Hardware what the hell happened to my switch?

[Deleted User]

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.





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.

it's a really old table and hasn't been polished in years, but it *could* be a possibility, even though the switch was cool and the house was cold the entire time, also i don't think the switch really emits much heat in sleep mode, the fans are off the entire time

 

[bowser]

it's a really old table and hasn't been polished in years, but it *could* be a possibility, even though the switch was cool and the house was cold the entire time, also i don't think the switch really emits much heat in sleep mode, the fans are off the entire time

Heat is not a requirement for a chemical reaction. I have some contact cleaner that I sprayed on the motherboard of a GBA SP and when a little bit of it touched the plastic shell it just melted.

 

[dimmidice]

All t
he 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.





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.

How would anything from the table cause the damage behind the stand though? And it'd be all over the switch then, not just on one side.

OP can we see the other side of the stand?

EDIT: nvm it's in pic 3. The stand is almost unaffected by the reaction. So it's probably a different plastic.

 

[Deleted-355425]

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

Just because it still turns on doesn't mean its not battery acid, if you are too stupid to realize then do as you wish.

 

[Deleted User]

Just because it still turns on doesn't mean its not battery acid, if you are too stupid to realize then do as you wish.

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

 

[NekoMichi]

Do lithium-ion batteries even contain acid? I thought we left acidic components behind back in the lead-acid days. I might be wrong though.
In any case, it could easily be any other kind of corrosive compound or irritant, probably best to wash your hands and avoid making direct skin contact with the console.
Contact Nintendo ASAP.

If the Switch still powers on and you happen to have access to another console (even if it's a friend's), you should be able to transfer your user profile and game saves across as temporary backup before sending the console in to Nintendo.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

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.

Plus, there's not much actual liquid inside those batteries, and it's all absorbed by the material inside. This looks like a lot more than what I would expect to come out of a battery. And if the battery had burst the back should be visibly inflated.
Even so, if nothing has been spilled on the Switch it can't really be anything else.

i'm in a total panic mode atm, i'm terrified, i'm shaking, i can't think straight

i left my switch on the side table for about 2 days and didn't touch it, the table was dry, mind you, and then just a couple of minutes ago i pick it up to play some BOTW, and i find this

Spoiler

got the switch at walmart over 2 months ago, which is past the return period for something of this kind, and i don't really want to mail it in to nintendo, because last i heard they don't transfer your purchases if they send a new system, and i'm not sure what to do with my saves

I have heard they sometimes transfer your stuff and sometimes not. Mind you that was before they added an official way to transfer data, it shouldn't be a problem now that they have that.
That looks scary. It's probably not going to explode but I would definitely turn it in for repair as soon as possible. Was your Switch one of the bent ones by any chance?

 

[barronwaffles]

Do lithium-ion batteries even contain acid? I thought we left acidic components behind back in the lead-acid days. I might be wrong though.
In any case, it could easily be any kind of corrosive compound or irritant, probably best to wash your hands and avoid making direct skin contact with the console.
Contact Nintendo ASAP.

They (commonly) contain an electrolyte that breaks down into hydrofluoric acid - and if this was the case the damage should have been far more intense.

It seems like the plastic has survived and only the rubberized coating has degraded, leading me to think that it came into contact with something that caused the plasticizer to (violently) break down.
Contact with leaked plasticizer would likely cause skin irritation.

 

[FAST6191]

Turns on is one thing. Some electrolyte leaking is annoying but it might still have enough capacity to power on and sit there for a little bit -- I am sure we have all had laptop batteries or similar last for but a few minutes or tools conk out under hard work, same difference.
How long does the battery last?

Going by the skin thread it is a polycarbonate-abs blend for the shell and that is definitely some form of chemical attack. https://www.plasticstoday.com/conte...stic-components-medical-devices/8256928513777
Mud cracking a term worth looking at for this.


Trouble for the battery theory is it is on the opposite side (step 6)
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Switch+Teardown/78263
Between gravity and it possibly being the lowest point it is not impossible though. If it is that then that is a Nintendo problem or if you live in a place with good consumer protection then the shop can sort it out.

