GBA won't turn, on light flickers | Game Boy | Page 1

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 1:34 AM

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So I posted this here a while ago and people suggested I clean the switch. I cleaned the switch but during reassembly I accidentally removed the R13 resistor. I finally got around to ordering it and when I put it in the problem persists.

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 1:37 AM

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Check for shorts around the switch

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 1:40 AM

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ok

true relic Aug 17, 2022, 7:35 AM

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Do you have a multimeter?

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 2:37 PM

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Yeah

true relic Aug 17, 2022, 2:50 PM

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check the fuse next to the power switch

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 2:53 PM

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what is the number?

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is it F1?

true relic Aug 17, 2022, 3:09 PM

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yes

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 3:16 PM

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Ok

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Current does flow through it

warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 5:21 PM

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post photos of the board front and back in good lighting please

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:32 PM

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ok

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warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 5:38 PM

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is it daylight where you are? can you take it to a window? all the photos are blurry

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:39 PM

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sorry, i'll retake them

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 5:39 PM

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Gosh, this is the only spot that I can see that looks suspect right now.

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:40 PM

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yeah that spot is kinda messed up, I put the R13 in by hand using a heat gun

warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 5:42 PM

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this crack in the PCB is more concerning

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youre going to have to spend some time with the schematics and the board scans
https://nintenfo.github.io/repository/systems/GBA/documentation/schematics/

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gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:44 PM

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crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 5:47 PM

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warm needle this crack in the PCB is more concerning

Nice catch

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:52 PM

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No crack on real board that I can see

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 5:56 PM

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That is absolutely a crack running through where it says T1, wether it’s a crack in the board or just silkscreen is another thing

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 5:57 PM

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the crack doesnt go all the way through the board

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looks like just 1 layer

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 5:59 PM

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Ok, but that is the part of the board that the entire ground plane gets routed to the switch. I would almost be tempted to put together a hodge to bypass that corner, and see what happens. But that is just my sort of fast and loose style of testing 😅

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:00 PM

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hodge? sorry im new to this

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 6:01 PM

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Oh sorry, bodge, my phone autocorrected that.

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I can’t imagine it would absolute fix it, but it’s a start.

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Also can test connectivity with the multimeter there. Make sure everything that should be grounded is able to get to ground etc

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:06 PM

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bodge?

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ok, i looked it up but i dont know what i would have to wire together

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but ill test connectivity first

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:28 PM

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Which pins should be connected to ground?

crude vine Aug 17, 2022, 6:29 PM

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You should be able to trace those with the schematics posted above

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It includes photos of the board lacking any components and masks

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:29 PM

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ok

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Im sorry, but i dont really know what to look for

warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 6:45 PM

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what electronics experience do you have

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:46 PM

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not much, I'm just trying to fix my GBA so I can play games on it.

warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 6:51 PM

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its a complex power problem how much effort do you want to put in it

gleaming grail Aug 17, 2022, 6:53 PM

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idk, I just want it to work, probably a lot

warm needle Aug 17, 2022, 6:53 PM

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https://nintenfo.github.io/repository/systems/GBA/documentation/schematics/power_circuit.bmp

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that is the power side schematics. voltages on the PMIC out put are labeled VDDXX where XX is the voltage value

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measure the voltage coming in through the switch to at least U4 and make sure T1 has the appropriate voltages

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VCC is battery voltage

#GBA won't turn, on light flickers