Replacing SNES SRAM batteries

neo_bahamut1985 · Post by **neo_bahamut1985** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:38 am

Okay, I apologize in advance if this sort of topic is already in this forum, so, I'll go ahead and explain. I have an original copy of Final Fantasy 3, and I absolutely enjoy the original. The only problem is I can't create any new games! The SRAM battery pack died out! Now, my question; is it possible to replace them? If so, how?

whicker · Post by **whicker** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:08 am

yes it's possible.

as to how depends on how much you care about the game.

You can throw it against a cement sidewalk to get it open, use a very fine-tipped tweezers, melt a pen-cap to fit the bizarre headed screw, or actually buy the correct bit to open up the cartridge.

The actual battery once inside looks like the very familiar coin cell lithium battery you can get almost anywhere. To save costs, it's not actually in a holder. So the bad one gets desoldered and cut off, and then a holder soldered in to hold the new battery.

Deathlike2 · Post by **Deathlike2** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:13 am

whicker wrote:yes it's possible.

as to how depends on how much you care about the game.

You can throw it against a cement sidewalk to get it open, use a very fine-tipped tweezers, melt a pen-cap to fit the bizarre headed screw, or actually buy the correct bit to open up the cartridge.

The actual battery once inside looks like the very familiar coin cell lithium battery you can get almost anywhere. To save costs, it's not actually in a holder. So the bad one gets desoldered and cut off, and then a holder soldered in to hold the new battery.

That's what it is? Awesome.

neo_bahamut1985 · Post by **neo_bahamut1985** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:22 am

Can't Nintendo replace them for you (assuming you can even send it to them)?

whicker · Post by **whicker** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:09 am

neo_bahamut1985 wrote:Can't Nintendo replace them for you (assuming you can even send it to them)?

No, but people on the internets can do it for you, provided you can trust them.

snkcube · Post by **snkcube** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:23 am

neo_bahamut1985 wrote:