Game Boy Micro Not charging, I think it's the Diode, looking for help

JohnnyPhantom

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I haven’t measured the area yet, but I did order the boards just in case. Figured I can remove the usb port on that charging board and just solder wires to the usb-c port mod I already added to the micro. Then will remove the resistors I soldered onto the usb-c mod board I installed, to sever that connection, and solder the charging board to where the resistors are now
 

gangan

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I haven’t measured the area yet, but I did order the boards just in case. Figured I can remove the usb port on that charging board and just solder wires to the usb-c port mod I already added to the micro. Then will remove the resistors I soldered onto the usb-c mod board I installed, to sever that connection, and solder the charging board to where the resistors are now
I ordered like 6 of them. Figure they’re so small, may find uses for other projects. One thing to note though. Those boards do show they charge at 1 amp. I know some of the aftermarket batteries have overcharge circuitry built in so that may be fine. But just be weary of it. Charging them at 1 amp may be fine, but I think the default is around .5 amp. I’d keep an eye on the battery for a while just to be safe.
 

mattek

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Hello guys,

I'd like to add two cents here.

Recently, a friend of mine, asked me to repair his GameBoy Micro which didn't charge. I checked all the fuses and EMI filters as suggested in this topic, but all of them showed continuity on my multimeter. Next step was tracing voltages according to @Ozito diagram (BTW: many thanks for that!) but to my amazement, voltages pre and post the 1 Ohm resistor were missing, not to mention those around the transistors.

I started searching for any useful information but couldn't find anything related to GameBoy Micro so I decided to extend my search to GBA SP and NDS. Here's the breakthrough: several times I came across information related to corroded traces located under the cartridge slot. With nothing to lose, I decided to desolder the cartridge slot on my console. Here's what I found:

IMG_016.JPG


One of the traces stopped conducting due to oxidation. Guess what? Mentioned trace leads directly to U2 Mitsumi Power Management IC which is responsible for battery charging. By using very thin wire and solder mask, I rebuilt corroded trace:

signal-2024-02-27-115155_003.jpeg


signal-2024-02-27-115155_005.jpeg


Without surprise, friend's GBM started charging the battery again.
In some places, the solder mask had also started to come off - I secured these areas too.

I hope this helps someone, as I found several threads on the web with similar problems left unresolved.

Ps: Stop blowing inside the cartridges! :D
 
Last edited by mattek,

JohnnyPhantom

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Hello guys,

I'd like to add two cents here.

Recently, a friend of mine, asked me to repair his GameBoy Micro which didn't charge. I checked all the fuses and EMI filters as suggested in this topic, but all of them showed continuity on my multimeter. Next step was tracing voltages according to @Ozito diagram (BTW: many thanks for that!) but to my amazement, voltages pre and post the 1 Ohm resistor were missing, not to mention those around the transistors.

I started searching for any useful information but couldn't find anything related to GameBoy Micro so I decided to extend my search to GBA SP and NDS. Here's the breakthrough: several times I came across information related to corroded traces located under the cartridge slot. With nothing to lose, I decided to desolder the cartridge slot on my console. Here's what I found:

View attachment 422579

One of the traces stopped conducting due to oxidation. Guess what? Mentioned trace leads directly to U2 Mitsumi Power Management IC which is responsible for battery charging. By using very thin wire and solder mask, I rebuilt corroded trace:

View attachment 422580

View attachment 422581

Without surprise, friend's GBM started charging the battery again.

In some places the solder mask had also started to come off - I secured these areas too.

I hope this helps someone, as I found several threads on the web with similar problems left unresolved.

Ps: Stop blowing inside the cartridges! :D
That's great! I'll take mine off and look as well. Be interesting if that was it. I did cheat since my last post and I just found cheap cracked screen GBM so rather than putting more time on mine, I put it in a box, and shelved it, and installed the new screen I had ordered for it into the cheap parts one from eBay, It works great now, I'm still going to USB-C mod it, just haven't yet. But looks like its time to take that other one down from it's shelf and give this cart pin removal and inspection a look, got nothing to lose at this point as I have my "throw around, one to use" one already
 
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Ozito

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@mattek Great contribution, thank you for that. Also, very nice trace repair.
I mapped out where the vias seen next to the components where going to, a couple of months ago, but never posted the pics.
Anyways, hope this help someone.

desat.pngPinTracesBackSide.png
color scheming changed just a bit, violet/blue is the same as cyan.
 
