Hardware GameBoy Micro Short Circuit Fix

[KSIXephos938]

Hi, I have recently bought a GameBoy Micro 20th Anniversary Famicom Version from Japan. I didn't know about devices from Japan only running at 100V so I charged it up without a transformer and I think I blew the system up. But I am not sure about this. The voltage in my country is 240V and when I tried to charge it up the device was already dry. I have bought the system new from ebay and it hasn't been opened before so it most likely wouldn't have held a charge anymore.

I have already purchased a transformer from ebay and I am awaiting for it to arrive. My question is that is there any remote chance that the system is still working and if not, do you know which parts I have to go and fix. I really don't want to buy a new GameBoy Micro.

Please help, I have bought the system for $200 and am only 14 years old. Thanks if anyone can help.

 

[pasc]

You could check iFixit or similar sites to see if there are any fuses on the micro you could replace.

You'll probably need a triwing screwdriver.

 

[Darkipod]

Chances are, even if you could find which fuses or circuits you fried, its going to be to small and difficult to de-soldier and replace them. You will more then likely need to buy a new GBM. I'm sorry, but why in the world would your parents buy you a $200 GBM. That is just incredibly silly.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

If it was never opened before, the battery is likely dead and not the fuse. 20th anniversary editions were made in 2005, that is 8 years ago. If the battery is dead, you will need to replace the battery.

Fuses are located in the red circle in the pictures below:

 

[Cartmanuk]

Its probably just the battery is dead I had a similar issue with mine $10 battery and its working great.

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Here is a link to a vendor in Australia that carries gbm battery replacements.

http://www.consolemate.com.au/rechargeable-battery-pack-600mah-p-392.html

You can spend 12 bucks plus shipping to find out if you got a dead battery or not by testing a new battery before you go and tear apart the micro to test the fuses.

 

[Cartmanuk]

Find out if you got a dead battery or not by testing a new battery before you go and tear apart the micro to test the fuses.

That new battery may need charging so don't give up till you tried charging new battery also.
If its not the battery I could be the charger buy a cheap usb or car 1 too.

 

[Foxi4]

Okay guys, no offense but the OP is 14 and probably never soldered or disassembled anything in his life. Chances are that if he starts with a Game Boy Micro which has a very small, tightly-packed circuit board, he's going to make things worse.

Now, what I recommend is to open the Yellow Pages and look for someone who deals specifically with testing and repairing small circuit boards, better yet a console repair shop which is likely to have or at least be able to order the necessary parts and has the equipment to deal with tiny circuitry.

It's likely going to cost a bit, but you practically have a guarantee that things won't get any worse than they are now.

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

My suggestion on a plan of action.
1 - Wait to receive the tension transformer to run the charger on +- 100V, the GBM ones seems similar to those used on the DS series, and the original ones (on the DS case) seems to have some way to protect itself and the console from the cases where the user plugs it on a wrong voltage/tension. In Brazil we have cities where almost every plug uses 220V instead of the standard 100~127V that Asian and North American chargers uses, and some friends of mine that forgot to user transformers while plugging their DS it didn't received any charge at all, when they tried to use the same charger in the correct tension using transformers, the console started to charge the battery. Maybe even with the battery dead and no longer holding charge you can have luck and getting your GBM to work while plugged with the charger.

2 - If even using the transformer and the charger plugged, the console doesn't start, you can try either to purchase a new battery and/or charger.

3 - If with the transformer, new battery+charger the console doesn't works, you can try a repair shop, on worst case they will do a bridge using a tiny wire to substitute the fuses, however with this the console will lose it's electric protection, on better case, they will get to swap the blown fuse with new ones. But I will say, don't try to fix it yourself, the board of this console seems to be highly fragile.

 

[raulpica]

It's the Power Adapter which is rated for 110V. The batteries are the same for every model out there, the only thing that changes is the CHARGER.

Giving 220V thru a charger rated for 110V will fry the charger's circuit instantaneously, and power probably won't EVEN arrive up to the Micro, so the GBM is safe.

Thus, you either have fried the charger (which is trivial to change) or the battery was ALREADY DEAD.


