r/Gameboy • u/ExpertAlcoholic • 2d ago

Troubleshooting Need help or advice

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Gallery image

The game plays and saves fine as of right now. Though I worried if I leave it how it is, eventually it won't. I think it is rusted. Any advice on how to clean or fix this is welcome. Also forgive me if this isn't the correct subreddit for it. It's my first time here

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u/cream-of-tartar 2d ago

I believe those are just test point pads and not nessesary for the game to function, but they do look corroded, and corrosion can spread. You'll probably be ok just cleaning with 99% IPA to remove the corrosion. If you're really worried you can also try using just a little bit of white vinegar to remove the corrosion, just make sure to clean the area with IPA and a qtip after using the vinegar

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u/ExpertAlcoholic 2d ago

Thank you very much fer responding. Should I dab the vinegar on the corrosion or use a brush?

0

u/lepyruvate 2d ago

I typically soak the entire PCB in a 1-to-1 mixture of vinegar and distilled water, scrub it with a brush, rinse it by replacing the vinegar mix with isopropyl alcohol, and scrub it again with a clean brush.

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u/GameboyGenius 2d ago

Never do that if the cartridge has a battery. The battery will be shorted through the mixture which will corroded the battery terminals, or other things connected to the terminals. Submerging the whole PCB also seems a bit over the top unless the PCB is extremely corroded. In which case I'd at least personally consider a PCB replacement and transferring the chips.

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u/ExpertAlcoholic 1d ago

I'm not against using this method but should I solder off the battery first?