If the table is indeed old I am sitting here trying to think what lacquers and polishes were used years ago which might cause that and also function as a solvent for PC or ABS, or leech out the plasticiser (ever wondered why devices in expanded polystyrene boxes have their pvc leads in a clear plastic bag?). If I also have to consider fire retardant chemicals then we will be here all day. Give me a plastics lab and I will give you your answer but photos on the internet and my walking around knowledge are not going to do. At the same time I have never heard of this happening before and I imagine someone has put some PC or ABS on a coated wooden object in the last few decades.
That it happened inside the kickstand too either means it got seriously bubbly, something wicked up or something got a bit gaseous if we are dealing with an external attack. If it is an internal one (not sure what it would be, though that pinky thermal paste might be a start, I am not sure about that white thermal transfer pad and if it is a manufacturing defect then the speculation only goes further) which that damage path would seem to indicate (more damage around the kickstand joint*, fading out as presumably more of the reactant got used and there being no equivalent mark on the table to suggest transfer as well as the largely intact markings) and lack of anything on the other side of the device that I can see.
That it is an irritant to your skin does not mean a lot.
*the large cracks probably being along a line of stress induced by said kickstand.

Wonder if this will be a trend. If it is an internal failure mode then we may be seeing a recall of at least a batch of them. Right before, or maybe just after, the Switch's first Christmas as well.

 

[a9lh-1user]

What i can see from the pictures in the first post is that there has something form the "Outside" happened to the switch and not from the inside.
It looks like a sticky fluid to me that's on the switch. The last photo shows some candy on your table
How did it smell on the backside? Sometimes this will bring you near a solution what happened. (DONT lick on it that could have bad consequences )
Anyway what about the Joy Cons i cant see them but there are some fluid marks on the first and second picture that comes directly from them?!

Here is a Chemical Resistance Chart have a look at it:
http://sevierlab.vet.cornell.edu/resources/Chemical-Resistance-Chart-Detail.pdf

There are Lotions and Hair Spay fluids (and much more) that can melt plastic components.
I would ask an expert what could make a damage like this before i send it to Nintendo for repair.
(I think you have pay for it because it wasn't a production failure)

 

[Mnecraft368]

Looks like heat damage to me but could be the battery.

 

[Justinde75]

looks like someone has been jacking off and using their switch to wipe it off.
Real talk it might be the battery, or even the heat from the switch and the material of the table having some sort of reaction

 

[isoboy]

"But time flows like a river.....and history repeats......"

 

[kingraa777]

i plan on getting one of those cool clear case mods at this point, i just gotta figure out where i can get one

check your pm

 

[BlastedGuy9905]

-snip-

 

[Shajk00]

Um, yes they can. If you have the money to buy a Switch, you have the money to buy a broom and a rubbish bin.

I suppose you're planning to move to his house and live with him for a long time seeing how concerned you are for his cleaning

 

[chartube12]

As brower pointed out, it's mostly likely caused by the table finish. I assume the table either got warm from either the heat being on or the near by lamp. That caused the table finish to start to degrade. With the heat trapped between the table and the switch it degraded more then usual. The table finish interacted badly with the switch's shell. I seen this happen before with old 3rd party snes controllers when I was a kid. Since those same controllers where officially licensed however by Nintendo they sent my parents new ones. It has to do with using a cheap additive they used to use in early plastic products to reinforce it.

 

[Ritsuki]

Concerning the purchases, aren't they linked to the Nintendo account?

 

[duffmmann]

I'm guessing something sticky was on the table that you didn't notice, perhaps a drink had been spilled there ages ago and not completely properly cleaned up, you placed the Switch on it and left it there for 2 days, so when you picked up the switch, you get what happened here. Shitty, but not the end of the world, I'd recommend getting a new Basstop Shell and replacing the official shell you have you have (sorry if this has been recommended already, haven't read through the whole thread): https://www.amazon.com/BASSTOP-Portable-Replacement-Controller-Electronics/dp/B075JGXNNR?th=1

 

[ov3rkill]

You have to options here. Either warranty it for Nintendo or just open it up and see if it's really the battery leaking. If it's not a battery then feel free to use it while you wait for a replacement housing/case.

The chemical reaction between your Switch and table lacquer thinner or whatever coating was used on it was interesting. Plastics react on different types of liquid. I'd bet on that one until you can confirm if it's definitely the battery leaking.