Please don't give the kid any ideas on soldering or anything - the motherboard is FINE

 

[Foxi4]

...why is everyone insisting on using a transformer or converter with a charger from the incorrect region instead of, y'know, buying an appropriate charger? The OP should buy an Australian GBM charger, it's as simple as that.

 

[raulpica]

...why is everyone insisting on using a transformer or converter with a charger from the incorrect region instead of, y'know, buying an appropriate charger? The OP should buy an Australian GBM charger.

Luckily those won't even fit here in Europe. I guess that in Australia they did, tho, and that's the issue OP is getting faced with.

 

[Foxi4]

Luckily those won't even fit here in Europe. I guess that in Australia they did, tho, and that's the issue OP is getting faced with.

That is odd indeed now that you've mentioned it - the plug shouldn't fit in the socket...

 

[Tomy Sakazaki]

...why is everyone insisting on using a transformer or converter with a charger from the incorrect region instead of, y'know, buying an appropriate charger? The OP should buy an Australian GBM charger, it's as simple as that.

First of all, the OP already bought the transformer, also with the transformer he wouldn't need to worry with buying the correct charger in future purchases of imported devices (most of the charges for every electronic devices that you will find will be low quality generic or pirated products labeled as genuine or "OEM", or even quality products that are overpriced).
The advantage of buying a compatible charger (be it original or generic) to use on GBM with the correct tension support is that OP will be able to use it everywhere.

EDIT: Maybe OP used a plug converter to plug the Japanese charger on the Australian socket.

 

[Foxi4]

First of all, the OP already bought the transformer, also with the transformer he wouldn't need to worry with buying the correct charger in future purchases of imported devices (most of the charges for every electronic devices that you will find will be low quality generic or pirated products labeled as genuine or "OEM", or even quality products that are overpriced).
The advantage of buying a compatible charger (be it original or generic) to use on GBM with the correct tension support is that OP will be able to use it everywhere.

Uh-huh - here's for hoping that the transformer he ordered has the right input and output voltages, the right wattage, provides enough amperage...

 

[raulpica]

First of all, the OP already bought the transformer, also with the transformer he wouldn't need to worry with buying the correct charger in future purchases of imported devices (most of the charges for every electronic devices that you will find will be low quality generic or pirated products labeled as genuine or "OEM", or even quality products that are overpriced).
The advantage of buying a compatible charger (be it original or generic) to use on GBM with the correct tension support is that OP will be able to use it everywhere.

EDIT: Maybe OP used a plug converter to plug the Japanese charger on the Australian socket.

I was going to post that, but got busy with something else.

When buying from Japan/US, it is _ESSENTIAL_ for us 220V users to buy a STEPDOWN CONVERTER (which also takes care of voltage) and not just a SIMPLE plug converter. Otherwise bad stuff will happen. Very big bad stuff.

 

[Foxi4]

I was going to post that, but got busy with something else.

When buying from Japan/US, it is _ESSENTIAL_ for us 220V users to buy a STEPDOWN CONVERTER (which also takes care of voltage) and not just a SIMPLE plug converter. Otherwise bad stuff will happen. Very big bad stuff.

I don't think they even make US/Japan-to-EUR plug converters... for obvious reasons.

EDIT: In any case, I don't mean to be a party pooper, I just think that "buying electronics" without "knowing electronics" or "trying to fix them" without the "know-how" is just a recipe for disaster... But I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for the OP.

 

[raulpica]

I don't think they even make US/Japan-to-EUR plug converters... for obvious reasons.

I have one at home, so I'm sure they do.

I use it with a 100-240V appliance (so it works in every part of the world and just needs a simple converter). Cool stuff, eh?

 

[Foxi4]

I have one at home, so I'm sure they do.

I use it with a 100-240V appliance (so it works in every part of the world and just needs a simple converter). Cool stuff, eh?

That's... a safety hazard right there.

 

[Cartmanuk]

When buying from Japan/US, it is _ESSENTIAL_ for us 220V users to buy a STEPDOWN CONVERTER (which also takes care of voltage) and not just a SIMPLE plug converter. Otherwise bad stuff will happen. Very big bad stuff.

Thats not really true for the Game Boy Micro. It will work with 110-240v as long as you use the correct charger for your country.

Or be safe and use a USB Charger.