Hardware what the hell happened to my switch?

[SG854]

i can't clean it off, because it's actually cracked, and in some places it's totally warped, check around the stand and the text under the switch logo

They should be able to transfer purchases to a new system. I did that with my 3ds. I sold my 3ds because I didn't want one anymore, then was left without one for 2 years. Then decided I wanted to get the new 3ds xl, I called Nintendo and they transferred my purchases to my new console.

 

[Deleted User]

That is battery acid where it’s leaked, return to Nintendo.

it's been pretty much confirmed at this point that it's not battery acid

first major defining aspect is that it still powers on and runs fine

 

[NekoMichi]

Was the table area exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time? This may have caused the Switch battery to overheat and expand/leak.

 

[Deleted User]

Was the table area exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time? This may have caused the Switch battery to overheat and expand/leak.

the nearest window is at the complete opposite end of the room, facing against where it would get direct sunlight

 

[NekoMichi]

From the stain pattern, it looks like the fluid may have originated from the ingress points under the kickstand and then seeped out.

 

[dimmidice]

Either there were chemicals on the table that caused that reaction or the battery did leak and somehow plugged itself. Only two options i can see. That's definitely a chemical reaction.

 

[SG854]

I never had a battery leakage happen to me so I don't know how its suppose to be.
Maybe the console can still turn on even with leakage.

I would have to research more on battery leakage. But I'm thinking its leakage. And it warped your switch.
It wouldn't make sense for it to overheat in sleep mode and melt you switch.

Unless someone at your house spilled something on it and messed it up. But didn't tell you.

 

[Thirty3Three]

Either there were chemicals on the table that caused that reaction or the battery did leak and somehow plugged itself. Only two options i can see. That's definitely a chemical reaction.

Yep deffo a chemical reaction. Maybe he dropped it (someone said there was a crack somewhere?) So maybe the battery was damaged and is now... well what you see. Leaking battery acid and whatnot. Either way that is DEFINITELY battery acid. OP claims it's "been confirmed not to be", but it was never confirmed not to be by any means. That's definitely battery acid.

 

[Deleted User]

Yep deffo a chemical reaction. Maybe he dropped it (someone said there was a crack somewhere?) So maybe the battery was damaged and is now... well what you see. Leaking battery acid and whatnot. Either way that is DEFINITELY battery acid. OP claims it's "been confirmed not to be", but it was never confirmed not to be by any means. That's definitely battery acid.

"pretty much confirmed not to be"

also the cracks appeared at the same time as this odd damage. so would a battery acid leak end up not draining the battery to immediately dead? because when i left it it was still around 80%, and it's now at 74% after about 8 or so minutes of playing botw

 

[FreePlayFlorida]

if it was resting on the table, and it created heat build from that side of the switch, maybe the wood polishes/lacquer from the table reacted to the build up of heat and became a liquid form and that is whats over the switch?? is the residue still tacky to touch, or gone to a more harder form? if battery leakage wouldn't it be more crystallized once dried ?

 

[Thirty3Three]

"pretty much confirmed not to be"

also the cracks appeared at the same time as this odd damage. so would a battery acid leak end up not draining the battery to immediately dead? because when i left it it was still around 80%, and it's now at 74% after about 8 or so minutes of playing botw

Yeah. That happens when batteries break open. It's not a "seep", it's a crackling "spray", so to speak. And naw dude. Sometimes it doesn't. There's no way it's confirmed not to be battery acid. And unless you put something on it to cause a chemical reaction, that's definitely battery acid.

 

[Deleted User]

if it was resting on the table, and it created heat build from that side of the switch, maybe the wood polishes/lacquer from the table reacted to the build up of heat and became a liquid form and that is whats over the switch?? is the residue still tacky to touch, or gone to a more harder form? if battery leakage wouldn't it be more crystallized once dried ?

Yeah. That happens when batteries break open. It's not a "seep", it's a crackling "spray", so to speak. And naw dude. Sometimes it doesn't. There's no way it's confirmed not to be battery acid. And unless you put something on it to cause a chemical reaction, that's definitely battery acid.

looking at it closer, it's most likely battery acid

Spoiler

if it's batery acid, just a case swap won't do

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

yeah it's battery acid, i managed to touch my face and now it's irritated, i washed my hands and face, i'll look into sending it in to nintendo or something

 

[dimmidice]

Yep deffo a chemical reaction. Maybe he dropped it (someone said there was a crack somewhere?) So maybe the battery was damaged and is now... well what you see. Leaking battery acid and whatnot. Either way that is DEFINITELY battery acid. OP claims it's "been confirmed not to be", but it was never confirmed not to be by any means. That's definitely battery acid.

The cracking is probably from the chemical reaction as well. Some chemicals can cause plastics to become very brittle. I'm no chemist though so i don't know which ones. But it wouldn't surprise me if acid was one of them.

Well glad you figured it out OP.

 

[AbyssalMonkey]

Does it boot? My first guess is the battery leaked. Just about the only thing in the console that has a form of liquid.

Solved 6 minutes in.

 

[Deleted User]

Solved 6 minutes in.

it still boots though

 

[kumikochan]

it still boots though

I think it can still boot after leakage, just don't keep booting because when it starts leaking it has a higher chance of exploding and seeing Nintendo cheaped out on parts with the Nintendo switch manufacturing them in China instead of Japan like they used to i can see this happening

 

[Deleted User]

I think it can still boot after leakage, just don't keep booting because when it starts leaking it has a higher chance of exploding and seeing Nintendo cheaped out on parts with the Nintendo switch manufacturing them in China instead of Japan like they used to i can see this happening

n3ds xl was also made in china

 

[Greymane]

It would either be as others said a battery leakage, or a very odd and specific reaction of the plastic of the switch with whatever has been used to polish your wooden table.

 

[kumikochan]

n3ds xl was also made in china

In europe most consoles use parts from Japan or Korea because our warranty laws ( 2 years instead of 1 year standard) are different but with the switch even European Nintendo consoles are made with China parts something that was reserved to North America in the past. But yeah it is something that started since the 3DS era

 

[bowser]

All the people talking about battery leaks are idiots. If the battery leaked it won't even turn on. Even if it did turn on it will immediately short out from the acid and be completely dead in a second.

Is the wood table affected? If it is it might be a reaction to the finish on the wood.. The battery is on the opposite side of where the reaction took place.

if it was resting on the table, and it created heat build from that side of the switch, maybe the wood polishes/lacquer from the table reacted to the build up of heat and became a liquid form and that is whats over the switch?? is the residue still tacky to touch, or gone to a more harder form? if battery leakage wouldn't it be more crystallized once dried ?

These are the most intelligent replies in this thread. The first batch of silicone skins for Switch were eating up the console before they were fixed. So it's definitely possible the finish on the wooden table caused this to happen.