Hardware Broken ZIF Socket Clamp Analog Stick New 3DS XL

fb251 · Sep 3, 2020

Hey, yes the trances are ripped off.

Furthermore, I think i've damaged the pins beyond repair, trying to move them back into position, see the attached image.

I appreciate the help guys but this seems to have been beyond my capabilities. I do have a new circle stick mechanism with new ribbons coming in the post but It doesn't look like I'll be able to repair the pins.

If anyone would like the system, as I won't be able to use it now, I can post it anywhere in the UK.

TurdPooCharger · Sep 3, 2020

fb251 said:
Hey, yes the trances are ripped off.

Furthermore, I think i've damaged the pins beyond repair, trying to move them back into position, see the attached image.

I appreciate the help guys but this seems to have been beyond my capabilities. I do have a new circle stick mechanism with new ribbons coming in the post but It doesn't look like I'll be able to repair the pins.

If anyone would like the system, as I won't be able to use it now, I can post it anywhere in the UK.

Try to MacGyver this by taking a wooden toothpick to bend that weird bottom 5th pin back in place. Is that pin supposed to be there?

When the replacement Circle Pad analog part arrives, trim the flex cable from the old broken one, use a needle to scratch and expose the traces, and use that cable as an extension. You may need to use tape and a piece of staple to crimp the traces onto each other.

fb251 · Sep 3, 2020

Hey TurdPoo

Yeah, there was only 4 pins to begin with! lol I have no idea what that 5th pin is.

The picture attached to my last post was an attempt to straighten the alignment of the 4 pins.

Some how, it looks like there is a 5th pin in there now. It's a mess I know. It looks to me like the first pin is broken/ bent down .

I'd love to try and MacGuver this! Everytime I try and fix it , it seems to get worse though.

It's currently still in the same state as it was in the last attached photo. If you think it can still be fixed in that state, then awesome. I have a doubts about my ability to fix it, and I'm worried I'll continue to damage it if I try. I don't have any tools that can move the pins effectively without damaging them it seems, are you sure toothpicks will work? But I'll give it a go when the circle sticks arrive, could be a month wait.

I believe the circle sticks will arrive with ribbons/traces etc, however if it ain't the case, I'll keep your method in mind.

Is that the basic goal of this operation? Get the traces in contact with the pins? Wondering about exposing the traces and attaching them to the top of the pinssome how, rather then inserting them underneath. I'm not trying to be ignorant, I've been told twice to put them under the pins

EDIT: I've uploaded a different viewpoint of the pins, you can see the left most pin looks kinda wrecked compared to the others. Not sure if this is irreparable, but I don't have micro tools either, so i'm highly doubtful of getting this to work again still.

I also cleared away the odd '5th' pin. It's likely that this was sheared off one of the pins when I was attempting to realign them.

TurdPooCharger · Sep 3, 2020

Sandwiching the ribbon cable underneath the pins gives the best chance of making good contact pressure between the cable traces and the pins. Something tells me that 5th pin isn't part of that connector. Check if it's physically attached to one of the other pins. If it looks to be a loose piece that has no business being there, try removing it with tweezers. (If you live with a significant other, don't use her good pair. She'll know.)

I've seen some fix this by slightly lifting the pins for clearance and then soldering wires between the pair of pins & traces.

I think it's possible to use jumper wires to bridge the pins but don't know if they make small enough female plugs that fit that size. Soldering would be needed between jumper wire's male end and circle pad's ribbon cable.

The Real Jdbye · Sep 3, 2020

TurdPooCharger said:
Sandwiching the ribbon cable underneath the pins gives the best chance of making good contact pressure between the cable traces and the pins. Something tells me that 5th pin isn't part of that connector. Check if it's physically attached to one of the other pins. If it looks to be a loose piece that has no business being there, try removing it with tweezers. (If you live with a significant other, don't use her good pair. She'll know.)

