Hardware Problem with Battery holding charge

[LimitlessAsSky]

I've had my 3DS since release date, so natural the battery is nearing the end of its life, and in need of replacing. I began noticing the battery was losing its charge, even when the 3DS was switch off. For example, I would turn it off at night with 50% battery, and wake up to find it was dead.

I brought myself a new battery, but this behavior is continuing. The battery can't be at fault, because if I leave the 3DS on, it was will last about 6/7 hours of gameplay. Its just when the 3DS is switched off, I still lose power. It drains the battery to the point where it loses the time and date settings and the battery is dry.

Has anyone else had this problem? or know what the cause maybe?
My 3DS is out of warranty now, so I'd rather avoid sending it to Nintendo for repair.

Only other thing maybe worth noting is I have used a DSTwo on my 3DS at times, and I know that drains more power. But I havn't used my DSTwo in the last month, and this still happens!

 

[Öhr]

do you mean that you really turn it off. off as in no standby, no lights visible (yellow WLAN LED or blue power LED) or that "default" standby mode the 3DS prefers despite having a crappy battery life from the start?

I do know that WLAN is sucking my 3DS dry, so I always have that turned off...

 

[LimitlessAsSky]

Yep completely off as far as im aware. I press the power button, and then click power off. No lights at all. In "standby/sleep" mode it will last ages, can usually get a good days worth of streetpass out of it. Its just when its actually off, I seem to lose a lot of power.

I know batterys do lose power even off, and if it was just like 5% or something, ild consider that "normal". But at the moment ill switch off before bed with a full battery, and in the morning I will have lost a whole block, sometimes 2 blocks.

Also when it dies, it used to go red for about 15min+ then die. Now it goes from red->flashing red->dead within less than 5 minutes.

Just on an idea, I did wonder if it was battery calibration, if the 3DS has such a thing, but i've cycled the battery a few times when I first got it to bring it up to full capacity. Which usually fixes that sort of thing.

 

[tbgtbg]

That's weird. The battery in my DS, now over 9 years old with plenty of use, still holds a charge perfectly well.

You say you haven't used your DSTWO in a while, but did you actually remove it from the system? It will keep draining unless you actually take it out. I'm sure you probably have taken it out if you're not using it, but just in case, thought I'd mention it.

Are you using first party batteries? I've had third party batteries on other systems (PSP) that seemed to work just fine, but would be drained after just a few days if shut off and not charging, unlike an official battery.

You could just always plug it in when not using it, I suppose.

 

[Öhr]

Do you have a ammeter/amperemeter? If you do, try measuring the current that flows into the 3ds and out while its on, off and in standby. its pretty low risk (to your health), just make sure not to accidentally short the battery or 3DS. Post your findings pls

What tbgtbg is describing a battery that wouldnt hold a charge. Though that would make a difference between a system running in standby and not running at all, discharging roughly at the same rate. Here however, it seems to discharge faster with the system off than it being on.

 

[LimitlessAsSky]

Do you have a ammeter/amperemeter? If you do, try measuring the current that flows into the 3ds and out while its on, off and in standby. its pretty low risk (to your health), just make sure not to accidentally short the battery or 3DS. Post your findings pls

What tbgtbg is describing a battery that wouldnt hold a charge. Though that would make a difference between a system running in standby and not running at all, discharging roughly at the same rate. Here however, it seems to discharge faster with the system off than it being on.

Well the battery is third party, but it seemed to be a good one, and I defiantly get more gameplay out of it (it has a higher mAh).

I'll have to see if I can get hold of one of those meters. How do you go about testing the current? You can't get to the contacts while the battery is in, and i'ld rather avoid opening the case.

 

[Öhr]

the amperemeter needs to be within (serial) the circuit:

(random graphic off the internet. Load in this case is the 3DS obviously)

logically, you cant just put the battery in, you need some wires to connect batte,ry with the 3DS. nothing permanent though, just get some wires with clips/clamps for the 3DS side and some tape for the battery, to secure the connection. makes sure not to short circuit or switch contacts, otherwise you might damage battery and/or your 3DS!

Its not without risk, so if you still have some warranty, save yourself the trouble and just send it in/contact nintendo, as it really sounds fishy...

P.S. I'm not sure what the center contact of the battery is for exactly... ignore it for now or connect it directly to the center contact of the 3DS.