Switch Lite backlight connector diagnosis help

[k3bs]

Hi,

While I was modding my Switch Lite I accidentally popped off the white latch of the FPC Connector for the backlight on the motherboard, I was able to place the latch back but in the process I accidentally shorted some pins (which smoked a little) because the battery was still plugged in. I plugged in the cable to the connector and the switch still works, but I noticed that the brightness would no longer go above 60% and sometimes the screen would flicker especially on bright things (bright skies, white UI) but I noticed it would only happen if the games were running below 60 fps (In Link's Awakening there are FPS drops (30, 40 fps) whenever you switch areas and during those times I could see the screen flicker and disappear after it gets back to 60 fps).

I checked the connector with a microscope and noticed a pin that was cut off from the short, I've already ordered a hot air station and a replacement connector to try replacing it, but I just want to ask if would I also need to replace the Backlight IC?

edit: also noticed that when I plug the switch in, it bumps up the brightness a little bit more than the max 60% and gets rid of the screen flicker which is interesting

 

[thesjaakspoiler]

Maybe check out the following post "
As always @jkyoho has a ton of details.

Hardware  Thread 'No backlight Switch Lite (no 17v)'

May 11, 2021

Hello everyone. I ran into a problem with the backlight on the Switch Lite-no 17 volts. The components are all in order - I moved them from working to non-working and vice versa. Now I am interested in a specific question - where is the 17 V that should go from the inductor. I measured on the working one, they are only already on the capacitor that is next to the diode. In the photo, I marked everything. I read all the topics on problems with the backlight , I did not find an answer to my question

• Santos
• Replies: 26
• Forum: Nintendo Switch

I don't know how the brightness exactly works but it seems that there are 2 arrays of LEDS :
https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tps61163a.pdf?ts=1620688796425

Maybe because you shorted IFB1 or IFB2, it simply isn't connected to the ribbon cable anymore anfd that is why you only get 50% brightness.

The flickering might be the boost converter (the 4.7uH coil, D1, C2) got a beating while it was shorted.
Maybe check the diode and the C2 capacitor values.
It could that the IC itself is somewhat broken.

 

[k3bs]

Thanks for the reply!

I tried checking the voltages (got 15.46v) and somehow broke it more... the display is stuck at the lowest brightness possible now.
But what's weird is that if I put my finger on top of the area and touch it the backlight gets brighter, but I can no longer adjust the brightness.

I also noticed the inductor was probably blown I took a closer look and it kind of blew up on the side...

Man, all this just because I didn't know that I could short the FPC connector of all things.