Tutorial  Updated

Joycon mod using Eject button as switch

Main highlight for this mod is that it doesn't use any switch

This is not a complicated mod and can be done by anyone who have learnt soldering. Just need to be careful when soldering at the flex cable.

Previously I was using the reed switch mod, but I always forget to bring my magnet with me so it is kinda pointless.
I wanted a joycon mod without using any external device and I also didn't want to spoil the appearance of my joycon by adding a physical switch.
So I thought of an idea by using the button that disconnect the joycon and the switch main body. Luckily for me there is already a metal plating there which is used for securing the button so it makes my job easier.


Part 1
aIwrsD7.jpg

https://imgur.com/aIwrsD7 Not sure why the pics are broken when I view from my phone but its working on my chrome browser in PC so here is the direct link.

Yellow boxes are the main point to look out for.
What I did to connect the 1st point to the metal plate is to strip my wire by a bit and coil it around the screw area, you will need to unscrew a bit to do that.
For the 2nd point I twisted a stripped end once to make it thicker, then I used UV glue (It drys faster and its secure) and glued it to the button.
You can't really tell from the pic as I use just enough glue so that it won't hinder the button press.


Part 2
ImAQN0v.jpg

https://imgur.com/ImAQN0v Not sure why the pics are broken when I view from my phone but its working on my chrome browser in PC so here is the direct link.

NOTE: You don't have to trim the plastic, @AlexCD17 posted a wire route better than mine on page 3. You can use that route.

Yellow boxes is where I trimmed some plastic off so that the wires can fit without bulging the joycon housing.
Green area is the part where I leave some space else the green boxed area will be pressured against the wire


Tools Needed
- Soldering Iron
- Solder
- Wire (I used wire-wrapping because its the thinnest wire I have)
- Soldering Paste (Optional but makes your job easier)
- Glue (I used quick dry UV glue)


Video
 
Last edited by slslasher,

slslasher

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Hey, can you make a bigger picture of how you glued the cable on the button? Also what thickness is your cable you are using?
AWG30 I think, I I dont have a bigger picture because the button is quite small. My phone camera can't focus and it will look blurish.
The important part is that the stripped wire must be able to touch the metal plate when u press the eject button.
 
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Codiox

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AWG30 I think, I I dont have a bigger picture because the button is quite small. My phone camera can't focus and it will look blurish.
The important part is that the stripped wire must be able to touch the metal plate when u press the eject button.

thank you, i tried it today but no luck. Huge respect to you, the putting on the glue was impossible for me. Also because this is still mechanical, i dont think it will last long. will try the magnethax.

thanks anyway!
 

AlexCD17

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That's a very good idea!

I managed to pass the wires through the rail buttons and their board, I didn't cut anything. I used awg30 wires.
I also use aluminium tape to attach the wire to the eject pin, unfortunately the tape I used didn't have conductive glue so I had to use two layers, there are copper tapes used for guitar shielding that have conductive glue and can be better.

Everything fit and works as intended. Thanks for the tip.

Since I'm a new user I can't attach any images -_-
image.ibb.co/bDQpEo/20180626_155514.jpg
image.ibb.co/gKhSZo/20180626_155501.jpg

P.S: English is not my native language, if I made a mistake please correct me in order to keep learning. Thanks.
 
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mitcha

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Hi , i like to test this méthode , but i dont have the triangle screw driver.
Two questions :
-Any one have tried to open the two screws with something else ?
-can you put a zoomed picture of the top of the joycon ,the exact place where the solders point are, please.
thanks in advance
 

Dfroberts86

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Hi , i like to test this méthode , but i dont have the triangle screw driver.
Two questions :
-Any one have tried to open the two screws with something else ?
-can you put a zoomed picture of the top of the joycon ,the exact place where the solders point are, please.
thanks in advance

I wouldn't recommend using anything else other then the tri-tip screw driver. Those can strip super easy.
 

slslasher

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thank you, i tried it today but no luck. Huge respect to you, the putting on the glue was impossible for me. Also because this is still mechanical, i dont think it will last long. will try the magnethax.

thanks anyway!
U could try the alloy bullocks version. I know this is mechanical but this is just wire, if you leave enough room for the wire to move around it will last you a very long time before the wire breaks. Of course the glue must be long lasting too.

