I admit it: I'm a total geek. I love electronics, programming, 3D printing, 3D art, and vintage Apple hardware. I'm always juggling half a dozen projects. I also enjoy documenting it all: my successes, my failures, my experiences... and everything geeky along the way.

Nintendo DSi Repair | Kevin Rye.net - Main

Kevin Rye

Geek Extraordinaire. Yeh, I said it.

Nintendo DSi Repair

A few weeks ago, my son cracked the top display on his DSi. I ordered a new display from eBay for $12 bucks. I figured it was an easy install. Much to my surprise, replacing the top LCD involved a 100% disassembly of the entire DSi. It also involved unsoldering the speaker, mic, and camera subassemblies from the top LCD.

After several hours of micro-surgury, I had successfully replaced the LCD.

Nintendo DSi Repair

Nintendo DSi Repair

Nintendo DSi Repair

Nintendo DSi Repair

Nintendo DSi Repair

I reassembled the whole thing and placed the battery back in the battery well. The DSi would not turn on! All I got was a blinking power LED.

I searched the internet and found that a blinking power LED meant that I had inserted the battery backwards and had blown a tiny SMT fuse on the mainboard. The battery is not keyed and you have to pay close attention to the way it is inserted.

Nintendo DSi Repair

So, I ordered some SMT fuses from Newark and waited for them to arrive. 

Nintendo DSi Repair

I replaced the fuse last week, but excessive handling during the repair resulted in the plastic housing around the 2-pin connector that connects the battery board to the mainboard to break. The ground wire was no longer making contact with the mainboard. 

Nintendo DSi Repair

After a busy week, I finally had some time tonight to have-at-it again. I reopened the DS and soldered the ground wire directly to the ground pin on the mainboard connector. 

And....... viola!

Nintendo DSi Repair

Dad saves the day!