Gp32 Problem With Power Circuit


Intruder

Member
Joined
May 10, 2003
Messages
141
Age
51
Location
Montreal, Canada
Website
www.quebarium.com
Hello everyone,

Well I am having problem with my dear GP32 8-(, it was working well until the begining of the week. By accident I kinda fried the power circuit inside it and now it barely work.

Here the whole description of the problem (I also sent this message to Evil Dragon as he seems to have done quite a fair of repair of GP32 units in the past ;-)) and I am looking for your advice everyone. And yes I read alot of those topics about to replace the infamous D11 diode, but my case is a bit different as I can still use my GP32, just for a shorter periode of time (can run off the batteries for about 15 minutes before it reset/reboot and the right side get very hot and 30 minutes later the batteries are totally drained)

Here is the problem :

About a week ago I was fiddling around with my PSU to powered my GP32 so I can transfer file on it (didnt want to drain the batteries). And something terrible happen 8-(, I kinda fried the power circuitry, but just halfway. Let me explain why I mean by this, first the PSU had made the red light flicker (as if it wasnt sending the electricity properly) so I was thinking I made mistake and was in the wrong polarity. So I switch it, but then then I tried it, had no red light at all. Then switch again, go the faint red light but not booting up. So I knew something went wrong.

Later on I tried my fully charge batteries (2500mah batteries) then was able to hear the familiar sound and see the little GP32 logo! Oufff I though I saved the thing, but find out I couldnt transfer via the USB anymore. Then later on I saw my GP32 reboot by itself and it was getting really hot on the right side, around the area where you plug the DC adapter.

I decided to make several tests to see what was going on exactly. The results were that I could play around with the GP32 (either used the built in MP3 player or run DrSMS with Sonic the Edgehog) was that it could run for about 15 minutes then it will either freeze up or reboot. Then I could again restart to play with it for another 15 minutes, But after 30 minutes of doing that I couldnt any longer, I start to see the LCD flickering and getting turn off and then couldnt even boot the GP32 anymore. Of course during that period of time the GP32 got extremly hot on the right side more specifically in the bottom part (where the power circuitry reside on). And I checked the batteries and they were quite drained and those are 2500mah Energizer which should have atleast last several hours (they were fully charged).

After reading several messages and check the tutorials about the famous D11 diode, I think my problem is a bit different.
Normally if the diode was dead the GP32 shouldnt even turn on and/or boot up. But I can still use it just fine (of course it feels uncongortable because of the heat and that I can only use for 15 minutes before it crash and only for 30 minutes before have no more juice in the batteries). Oh and if I plug in a new DC adapter the GP32 doesnt want to boot up.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your collaboration in advance.

Sincerly
Fred
 
Here is the picture of the board of how it look like, as people can see they are no missing component or exploded, melted component ;-).

gp32_inside1.jpg


Just this whole area is getting hot while in use (for the short period of time it work).

Any way I should check those different component? And also which value should I expect to have from them.

Thanks for your collaboration in advance.
 
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