dead snes's

[mvsfan]

has anyone had to fix an snes where it turns on but it just flashes for a second and then gives a black screen and no amount of cleaning gets it working again?

ive run across several like that now and i dont have a solution to it.

they all have the same exact symptom and i dont have a clue whats wrong.

Ive tried replacing the ram on a few of them and that doesnt do anything its not the problem.

also i have systems like this that are 1-chips and regular snes. Id really like to fix the 1-chips.

what are the odds that its capacitor related? has anyone sucessfully got an snes to boot after replacing the caps?

[ApolloBoy]

You sure it's not the 7805?

[Richtr8]

Maybe it's the fuse? If it were the fuse, it wouldn't be getting power at all, but check the fuse, electronics are weird. Other than that I'd guess it's probably the 7805, or some corrosion on the power jack connector.

[moh]

yeah, if it was the fuse, the red LED would not turn on at all. The 7805 voltage regulator is more likely to be the fault.

[Nintendawg]

Have you made sure the reset button and the plastic assembly on top of it all move freely? I had a similar problem and it was related to the reset. Just an idea.

[mvsfan]

theres a couple things i didnt mention. The 7805 is fine. The power light on them lights up. they flash breifly when turned on and they are getting power.

but i dont get anything on screen. Ive already tried cleaning.

[leonk]

I've got one of these. Everything tests fine except system is black. I assumed that it was a bad connector. I ended removing the multiAV port for an NESRGB install and keeping the system for parts.

[mvsfan]

I've got one of these. Everything tests fine except system is black. I assumed that it was a bad connector. I ended removing the multiAV port for an NESRGB install and keeping the system for parts.

ive got several of them up to this point ive just been using them for parts.

its not a bad connector because ive replaced them before. it does no good.

[mvsfan]

I've got one of these. Everything tests fine except system is black. I assumed that it was a bad connector. I ended removing the multiAV port for an NESRGB install and keeping the system for parts.

Ive got 2 more of them now. I think eventually all the snes's are going to start doing this.

I wish that someone could find the problem. there has to be a certain part thats blowing in all of them.

Im starting to wonder if the caps are going bad, shorting, and taking something else out in the process. (I broke them off of one board and they were all leaking slightly)

If thats the case, replacing the caps before they leak too much and short should fix any snes that still works and prevent it from dying.

[CkRtech]

So I have done a little bit of work on sneses, but I don't nearly have enough repairs of them under my belt to tell you every possible thing that could go wrong. Despite the fact some of this has been mentioned before in this thread, I will make a short list of possible issues.

Always assuming cartridge connector contacts and test cartridge contacts are clean, here is the list of items for no power or power with no display:

1: Loose power connector (resolder)
2: Bad power connector (Multimeter check bottom of board at connector)
3: Bad 7805 (Multimeter check voltage output)
4: Bad pico fuse (continuity check with multimeter)
5: Bad power switch - Iffy switches can be weird. Easiest way is to use spare switch that you know works in place of possible bad switch
6: Bad reset switch - Is reset constantly "on?" due to bad reset switch?
7: Bad multiout - check solder
8: Corroded multiout - best soldering job in the world doesn't matter if contacts on multiout are corroded.
9: Visual check for bulging/leaked fluid from and possible ESR check of the "usual suspects"-looking capacitors.

I really don't know the odds of those main chips dying, or the RAM for that matter. In theory the fuse should help protect those guys, but it isn't a perfect protection solution. Not that someone would try plugging in their SNES, submerging it in water, and turning it on to see what happens to the SNES (and them). My hope is that whatever the problem, it is user-serviceable without the need to surface mount desolder/solder replacement chips (at which point...it is probably best to switch that SNES over to a "parts unit."

[mvsfan]

i usually throw the regular two chip snes's in the parts bin. but its too bad i cant get the model 1 1-chips working again theres only so many of those around.

[leonk]

i usually throw the regular two chip snes's in the parts bin. but its too bad i cant get the model 1 1-chips working again theres only so many of those around.

... And still they're all cheaper than a used xbox 360. I wouldn't feel too bad about it. There's millions of them out there. Can't save every foot soldier.