Hacking Hardware Yet another failed DIY attempt and a request for help

Haythad · Apr 23, 2026

Hey everyone, I come to you in my darkest and most shameful hour, hoping to get some help with a Picofly rp3040 lite chip install gone extremely wrong on my HAC-001 Mariko V2.

During the install I accidentally lifted the SP1 pad while desoldering the flex cable because it wasn’t soldered perfectly. I could still see some copper trace remnant so I tinned it and attempted to reseat the flex but in the process SP2 broke off as well

I've since removed the flex completely and cleaned the area as best I can, but i’m getting continuity between SP1 and SP2 with nothing connected. When I attempt to boot the Switch I get a high pitched whine/static sound.

The Switch was booting normally before I attempted to clear the bridge, so the motherboard was healthy up until that point.

Questions:
1. Is the SP1/SP2 continuity likely a remaining hidden solder bridge, or could a component have been damaged?
2. Is there a way to identify which component may have been stressed/damaged?
3. Are there any alternate points I can use for SP1&SP2 if I manage to recover the board?
Any help appreciated.

jkyoho · Apr 23, 2026

more picture around more area

thesjaakspoiler · Apr 23, 2026

When I attempt to boot the Switch I get a high pitched whine/static sound.

That is probably a coil that is taking a beating.
This might indicate a short somewhere or something got already blown up.

1. Is the SP1/SP2 continuity likely a remaining hidden solder bridge, or could a component have been damaged?

Not sure if it is the same for your Switch but on the original one the outsides and the insides of the SP1/SP2 are connected.
if 1 inside is connected to 1 outside, then you have a short somewhere.

3. Are there any alternate points I can use for SP1&SP2 if I manage to recover the board?

SP1 and SP2 are 'just' connected to the power rails of the MPU.
In the beginning when there were no flex cables, some people installed the mosfets on the backside of the board.
This is just an example where the contact points are :

Hacking Hardware Post in thread 'Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip'

Jul 8, 2023

So it sounds like the back mosfet has a similar problem to the processor mosfet install which is some switches might require more current (2 mosfets)?

Would there be a benefit then to using a stronger mosfet on the back or even dual mosfets?

Search the forum for a better picture or just post a message to the PicoFly thread.

2. Is there a way to identify which component may have been stressed/damaged?

The retrosix.wiki site is down at the moment but it had a good explanation on how to check all the power stuff.
If it doesn't get online anymore, just try the domain on the InternetArchive. Maybe it has made a backup.

Haythad · Apr 25, 2026

jkyoho said:
more picture around more area

don't know if this is what you had in mind.

Post automatically merged: Apr 25, 2026

thesjaakspoiler said:
That is probably a coil that is taking a beating.
This might indicate a short somewhere or something got already blown up.

Not sure if it is the same for your Switch but on the original one the outsides and the insides of the SP1/SP2 are connected.
if 1 inside is connected to 1 outside, then you have a short somewhere.
View attachment 569585

SP1 and SP2 are 'just' connected to the power rails of the MPU.
In the beginning when there were no flex cables, some people installed the mosfets on the backside of the board.
This is just an example where the contact points are :

Hacking Hardware Post in thread 'Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip'

Jul 8, 2023

So it sounds like the back mosfet has a similar problem to the processor mosfet install which is some switches might require more current (2 mosfets)?

Would there be a benefit then to using a stronger mosfet on the back or even dual mosfets?

RatchetRussian

Search the forum for a better picture or just post a message to the PicoFly thread.

The retrosix.wiki site is down at the moment but it had a good explanation on how to check all the power stuff.
If it doesn't get online anymore, just try the domain on the InternetArchive. Maybe it has made a backup.

Thanks for the detailed response.
Regarding the SP1/SP2 continuity. good to know that the insides and outsides being connected on the original Switch might explain what I'm seeing. I'll check if the same applies to my HAC-001(-01).
On the coil whine, the high pitched sound is still present when trying to boot. The Switch was booting normally before the bridge incident, so I'm fairly confident something got stressed during that, I don't have a bench power supply, but it's on the way, I'll update the thread with the results for future reference.
Appreciate the help.
both of you are legends

jkyoho · Apr 25, 2026

Haythad said:
high pitched whine/static sound.

this is most due to over current from buck converter, in most case is somewhere has a short. Often time people broke/crack max77812 during removing cpu metal shield, any sometime 3.3v dc-dc converter got short on output caps.

Hacking Hardware Yet another failed DIY attempt and a request for help

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