Last edited by Ozito,

ThaddeusShaw

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Think about the chance that the real problem might be deeper inside the board's power management system. Sometimes, the issue isn't with the parts we first think of. If replacing the charging board doesn't fix the charging issue, you may have to look more closely at the board's design. This means checking the schematics)of the board to find other spots that might be causing the charging problem.
 

moon_rabbit

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Interestingly, as you can see in this video, the GBA SP is also affected by corrosion under the cartridge slot.
The problem is most often caused by blown fuses, missing parts, and corrosion.
Ps: Stop blowing inside the cartridges!
 

yewsuf

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Hello guys,

I'd like to add two cents here.

Recently, a friend of mine, asked me to repair his GameBoy Micro which didn't charge. I checked all the fuses and EMI filters as suggested in this topic, but all of them showed continuity on my multimeter. Next step was tracing voltages according to @Ozito diagram (BTW: many thanks for that!) but to my amazement, voltages pre and post the 1 Ohm resistor were missing, not to mention those around the transistors.

I started searching for any useful information but couldn't find anything related to GameBoy Micro so I decided to extend my search to GBA SP and NDS. Here's the breakthrough: several times I came across information related to corroded traces located under the cartridge slot. With nothing to lose, I decided to desolder the cartridge slot on my console. Here's what I found:

View attachment 422579

One of the traces stopped conducting due to oxidation. Guess what? Mentioned trace leads directly to U2 Mitsumi Power Management IC which is responsible for battery charging. By using very thin wire and solder mask, I rebuilt corroded trace:

View attachment 422580

View attachment 422581

Without surprise, friend's GBM started charging the battery again.
In some places, the solder mask had also started to come off - I secured these areas too.

I hope this helps someone, as I found several threads on the web with similar problems left unresolved.

Ps: Stop blowing inside the cartridges! :D
Yoooooo great find brotherman! My GBM has a somewhat similar issue where it can charge, but it stops charging before the battery is full. I have a new makho battery installed which lasted 7-10 hours the first time, but started shutting off after 2-3 hours upon the first time attempting to charge it to full. But another odd thing is that if I turn it back on, it still has an hour of playtime on it even with the red light on. This GBM was a gift from my mother so it’s very sentimental to me. Are you down to take a look at it and possibly give it the repair it needs? 🤲🏼🫶🏼
 
Last edited by yewsuf,

cocaleru

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Hello guys,

I'd like to add two cents here.

Recently, a friend of mine, asked me to repair his GameBoy Micro which didn't charge. I checked all the fuses and EMI filters as suggested in this topic, but all of them showed continuity on my multimeter. Next step was tracing voltages according to @Ozito diagram (BTW: many thanks for that!) but to my amazement, voltages pre and post the 1 Ohm resistor were missing, not to mention those around the transistors.

I started searching for any useful information but couldn't find anything related to GameBoy Micro so I decided to extend my search to GBA SP and NDS. Here's the breakthrough: several times I came across information related to corroded traces located under the cartridge slot. With nothing to lose, I decided to desolder the cartridge slot on my console. Here's what I found:

View attachment 422579

One of the traces stopped conducting due to oxidation. Guess what? Mentioned trace leads directly to U2 Mitsumi Power Management IC which is responsible for battery charging. By using very thin wire and solder mask, I rebuilt corroded trace:

View attachment 422580

View attachment 422581

Without surprise, friend's GBM started charging the battery again.
In some places, the solder mask had also started to come off - I secured these areas too.

I hope this helps someone, as I found several threads on the web with similar problems left unresolved.

Ps: Stop blowing inside the cartridges! :D
Wow @mattek and @Ozito thanks a lot!! I been looking for a solution to my charging problems on my micro for years and finally I get through it. First I discovered that I don't have the correct voltages and that there was no continuity between the pads and the pins in the IC (thanks to @Ozito) and then I decided to give it a shot and remove the cartridge slot (thanks to @mattek) to find out that there are some traces not conducting due to corrosion. Now I have to bridge those traces to see if that solves de problem.