Hi , i like to test this méthode , but i dont have the triangle screw driver.
Two questions :
-Any one have tried to open the two screws with something else ?
-can you put a zoomed picture of the top of the joycon ,the exact place where the solders point are, please.
thanks in advance
I will take a new pic when my alloy bullocks reached.

That's a very good idea!

I managed to pass the wires through the rail buttons and their board, I didn't cut anything. I used awg30 wires.
I also use aluminium tape to attach the wire to the eject pin, unfortunately the tape I used didn't have conductive glue so I had to use two layers, there are copper tapes used for guitar shielding that have conductive glue and can be better.

Everything fit and works as intended. Thanks for the tip.

Since I'm a new user I can't attach any images -_-
image.ibb.co/bDQpEo/20180626_155514.jpg
image.ibb.co/gKhSZo/20180626_155501.jpg

P.S: English is not my native language, if I made a mistake please correct me in order to keep learning. Thanks.
This is neat! Can I use ur pic in the first post?
 
Last edited by slslasher,

mugendc4

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Pretty cool mod, might do this when my SX Pro comes in. Noob question though, how does the eject button short the pin/wires? I'm planning to get the metal buckles so I can solder directly to it but just curious how it works.
 
D

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I did this mod, and man there's really no space for any extra wire at all under the hood. I used 30awg and hid one wire along the top where the sl/sr run and the other I had along the bottom under the circuit board.

The metal locking pin would make things sooo much easier, but I went with the original and carefully made a 1mm hole directly below where the metal retainer is above then put a small screw there/sheared it off once set and used that as the point to solder the wire to, then soldered the other wire to the metal retainer above. It works good and looks clean, but was a headache to fit at first until I cleaned up and made the wires the exact length needed.
 

Aszrael

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Just finalized my version based on yours. I was most afraid of the soldering job (on photos the solder dots look MUSH bigger). However, correctly mounting the cable on the buckle ledge (so it will disconnect after releasing the eject button) was the most difficult part...
Hence, I decided to modify it a bit:

  • cable path: I took rather thin wires (from a broken USB cable), so I didn't care about the correct path. And: no removal of joy con plastic!
  • First cable: The trickiest thing was mounting it on the buckle ledge. I went without glue. Just left the cable a bit longer and bent it over the buckle ledge to the bottom, where the actual eject button sits (-> cable forms a hook). The cable will be squeezezed between the buckle bottom and the eject button -> it is fixed on the ledge but always will move down with the ledge, releasing the connection.
  • Second cable: This I put behind the metal plate instead of winding it around the screw. Looks cleaner in my opinion, but that's my thinking.
Finally, working great as intended. So the only thing missing now is a working SXOS dongle (mine was broken on arrival).

Thanks for this great walkthough.

P.S.: I'm not convinced by the metal buckels:
  • I think the cable will not be simpler to attach (plastic is better with glue/solder will not work either).
  • I fear the metal plate (-> second cable) will always be in connection with the buckel (--> shortening the connection). Keep in mind the metal plate keeps the buckle in place!
P.S.2: no photos, sorry. I definitely will not open my joy con again until it's necessary. I'm so happy it's working right now...
 
