Hacking blowing into shoulder button

[Joboman]

so my L shoulder button doesn't work, but whenever i blow into it, it works but only for a while. clearly the button isn't completely messed cause i can blow into to make it work but is there a way to keep it working longterm? this is the second ds lite of mine that it has happened to but after a while the button got fixed on my first ds. i dont think it has anything to do with dust or dirt that might've gotten into the ds because i've taken it apart and cleaned it.

 

[paul3100]

Hey cheers for the tip, my ds left shoulder button also doesn't work or didn't till i just blew into it

Don't know what the problem is but i will take it apart and have a look, perhaps some dust/grime or even a dry solder !

paul

 

[xJonny]

I've never heard of something like that before, so can't help you there but if it's the second that it's happened to it's probably your fault, e.g. as a habit you push on your button too much and break it.

 

[Joboman]

umm.. anyone else know? glad i could help you paul and hope your button stays that way ^^

 

[paul3100]

glad i could help you paul and hope your button stays that way ^^

No i have to blow into it every time i pick it up to use! but still better than not working , i need it for soft reset on my supercard amongst other things.

Anyway ill have a look later as i said ans see what the problem is.

@ xJonny...

In my case i don't hit the buttons too hard and its failed for me too so possibly a "small" problem with lites?

paul

 

[FlameTakuya]

I believe it has to do with the way you hold your DS. Some people hold their DS-es with their fingers on the shoulder buttons and when they move, their fingers rub back and forth on the button, leaving dirt in the space between the button and the DS, causing the button to malfunction.

Try observing the way you hold your DS or where you put your finger next time you use it.

(Can't help with the problem at hand much, though. Sorry.)

 

[Pyrofyr]

Blowing is VERY shortterm and keeps getting shorter and shorter.

I suggest slightly opening your DS and fixing the metal between the prongs. By doing it, it should work fine. Unless you're someone who totally taps the shit out of the L button it shouldn't happen again for a whle either.

 

[Joboman]

do you think adding a little bit of solder to each connector would do it? and many thanks for the responses!

 

[Celice]

I suggest slightly opening your DS and fixing the metal between the prongs. By doing it, it should work fine. Unless you're someone who totally taps the shit out of the L button it shouldn't happen again for a whle either.

And pics so we know what the hell it is exactly we're trying to fix D: Mine's gone out too, but I don't want to risk ruining the thing before it's dead.

 

[Pizzaroo]

*starts playing metroid pinball*

...

SHIT!

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

Problem
A. you wore down the plastic under the button
or
B. you wore out the button on the pcb

Fixes
A. you will need to buy a shell just to replace the L and R buttons. Or you can use the tape/paper method to fill in for the missing plastic.
or
B. you will need to buy the replacement SMT buttons and solder them on

You can get the shells anywhere you like. Right now you can only get the replacement SMT butons from dealextreme. Don't attempt replacing them if your problem is B and you know jack about SMT and soldering.

 

[Joboman]

there is nothing 'broken', im pretty sure its because the metal connecting the button to the pcb is loose because when i blow on it, it makes it work. simply because the moisture in my breath would act as a temporary conductor. i dont feel the need to completely replace the button, just see if i can get the button to have better connectivity to the pcb.

 

[Celice]

So, does anyone know what exactly is the cause of the problem? I opened up my DS and took a gander, and I didn't see anything really. There's the plastic L Button, a spring for it, and then on the actual chip, the actual L Button, and what looked like two small metal-like things coming around the sides of it. I searched around but all I found was blowing into the DS to fix it--obviously, that is permanent.

 

[Pyrofyr]

Nothing is broken. If you look for videos (youtube has plenty) of how to open the DS/Lite you'll just need to remove the cover and slightly pry it open to see if the metal spring is still within the prongs or not, if it came out just get it back in (if you have a case that you changed yourself it's a PAIN IN THE ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS TO GET BACK IN! It took me 2 days to get my SHOCK! case one back in = =; SMALL prongs=comes out sooner, harder to get in, etc).

It's honestly not hard at all, and does miracles.

 

[Celice]

All I saw on the concerning the spring was that it rested on a tab sticking out of the L Button's plastic. What exactly do I have to align it with? I'm ready to go back in and try again, but I don't want to take the whole thing apart without knowing ahead of time what to look for D:

 

[gangsterboi]

I already new about the blowing and have been using it for over 3 months, the problem is as stated above it only works for a short amount of time (for me half an hour). I am trying to persuade my mum to buy me a camouflage ds case of dx and hopefully that will sought out the problem.