Hardware N3DS died suddenly, please help ^^;

[TheShadowRunner]

So today my JPN N3DS LL suddenly died ;((
The details:

I was playing Theathrythm from GW card, I put down the console for 5 minutes and then I saw it suddenly switch off.

Now when I press the Power button, the power led comes blue for about 4 seconds, then I hear a "pop" and it switches off. Nothing shows up on any of the screen nor do I hear any audio.

Since it was charging when it happened, I believe a fuse got blown. (?)

I tried removing GW card, battery, SD card, for 15 minutes, it doesn't change anything.

When both battery and power adapter are connected, led is orange so it seems to be charging ok. But when I try to power it on in that state, same symptoms as when battery alone is connected : power led becomes blue 4 seconds, then system goes off.

Any info on these symptoms or anything I could try is very welcome :S
Thanks,

TSR

 

[BringusStudios]

So today my JPN N3DS LL suddenly died ;((
The details:

I was playing Theathrythm from GW card, I put down the console for 5 minutes and then I saw it suddenly switch off.

Now when I press the Power button, the power led comes blue for about 4 seconds, then I hear a "pop" and it switches off. Nothing shows up on any of the screen nor do I hear any audio.

Since it was charging when it happened, I believe a fuse got blown. (?)

I tried removing GW card, battery, SD card, for 15 minutes, it doesn't change anything.

When both battery and power adapter are connected, led is orange so it seems to be charging ok. But when I try to power it on in that state, same symptoms as when battery alone is connected : power led becomes blue 4 seconds, then system goes off.

Any info on these symptoms or anything I could try is very welcome :S
Thanks,

TSR

Can you boot it up with no battery while on AC?

 

[hundshamer]

The first thing I would try are the top screen flex cable. It sounds like what happens when one of the screen cables aren't seated correctly. Maybe it came loose over time, and finally worked it's way out.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

Can you boot it up with no battery while on AC?

No, without batteries, it won't boot at all either.
But I believe that is normal behavior, that with AC alone it's not meant to boot.

 

[BringusStudios]

No, without batteries, it won't boot at all either.
But I believe that is normal behavior, that with AC alone it's not meant to boot.

Yeah I think you're right.
Man, that sucks. The only thing I can think of doing is replacing the motherboard, which isn't cheap. I haven't messed with 3DS hardware much though, so don't take my answer as final.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

The first thing I would try are the top screen flex cable. It sounds like what happens when one of the screen cables aren't seated correctly. Maybe it came loose over time, and finally worked it's way out.

It was completely still when it went off, lying next to me, so it would be surprising :/
But I supposed it's possible, thanks, I'll keep it in mind..

 

[mbcrazed]

If you're comfortable enough with opening it up and checking things out then I suggest to do it. The scary thing is you heard a pop! There's a couple of things that could have happened. The motherboard is just died, but you said the system turns on for a few seconds, so I don't think so. Does the backlight of the screen come on when you turn it on? Or is it just black with the blue LED?

 

[hundshamer]

That pop sound is made every time it shuts down. This is the behavior as a loose flex.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

If you're comfortable enough with opening it up and checking things out then I suggest to do it. The scary thing is you heard a pop! There's a couple of things that could have happened. The motherboard is just died, but you said the system turns on for a few seconds, so I don't think so. Does the backlight of the screen come on when you turn it on? Or is it just black with the blue LED?

Well I'm hearing the same "pop" each time I try to boot it currently. It seems to be power going to the speakers actually..
Yes it turns on for about 4 seconds before going off again. During this, I can see the backlight of the bottom screen turn on for a split second but not the backlight of top screen, now that you mention it.
Could it be the top screen was the component that died hmm..