Last edited by Aszrael,
D

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Just finalized my version based on yours. I was most afraid of the soldering job (on photos the solder dots look MUSH bigger). However, correctly mounting the cable on the buckle ledge (so it will disconnect after releasing the eject button) was the most difficult part...
Hence, I decided to modify it a bit:

  • cable path: I took rather thin wires (from a broken USB cable), so I didn't care about the correct path. And: no removal of joy con plastic!
  • First cable: The trickiest thing was mounting it on the buckle ledge. I went without glue. Just left the cable a bit longer and bent it over the buckle ledge to the bottom, where the actual eject button sits (-> cable forms a hook). The cable will be squeezezed between the buckle bottom and the eject button -> it is fixed on the ledge but always will move down with the ledge, releasing the connection.
  • Second cable: This I put behind the metal plate instead of winding it around the screw. Looks cleaner in my opinion, but that's my thinking.
Finally, working great as intended. So the only thing missing now is a working SXOS dongle (mine was broken on arrival).

Thanks for this great walkthough.

P.S.: I'm not convinced by the metal buckels:
  • I think the cable will not be simpler to attach (plastic is better with glue/solder will not work either).
  • I fear the metal plate (-> second cable) will always be in connection with the buckel (--> shortening the connection). Keep in mind the metal plate keeps the buckle in place!
P.S.2: no photos, sorry. I definitely will not open my joy con again until it's necessary. I'm so happy it's working right now...
The trick to the metal buckle is making a thin plastic cover behind the metal plate so it can only touch at the bottom when it rises up to connect.
 

Aszrael

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The trick to the metal buckle is making a thin plastic cover behind the metal plate so it can only touch at the bottom when it rises up to connect.

...this would imply that the plastic behind the mounting metal is thin enough so it will not block / hinder the buckle from movement ;)
And: how would you permanently fix that plastic?

However, just ordered a pair as well as my left Joy Con is rather loose - so as soon as it arrives I will try this method, too.
 

Andalitez

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...this would imply that the plastic behind the mounting metal is thin enough so it will not block / hinder the buckle from movement ;)
And: how would you permanently fix that plastic?

However, just ordered a pair as well as my left Joy Con is rather loose - so as soon as it arrives I will try this method, too.
Insulation/electric tape comes to mind.
Also waiting for my buckles to arrive,then going to use my Dremel Versatip for the first time lol.
Hope I dont mess this up.I still dont understand how they are shorting,but I guess once I've opened it up I can see how it all works together
 

Aszrael

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Insulation/electric tape comes to mind.
Also waiting for my buckles to arrive,then going to use my Dremel Versatip for the first time lol.
Hope I dont mess this up.I still dont understand how they are shorting,but I guess once I've opened it up I can see how it all works together

Good luck! Post your result.
Just a hint from my side: Do the soldering to pin 1 and 10 at last. First mount the cables to the buckle and the back metal holding the buckle.
Too late I come up with the idea of forming a hook with the buckle ledge and the eject button below - so it was rather fiddly to put it there.

Next life I will go with the 'official' method provided by team excuter and use a switch. Also the eject button method works rather good, it is nor very convenient to press the eject button while making the Vol+ / Power-Button combo.
 
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...this would imply that the plastic behind the mounting metal is thin enough so it will not block / hinder the buckle from movement ;)
And: how would you permanently fix that plastic?

However, just ordered a pair as well as my left Joy Con is rather loose - so as soon as it arrives I will try this method, too.

It can just be a piece of Kapton tape, anything to isolate the steel from the buckle area.
 

Andalitez

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Good luck! Post your result.
Just a hint from my side: Do the soldering to pin 1 and 10 at last. First mount the cables to the buckle and the back metal holding the buckle.
Too late I come up with the idea of forming a hook with the buckle ledge and the eject button below - so it was rather fiddly to put it there.

Next life I will go with the 'official' method provided by team excuter and use a switch. Also the eject button method works rather good, it is nor very convenient to press the eject button while making the Vol+ / Power-Button combo.
I was able to do this today.

Never soldered before,it was mostly a success but in my inexperience,i melted the plastic of the joycon.
Not a big deal because i'm planning on getting white joy con shells with the famicom buttons.

I was able to isolate the metal with electrical tape.Was a bit of a mission to solder to the metal buckles though
 

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