my bench power supply with alligator clips on battery contacts and it basically do nothing.

I will test on an O3DSXL as soon as possible. (I would never connect the charger simultaneously when simulating a battery this way).
======

I can't help you with repair on the board – that is beyond my skills and knowledge. I don't even know if there are schematics available. If you don't get a blue light when pressing power (at least for a second), it seems that it doesn't even try to turn on. Worst case would be braindead (CPU fried).
The charging part could even be working even when the main system if inoperable unless the charging IC or some filter(?) near it is damaged.

 

[CoolMe]

Hi, as I wrote, I already tested it with a battery and even with a bench power supply.

You mean this?

I don't have an oem battery to test but I hooked up to my bench power supply with alligator clips on battery contacts and it basically do nothing.

It could be that the 3DS only recognizes it's own battery, and you can't just simulate the voltage/amp of a 3ds battery and expect it to work.

 

[Sphaa]

Try to look at some repair videos on youtube and see if you find someone with similar symtoms. TronicsFix have some good videos,

 

[Kurai_496]

I will test on an O3DSXL as soon as possible. (I would never connect the charger simultaneously when simulating a battery this way).
======

I can't help you with repair on the board – that is beyond my skills and knowledge. I don't even know if there are schematics available. If you don't get a blue light when pressing power (at least for a second), it seems that it doesn't even try to turn on. Worst case would be braindead (CPU fried).
The charging part could even be working even when the main system if inoperable unless the charging IC or some filter(?) near it is damaged.

Yeah connecting both at same time doesn't sound as a good idea!
Thank you, your test will help!

I already looked for schematics but found nothing. Found a lot of chip and board info only for New3DS.

I was trying the pmic route because I've read sometimes it can be the culprit, and it kinda make sense being a power regulator. Bothered with one of those on a radio model reveiver and been able to fix it.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

you can't just simulate the voltage/amp of a 3ds battery and expect it to work.

I stand corrected. Opposed to the DSi, the O3DSXL does not turn on with 3.7V from lab power supply. No reaction.

So use a battery known to work on another console from the 3DS family.

 

[Kurai_496]

You mean this?

It could be that the 3DS only recognizes it's own battery, and you can't just simulate the voltage/amp of a 3ds battery and expect it to work.

Yes, that and the part where I write about hooking up another cell.

3DS battery only have 3 terminals, positive, negative and termistor.. so I guess the system cannot determine if its legit or not, on laptop you got more pins for that to make the battery circuit board communicate with laptop mainboard..

 

[Kurai_496]

I stand corrected. Opposed to the DSi, the O3DSXL does not turn on with 3.7V from lab power supply. No reaction.

So use a battery known to work on another console from the 3DS family.

Already did.. same kind of battery, same result!
If only I can find more info on the pmic..

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Yes, that and the part where I write about hooking up another cell.

3DS battery only have 3 terminals, positive, negative and termistor.. so I guess the system cannot determine if its legit or not, on laptop you got more pins for that to make the battery circuit board communicate with laptop mainboard..

Any battery with 3 terminals should do. No "DRM" inside the battery.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/charging-directly-3ds-without-battery.540931/#post-8683313

 

[Kurai_496]

Any battery with 3 terminals should do. No "DRM" inside the battery.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/charging-directly-3ds-without-battery.540931/#post-8683313

Thank you for clarification!

 

[silicone_soul]

Have U checked opposite side of sd reader,does it gets hot?