I've seen some fix this by slightly lifting the pins for clearance and then soldering wires between the pair of pins & traces.

I think it's possible to use jumper wires to bridge the pins but don't know if they make small enough female plugs that fit that size. Soldering would be needed between jumper wire's male end and circle pad's ribbon cable.

I think those are designed for breadboards, not soldering. A jumper wire in the context of soldering is just a short piece of (ideally solid core) wire.

TurdPooCharger · Sep 3, 2020

The Real Jdbye said:
I think those are designed for breadboards, not soldering. A jumper wire in the context of soldering is just a short piece of (ideally solid core) wire.

I don't know what's the correct technical term for it, but the item would be something like this or this in the size of the pins pitch and hole diameter. The wires that connect to that plug are soldered directly to the flex cable's exposed traces or pressed together with a staple.

The Real Jdbye · Sep 3, 2020

TurdPooCharger said:
I don't know what's the correct technical term for it, but the item would be something like this or this in the size of the pins pitch and hole diameter. The wires that connect to that plug are soldered directly to the flex cable's exposed traces or pressed together with a staple.

Ahh now I see what you mean. The first is a JST connector, the second is a jumper cable. Jumper cables are mostly used for breadboards like I said, or connecting onto standard sized pin headers like those on an Arduino, so they generally just come in one size.
JST connectors come in all sorts of sizes. But finding the right one might be tricky, if it even exists.

Negative · Sep 13, 2020

I'm having the same problem. Except when I tried to put my ribbon cable in the pins, one of my pins came off. What do I do???

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

Hey. I'm having the exact same problem. Except when I tried to put the ribbon cable back I broke one of the pins. Do I need a replacement mother board?

TurdPooCharger · Sep 13, 2020

Negative said:
I'm having the same problem. Except when I tried to put my ribbon cable in the pins, one of my pins came off. What do I do???

Hey. I'm having the exact same problem. Except when I tried to put the ribbon cable back I broke one of the pins. Do I need a replacement mother board?

Solder in a replacement connector, or have someone else repair your 3DS system.

Negative · Sep 13, 2020

TurdPooCharger said:
Solder in a replacement connecter, or have someone else repair your 3DS system.

I thought I would've had to wait for a couple days for a response and you responded in a couple minutes. Thank you so much man!

fb251 · Sep 14, 2020

Hey everyone

just an update to my situation, which is documented earlier in this thread. I actually managed to fix it!

The replacement circle pads arrived in the post today. They have the traces on the ribbon which my original one lost during my original repair attempt.

I somehow managed to insert/slide the new circle pad ribbon to the pins. it actually looks to the naked eye, that 3 of the pins were over the ribbon, and the 4th one appeared to be underneath. I then gently pushed the pins back down, on top of the ribbon. Basically trapping the ribbon underneath the pins.

I don't have pictures because I managed to slot the ribbon in and put the 3ds back together, fully expecting it not to work. But by god, it actually worked! So I'm not gonna open it back up.

I was going to buy a new mobo if this didn't work, but I don't have to now, phew.

@Negative Regarding a lost pin, as far as I can see, as long as the traces are touching the pins with a good connection, it should work.

if you only have 3 pins, you might need to solder a new connection. I'm no expert, though if you have a picture of the connection it'd be nice to see. Getting a mobo might be easier than soldering a new mini pin.

You can see how damaged my pins were in my photos earlier in the thread, and I got mine working again. I really hope you find a fix

AngelMa · Dec 6, 2020

Hi,
Can someone help me find this connector for my new nintendo 3ds xl? Thanks

TRZ_Rekzii · May 31, 2021

Ok so, I manage to found this thread because I have the same problem, but for me it's a little bit different, because the "above" pins just disappeared. My question is, are they important because there are electricity going to the motherboard and the circle need them to work, or they are here just to remain the cable in place ?

Hardware Broken ZIF Socket Clamp Analog Stick New 3DS XL

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