Hardware New 2DS XL "Popping Fault" / Blue light only - But briefly worked.

Insomniac8

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Hi all,

I have been spending my lock-down months trying to fix some old consoles and handhelds for fun and have found the New 2DS XL to be a nice console to work on, and have managed to get a few of them up and running again now.

However, I have two consoles that are not happy for seemingly the same reasons, so I am hoping there is someone out here with a bit more knowledge that might be able to make some suggestions.

Console 1)
This was bought with already having the "popping fault" where the blue light comes on for a few seconds, and then goes off with a pop from the speakers. Opening it up, the tops screen ribbon was in bad shape, so I got that swapped out, but it did not fix it. On closer inspection, the bottom screen back light connector had been "opened" at some point so was not making a good connection. Holding it in place I was able to get it to boot. Given that the I was unable to keep it in place, I thought I would try reinforcing the connector with a little solder. During this, I had clearly managed to bridge across the pins, it still booted but there was no backlight. I managed to unbridge the connections, but annoyingly I still couldn't seem to get a good connection, and now holding it down didn't allow it to boot. This is, I think the point where it stopped working. Since this point, I have removed the connector completely, soldered a screen on, re-bridged the pins, fitted a replacement socket and connected it to a different backlight. None of these made any difference. I can only assume at this point that something has failed such as a capacitor or fuse.

Console 2)
This motherboard had a slight bend on it near the battery side, and with both the backlight and NFC connectors completely missing. Given that I already had some of these connectors for console 1, I went ahead and fitted new connectors and hooked it back up. I gave it a test while still opened up, and it turned on. I still hadn't put all the screws back in, so wile testing it out I had a few cases of it turning off. So, I started screwing it all together properly so everything was on apart from the back casing which was connected but not clipped in. Still working. I then tried to fit the back case on, while it was on. (urgh) and it didn't seem to want to go on. I was carefully trying to get it all lined up when it turned off again. So I took the back cover off again, checked all the connections and still nothing. Since that point it has failed to boot each time.

So that is where we are, 2 consoles, both that had issues around the backlight connector that now wont boot even though all things are connected.

I have another console arriving soon that is supposed to just have a broken top screen (cracked, so still electrically sound), so my next step is probably to start comparing readings between all 3 boards to see if anything shows up.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be great! But if not, I will update this thread with anything I do find out in the hope that others may be able to fix this issue too.
 

actualkoifish

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Sorry that nobody posted anything in response for all of these months. If you ended up doing any work on this further and got results, I would love to see it. I'm working on a similar problem with a 2DS (original bread slice, not XL) and since I've seen this on other 3DS models, I suspect there is overlap between the different variants. If you have any insights, I'd be welcome to read them.
 
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rip-it-up

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the brightness connecter is a pain.
i do believe it blows something on the board if you bridge across four pins.
I think there connected in pairs.

ived had a solid blue light on a 2ds XL, and I assumed it was the top screen. but it was actually a cold solder joint on zif connecter for the top screen.
 

actualkoifish

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At some point I will have more time and I will make a video about this, but I figured out that solid blue light with no other response is caused by a specific failure, IIRC it is caused when one of the screens is not connected, but I haven't had time recently to fool around with hardware, so I can't confirm.
 

Insomniac8

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Nope, these two still have the same symptoms. I did get console 2 (at least I think it is the same one) to turn on once, but after putting it back together again its been dead again since.
I have put a different board in that case for now, as that one works, and put it in another just loosely fitted together, but still no luck. I feel it must just be something loose... I think I will go around the board with the microscope and check solder joins, pins etc.
 

Apache Thunder

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If you caused a short on any of those connectors you've likely blown the fuse. Pretty much all the 3DS and DS consoles have a tiny SMD mounted fuse. Don't know where it is on the 2DS XL. It's a very tiny part. Would be a easy fix with solder gun. Take off old fuse and bridge the connections with some solder. That's risky though since if you cause the fault again you could blow up a chip or something so keep it a temp fix until you source a replacement fuse.

I don't know where the fuse is located on the 2DS XL. You'll want to look that up. Should be easy to test with a multi-meter too once you find it.

The only console I happen to recall where the fuse is, is on the DSi (non XL version). I had one at one point that I blew the fuse on while trying to test it with the back off (accidentally had battery connected backwards).

The fuse happened to be on a separate board so I just replaced the board it was on in that case as I didn't have soldering equipment at the time. :P
 

Insomniac8

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I only know of 2 fuses on the 2DS XL, one right next to the battery, and the other next to the charge port. Both seem to be fine. :(
 

Insomniac8

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It's possible bridging the pins blew a chip, if you were unlucky enough to bridge power to where there shouldn't be power.
Yeah, its the backlight circuit, so it would have blown something I am sure, I guess the question is *what* might it have blown? It was only bridged within its own circuit, so I would assume what ever is generating the backlight voltage would be a good candidate... I just dont know which chip does that!
 

The Real Jdbye

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Yeah, its the backlight circuit, so it would have blown something I am sure, I guess the question is *what* might it have blown? It was only bridged within its own circuit, so I would assume what ever is generating the backlight voltage would be a good candidate... I just dont know which chip does that!
There's really only one way to know for sure. Get your multimeter out and start probing every single possible point starting from the ribbon connector and working your way back. Compare against a known good console and look for any readings that don't match, which would usually indicate a problem.
 

Insomniac8

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There's really only one way to know for sure. Get your multimeter out and start probing every single possible point starting from the ribbon connector and working your way back. Compare against a known good console and look for any readings that don't match, which would usually indicate a problem.
20220131_092252.jpg

This is what I have found so far, the two sides of the connector are bypassed with this capacitor. The capacitor is reading the same value as another board (in circuit), but I am getting slightly different reading when measured to ground on the green side.
 

The Real Jdbye

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View attachment 296008
This is what I have found so far, the two sides of the connector are bypassed with this capacitor. The capacitor is reading the same value as another board (in circuit), but I am getting slightly different reading when measured to ground on the green side.
Capacitors can't be easily measured in circuit but as long as only one side has continuity to ground it's probably good.
 

Insomniac8

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Capacitors can't be easily measured in circuit but as long as only one side has continuity to ground it's probably good.
Yeah, in this case neither is on ground, it connects between the two sides of the connector. But there is no direct short across it. I think the capacitor is good, I will try and see where else that side that reads odd goes next.
 
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Insomniac8

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So, the diode next to it is also connected to that trace.
Again, in circuit, on a "good" (not working for different reasons), I get OL in one direction as 0.2v in the other in diode mode. This is also true of the other diode near this chip.
On the "bad" board, I get the same 0.2v on the other diode, but the one next to the relevant cap give OL in one direction and 1.5v in the other.
 

Insomniac8

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Ok, so on this board (where we had the bridged pins), I get the expected 3.7v on one side of that diode, but not at the other.
On the other one that is also not booting with a similar fault I get the 3.7v at the connector. I al going to try swapping out that diode.
 

Insomniac8

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Ok, so on this board (where we had the bridged pins), I get the expected 3.7v on one side of that diode, but not at the other.
On the other one that is also not booting with a similar fault I get the 3.7v at the connector. I al going to try swapping out that diode.
That did it! Swapped out the diode from a parts board and the unit is now booting again! (and the backlight works). Thanks for all the help :)
Just need to work out what's wrong with the other one now...
Now we know where the backlight is connected up, I can confirm we have voltage at the connector, and that there is continuity back to the cap, so I would guess its not an issue with the BL connector in this case. That leaves the two screen connectors. I guess I will have a probe around the top one, as that is the one that gets messed around with most during assembly.
 

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