Hardware Nintendo Switch fan not spinning causing the console to overheat

[antiNT]

Hi,
I bought a used Nintendo switch that has an overheating issue. The previous owner told me that he tried to change the fan but it didn't work and, sure enough, the new fan he installed doesn't spin at all. He suggested that I could try changing the heat sink. What do you guys think ? Is it a motherboard issue ? Am I out of luck ? Thank you.

 

[LeyendaV]

Either the connection to the fan is broken (then pin on the motherboar or the ribbon cable itself) or the rotor is having problem.
As far as I know, you don't open the Switch fan to change parts, you just replace it. So, if you already tried different fans and none is working, the connection from the motherboard may be the problem.

 

[doop]

Is there any evidence of soldering near where the ribbon cable attaches to the motherboard?

 

[antiNT]

Either the connection to the fan is broken (then pin on the motherboar or the ribbon cable itself) or the rotor is having problem.
As far as I know, you don't open the Switch fan to change parts, you just replace it. So, if you already tried different fans and none is working, the connection from the motherboard may be the problem.

If the connection from the motherboard is indeed faulty, is there a way to fix it other than changing the motherboard entirely ? Also, can you confirm that the heat sink has nothing to do with this ?

Is there any evidence of soldering near where the ribbon cable attaches to the motherboard?

I haven't opened the console myself and I'm thinking about sending it to a repair shop but I need to know what to tell the shop guy.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hi,
I bought a used Nintendo switch that has an overheating issue. The previous owner told me that he tried to change the fan but it didn't work and, sure enough, the new fan he installed doesn't spin at all. He suggested that I could try changing the heat sink. What do you guys think ? Is it a motherboard issue ? Am I out of luck ? Thank you.

You could also check that the metal shield on the inside is straight and not bent. As if it's bent it could be blocking the fan from spinning.
Debris inside the fan/heatsink could also do the same.

 

[Modificatorul]

Disconect the battery,disconect the fan, test if the diode next to fan is shorted to ground on both sides(on some revisions is not present), if is shorted , remove the diode and test, if is not shorted connect the fan and test again the diode, if now is shorted the fan is faulty.

 

[antiNT]

Thank you but I don't think I'm going to repair it. I'll see if I can sell it as is. Thank you for your time and help.

 

[linuxares]

You don't happen to own a tri-wing screw driver? It can just be blocked by something.

 

[antiNT]

You don't happen to own a tri-wing screw driver? It can just be blocked by something.

No unfortunately :/

 

[linuxares]

No unfortunately :/

Ah dang it. It's often super easy to fix the fan in the Switch. You can't get a hold of a triwing? Bonus after opening it you can change the awful thermalpaste that Nintendo use.

 

[antiNT]

Ah dang it. It's often super easy to fix the fan in the Switch. You can't get a hold of a triwing? Bonus after opening it you can change the awful thermalpaste that Nintendo use.

What bothers me is that the previous owner told me that he changed the fan already. Now the only thing I did related to electronics is build a PC so I'm not confident enough to do this repair. If i knew for sure that it was just a matter of replacing the fan I'd probably have done it, but i have no guarantee that the problem isn't from the mother board. I mean, if it was just the fan, then surely the previous owner would have fixed it by replacing it, right ? That's why I prefer to sell it.

 

[linuxares]

If there is no soldering involved. Opening the Switch is super easy. You just have to be careful with the sdcard reader.

 

[antiNT]

If there is no soldering involved. Opening the Switch is super easy. You just have to be careful with the sdcard reader.

But i would have to buy a screwdriver for 10 euros with no guarantee that I'm capable of repairing it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[k28]

Disconect the battery,disconect the fan, test if the diode next to fan is shorted to ground on both sides(on some revisions is not present), if is shorted , remove the diode and test, if is not shorted connect the fan and test again the diode, if now is shorted the fan is faulty.

Sry but I didn't understand. So when the fan is disconnected and the diode is short. This could mean that the diode is bad? And if I remove it and the diode isn't bad, what else could be the problem?

Edit: it's not the fan. I already tried a working fan.

 

[Modificatorul]

Sry but I didn't understand. So when the fan is disconnected and the diode is short. This could mean that the diode is bad? And if I remove it and the diode isn't bad, what else could be the problem?

The diode is present on some board revision.
in may cases the diode was foulty or the fan, i didn't need to test more.

So if you disconect the fan and the short on the diode or the pads on the revison with no diode is gone the fan is bad and need a replacement, if the short is still present after you disconect the fan the diode is bad and after you remove the diode usualy the fan will work.

You can also test for shorts on the fan cable but i didn't made a pinout.

And third case everyting is ok no shorts and the fan was bad.

The fans for switch on aliexpress ar used and you can recive a bad, shorted one or a working one.

Hope his helps.

 

[k28]

Thx alot

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

Thx!

 

[k28]

The diode is present on some board revision.
in may cases the diode was foulty or the fan, i didn't need to test more.

So if you disconect the fan and the short on the diode or the pads on the revison with no diode is gone ....
Hope his helps.

So I removed the fan and the diode. Both pads are still shorted to ground. I installed a fan from a switch with working fan but still nothing. What else could it be?

An alternative would be to do a "x Volt Mod" so just use a wire from a 3,3v source to the fan I guess?

How much volt should the source have at least? And which pin of the fan is the power input?

 

[Modificatorul]

@k28
So fan is 5v , same rail is used for charghing joycons if i remember corectly so you need to fiind the short, disconect first the joycon rayl fcc cabels and test again.
Joycons ar charghing ?
I told you i didn't go so far.
Test every cap around mn 92 for shorts to ground.

Disconect the batery when you test for shorts.

 

[k28]

the right joycon wasnt charging. it looks like some sit on the switch. i changed the m92t and now both joycons are cgarging etc. short is still present. do you know, if there is a 2nd 5v rail? i found some solder points with little above 4v. would this be enough for the fan?
also to you know the pinout of the fan? where is 5v and where is gnd?

@Modificatorul