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Larger version of the Nintendo DSi, released March 2010 in North America. Most repairs are accomplished with only a screwdriver and prying tools.

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How do I fix Charging Port on my DSI XL consoles?

I have 4 working DSi XL consoles. On 3 of them I experience the same difficulty charging the battery.

When the charger is plugged, its terminal makes EITHER poor contact OR none at all, and I have to twist and turn and contort the charger terminal to get the charging light to come on and to stay on.

I've opened one of the consoles (the "hardest to charge" one) to replace the port with spares bought off the Internet

But the soldered leads on the port seem fine. However it looks as though there is a design problem which makes it difficult to access the component to check it properly.

I'd just as soon remove the one port and replace it as a matter of course - as a learning experience - but i thought I'd ask HERE first. More experienced do-it-yourselfers: can you help? Advice, please (photos will be GREAT.

Answer this question I have this problem too

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If you already replaced the charging port, which component do you want to test? did you check your port with a multimeter to make sure that it is okay?

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All I'd like to get are clear step by step instructions for de-soldering and re-soldering a DSi XL's Charging Port. With or without pictutes.

I haven't replaced anything....yet. I've opened the unit and examined the condition of the soldered joints. I've also tried using many different (working) chargers: they all produce the same result.

The problem WILL be difficult to fix permanently, because the charging port terminals are, IMHO, too short.

To provide a connection robust enough to withstand years of use of the wall charger, the soldered pins on the charging port should be more flexible.

Those repeated actions will ALWAYS cause the soldered joints to loosen from the small movements of the charger terminals bumping against the port terminals during the plugging-in and unplugging cycle. Hence the "popularity" of DSi XL's charger port issue. The reports are well represented, but NOT well indexed and cross-referenced all over the Internet - including THIS site.

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I feel your frustration. I am sorry that this is not well indexed on ifixit, but that is not the purpose of this site. This site provides a place for assistance and idea exchange, people trying to help each other. I do realize the bad engineering on this part, it is all to common. Just look around and check for the YLOD and RROD, those are nothing but bad engineering issues.

So, may be you can come up with a better way and improve this situation. May be replace the ends with flex cables or modify to plug so that it mounts firmly to the case vs. the logic board.

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I'm not an expert, but I can say you that with my laptop I had the same problem, the DC jack was broken (I couldn't see the damage from outside) and I repaired it changing the jack. I don't know which problem you have, but maybe it is the same. ;) however check the power supply to be sure that the problem is in the consoles. Hope this will help.

G.

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If replacing the charge did not help the charging issue, then I would use a multimeter and check I have conductivity from the the port to the EMI square located to the left of the port. I sometimes find that the fuse (F1) is blown or that the EMI square is cracked, loose, or broken

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Lars will be eternally grateful.
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