Hardware 3DS XL won't charge or power on

[TheStaeng]

Hey there!

I just got our 3DS XL back from my teenage sister in-law a few weeks ago. When I wanted to play yesterday I noticed that the console would neither charge nor turn on. Also none of the lights come on at all.
Having a spare 3DS XL around I disassembled both and swapped Batteries. But that did not help, the broken still does nothing, while the working one charges and powers on with both batteries. I then completely took the broken one apart and found something that looked like corrosion to my unprofessional eye. I did not see any really broken traces or anything like that. I scrubbed the board with a baking soda and water paste, let that sit for some 12-ish hours and cleaned it of with 70% isopropylic alcohol. Still did not change anything. I then proceeded to look online for anything remotely similar and found some posts hinting that it could be one of the fuses.

Sorry for the long introduction, heres my question: does it make sense for me to check the fuses (I have to get a multimeter for that one, but that's not a problem) and if I found them bad replace them? Is that even a possibility? I have soldered before and did pretty well, but that was on larger parts like chips, resistors or wires, so I have never worked on something so small before.

Oh and I dont know if it helps you, but the console is modded with a custom firmware.

Hope you can give me some insight in how promising this whole fuse-thing might be.

Danny

/Edit: Added the info that the lights never come on on the broken DS

 

[TurdPooCharger]

It' sounds like your sister-in-law hardbricked your o3DSXL with spilled water. Liquid damage that's allowed to severely corrode components would be fatal in nearly all scenarios. If there was any chance to salvage the motherboard when you got it back, that baking soda + water paste would have made things worse with more sped up oxidation. If I had to guess why it's not turning on, the ARM CPU/SoC was probably shorted from the accident.

If everything else is still working (you can check by swapping the working o3DSXL's motherboard in the broken one), all you can do at this point is replace the motherboard.

• [aliexpress] 100% original USA version Motherboard for 3dsxl replacement PCB board for 3dsll
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[TheStaeng]

Oh wow, I have seen several restoration videos and tips on the internet to work with baking soda and water for corrosion stains. Also I do not know if that spilled water was fresh and caused by her or lingered there for months, even years maybe. But anyways I ordered a new Motherboard and hope I can fix my DS. Thanks for your Help!