 

[TheRivo]

I think that this is your problem (the video is in spanish)
I had the same problem with my O3DS XL, my younger brother kicked the top screen and suddenly the console turned off. When I tried to turn on, the blue light worked and the backlight of both screen turned on but after a few seconds the console turned off. Like hundshamer said, is one of the flex cables, (in my case, the cable got cut and was touching the console, as a result the 3ds was turning off). I opened my 3DS, (I watched a tutorial on youtube in order to learn how open it), and tasted both cable of the top screen, I fixed with some adhesive tape and patience (open your 3DS ONLY if you have the knowledge and skills to do it, if you don't better don't touch anything). I hope you can understand me, sorry for my bad english.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

Thanks for your inputs hundshamer & Rivo, all seems to point to a loose flex/cable indeed.
Or my top screen just died (if it's even possible), because unlike you Rivo I do not see the top screen backlight come up at all :S
On that video the person doesn't even extract the top screen so it doesn't seem so hard to do..
I'm not too bad at opening devices like these (psp, etc) but I would like to know what to look for exactly once it's opened.

 

[TheRivo]

It's no necesary to extract any screen. I've fixed my 3DS twice, the first was for the speakers cable, (that time the 3DS was turning off because the speaker cable was cut and it was touching the console). And the second time was for the data cable of the top screen, (I was playing and suddenly the image got blurred, only the bottom screen was working well). Once again, I opened the 3DS and discconected both cables, (speakers and data), I connected again and turned on the console, when this finally turned on, only was working the bottom screen and the top screen was black. I opened again my console and I saw that the data cable wasn't well connected, (perhaps that is your problem), so I discconected again both cables, this time I cleaned their terminals, (I don't know if that is correct but I did it and it worked), and I connected again. When I turned on the console, the top screen was working but the image was distortioned . I left my 3DS for a minutes and when I turned on again, the screens were working again.
Something that I learned is: If one of the components, in this case one of the screens, Isn't well connected the 3DS won't work. It'll turn off.
If you are willing to open your console and fix it, this image could help you to identify some parts.
Good luck.

 

[hundshamer]

Here's a good teardown tutorial.
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+3DS+XL+2015+Teardown/36346

Be careful of some of the connectors. You have to pull the cable out of them without lifting the "spring". Be sure to check the cables in the upper right on both sides of the motherboard. Also check the connector that is closer to the center (the bottom screens cables). There are 3 cables that can cause this error. The top screen ribbon, the bottom screen ribbon, and the bottom screen backlight cables. I have ran the 3DS with all the other cables disconnected save for the one between the battery daughterboard to the motherboard.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

Rivo, hundshamer, thanks again a lot for your tips, much appreciated.
So I just went in and disassembled.

You were right on the money, it's a shortcut or something wrong with the flex cable.
I put a piece of cardboard to make a little pressure (see pic) and N3DS came back to life!

Sadly it didn't last long and it made the volume slider not work anymore (sound was always max no matter the slider position).

So now I'm not sure what to do, it seems opening/closing the N3DS damaged the flex over time. Sadly it doesn't seem to be a case where it just popped out/ unplugged itself (well there's actually 3 connections between flex <> mobo but you see what I mean).

 

[BringusStudios]

Rivo, hundshamer, thanks again a lot for your tips, much appreciated.
So I just went in and disassembled.

You were right on the money, it's a shortcut or something wrong with the flex cable.
I put a piece of cardboard to make a little pressure (see pic) and N3DS came back to life!

Sadly it didn't last long and it made the volume slider not work anymore (sound was always max no matter the slider position).

So now I'm not sure what to do, it seems opening/closing the N3DS damaged the flex over time. Sadly it doesn't seem to be a case where it just popped out/ unplugged itself (well there's actually 3 connections between flex <> mobo but you see what I mean).

Wow, glad I was wrong, even though you're still in a bit of a pickle. Now it's just a less expensive pickle.

 

[TheShadowRunner]

Back in business~
So this time I took the mobo out completely, cleaned the 3 connectors to the mobo with alcohol, twisted the 3 flex ends gently in the inverse sense they were in, reconnected everything and it's working great.
Now to test in time if it's fixed for good..
God damn cheap Nintendo flex cable, can't believe it's so sensitive and they haven't perfected it since the oDS.

That was some scare, really thought some components had burnt out..
Thanks again for all your inputs and especially gamesquest1, Rivo and hundhsamer for the precious infos.