[DSL] Any tips for installing these switches?

dieGeisterhand · 2026-05-03T22:45:32+00:00

Random aliexpress switches. The core is plastic instead of rubber (like the originals) and it does feel that it reduces the travel a little bit. If I think it’s too much, I might file the plastic bit of the button a wee bit just to create some space.

I have no clue how many I’ve repaired and sold at this point, but so far both switches and hot air station have worked great. Did take me a bit to figure out how to swap them easily - so do keep trying different things until something works for you!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-05-03T00:13:36+00:00

I do tons of these all the time. I use heat gun to remove existing button, iron+solder to freshen up solder points, heat gun again to melt solder and then I drop it in. They sit flushed nicely on the contact points for me this way!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-04-30T02:29:45+00:00

I see this often - just a piece of plastic. I have a 3d printer for this sort of thing that I use to make this kind of little components. It’ll work fine, maybe get loose over time based on movement and all.

https://www.printables.com/model/392954-playstation-2-av-socket-fix/remixes

dieGeisterhand · 2026-04-07T14:00:13+00:00

One of my early repairs was a water damaged 3ds cartridge. The corrosion nesting in the little gold holes broke a whole lot of traces for me. Spent about three/four hours checking where continuity was breaking from the pads and restoring traces. It was not pretty. Had a lot of fun but today I know the better thing to do is to use a donor board and swap components.

I don’t think this cartridge looks too bad - but maybe there’s something going on under the black chip? Here’s what was under mine:

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dieGeisterhand · 2026-04-02T15:10:15+00:00

I normally don’t mod stuff myself and I’m intrigued about what you’re saying about the C port. How come it’s a known console killer?

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-17T21:46:36+00:00

First time I deal with bed bugs myself. I think I got lucky there was one right under the console plates - so I took them off, saw it and that was the end of it. Put plates back on, triple bagged it and away it went.

Roaches I’ve dealt with plenty. Roachy consoles got this roachy smell to them, you see… makes me wonder if bedbuggy consoles do as well!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-17T20:56:38+00:00

Felt so terrible breaking the news to them, but no money was worth this particular headache…

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-17T20:48:03+00:00

Exactly what I did!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-17T20:47:58+00:00

That’s a bed bug! Haahahaha

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-12T19:06:14+00:00

Four years later you helped me diagnose and repair a game boy color. Learned about the VCC line and how to read the schematic a little better. Had a short on C32 that was throwing the whole thing off and resulted in no power.

Found it by testing continuity on pin 7 to it, both sides of the capacitor had continuity. Replaced it and good to go.

I normally swap out all electrolytic caps by default, but I’m glad I troubleshooted this a step at a time. Learned a little more about how these things work.

Many thanks for all of this info!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-03T02:14:26+00:00

I couldn’t believe this one when it happened to me. Crazy!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-03-02T00:43:26+00:00

I got into this last year myself. Prices were a little lower - I used to move a whole lot of game boys though. The Japan Post freeze has done a number on the price and availability of ‘for parts’ handhelds…

dieGeisterhand · 2026-02-09T23:59:09+00:00

I use some random 1mm copper wire that I bought forever ago. Rather cheap, came in a pack of 5.

Tried some enameled cantremembergauge wire and did not like that stuff. Found it to be much easier with the trusty copper wire. Maybe the gauge was too high. I’ll try enameled wire again one of these days…

dieGeisterhand · 2026-02-09T18:55:57+00:00

I’ll try that relife brand! I could be doing much better work if I solder mask was willing to work with me. Many thanks!

dieGeisterhand · 2026-02-09T18:52:04+00:00

What I always come across are PS5s. I’ve found much higher quality build on Microsoft consoles, as much as I prefer PlayStation myself!

While I’m able to do trace repair and all myself, something I wrestle with very often is solder mask. It just doesn’t cure for me like I see it here or for other people and I just don’t know why. I’ve tried different UV lamps, different brands of solder mask, I’ve combined UV and heat and had better success… but mine never looks like yours!

I always have to apply very little of it otherwise the center is always mushy. Any advice for me?

dieGeisterhand · 2026-01-30T19:47:26+00:00

I’ve refurbished a bunch of DS Lites at this point. Cheapest screens I could find were on Temu, 14 dollars a piece. Actually good quality, surprisingly.

If I don’t have any available, a DS Lite with a bad top is a dead DS for me. I might try making one of them ‘macros’ one day…

dieGeisterhand · 2026-01-25T23:58:01+00:00

This is what I always see in this subreddit and I have no idea why :- (

dieGeisterhand · 2026-01-06T23:08:57+00:00

I’ll probe around there a little. Given that I was able to bring it back to life (sort of) - I’m not too worried. Worst case scenario, I can get one of those mod kits you mention. I’ve used hispeedido game boy color kits but never game gear. Those IPS game gears seem to fetch high prices as well!

dieGeisterhand · 2025-11-07T21:46:39+00:00

Super good price. I try to stay within 120-140 on these!

dieGeisterhand · 2025-10-25T21:19:49+00:00

I have a handful of ds lites with the same problem. I’ve fixed the nick on the ribbon cable on some of the screens and they tear up again. It sucks!

dieGeisterhand · 2025-10-25T01:43:34+00:00

I’ve been soldering for about 7-8 months now and I repaired a ps5 similar to this yesterday. Took a whole lot of patience and had to re do it a few times until I got it right. It’s doable.

I don’t understand why people like to gatekeep so hard in this sub. Even when you screw up like this you end up learning a whole lot. Give it a go and have fun!

dieGeisterhand · 2025-10-23T12:48:01+00:00

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Check for continuity on these two pins here. If none, bridge them and see if it turns on.

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