But, I had a problem when I removed the cartridge slot. By mistake I de-soldered a tiny resistor (I guess) in the area near the slot. Here I attach an image of the area and marked the resistor removed.

1721999517749.png


I have two questions regarding this issue. Do I have to replace it or a bridge will work? If it's mandatory to replace it, does anyone knows the values of that particular resistor? I wasn't able to find any info on the schematics or the list of components of the micro.

Hope some one can answer me.

Regards
 
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Ozito

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@cocaleru I'm glad that this thread helped you find the problem with your GBM.
That missing component of yours is not a resistor as can be seen written with white text "EM4". It should be a ferrite bead and is used to reduce electronic noise in the circuit.

You should be fine replacing it with a wire.
 
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cocaleru

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Well, well, well, jaja. After a very complicated repair (GBM is so tiny I have to use the microscope) all the corroded traces are repaired and my GBM is back to life! It's charging fine and games are working (I was affraid not because of the cart slot being removed and soldered again).

Here I post some pictures of it:

1722604206073.jpeg

1722604215431.jpeg


Steady lights (means charging)
1722604256620.png

1722604290728.png


Many thanks again to all of you that contributed in this thread. I'm so happy to have my micro back to life!

Regards
 

Alex_Melamides

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Hey Everyone,
I picked up a Game Boy Micro that was in rough shape. It was listed on FaceBook Marketplace as working, but will not charge. It also came with an official Game Boy Micro Link cable, so that was pretty cool. When I got the device, it you install an already charged battery into the unit, it would play just like normal. However, the system will not charge the battery, the seller thought it was a bad charge port and that it might be a great candidate for a USB-C mode. I figured it was a fuse issue, seemed like a common fault. I took the system apart and tested the fuses, both are good. I don't see any board damage, nothing stands out. I tested with a couple known good batteries and chargers and no improvement. For the heck of it, I did do the USB-C mod with HDR's adapter PCB. IT looks great. I can plug in a powered USB-C cable and get voltage, but still no dice on charging. I did some online research and not sure what's left. I did find a photo online that shows the approximate voltage on several positions of the mainboard. I get some of the readings shown, I hadn't measured anything from the chip on the right side of the photo yet.

View attachment 408237View attachment 408238

I've highlighted in purple the voltages I get when measuring (or close to the voltage, as it varies based upon the batteries charge) the ones I haven't highlighted in purple are areas where I get 0V readings. To me, it looks like the voltage comes in from the charger, comes down to the D1 PS diode and then stops. I get the 4V on the right of the diode and 0V on the left side of it. I took my digital multimeter and set the dial to diode testing, and when I put the probes on the sides of the diode I get a reading of 000000 and if I switch the ends which probes are on, I still get a reading of 000000. From what I've seen on how to test diode YouTube videos, this is a sign of a shorted diode. So my current assumption is the diode is bad.

Only issue is, I have NO idea on what to order as a suitable diode replacement. Does any one know what diodes I can order to replace this bad one? On my main board it looks like the diode has the marking of "S3" on it, looking online I also see other variants that have ":2W" on the diode, but I'm unable to find anything about those online.

If I'm missing anything and I'm completely wrong, and this isn't signs of a failed diode, please let me know what else I can test, I really want to revive this system. I have 2 other Game Boy Micros (a normal black one with a silver faceplate, and a mint condition 20th anniversary/Famicom edition one) that are great shape and I don't like to use them as I want to preserve them, I was excited about this bad Game Boy Micro since it's in rough shape and I can just toss it in my pocket without a care and use it as my daily driver and with the bonus of a USB-C port, I don't have to worry about carrying around a proprietary charger for it, and USB-C charger will do.

Thanks in advance everyone! Hoping we can help save this system! B-)

I've included photo's of the front and back of my PCB incase anyone can spot any potential issues.

View attachment 408239View attachment 408240

Hello Johnny, I had the same problem (Battery is not charging) and found a suspicious resistir (R54) with 500k ohms. Is it possible that you or anyone can share with me the correct ohms for that resistor to compare.

In the picture is disconnected because I want to make sure the measure was right
 

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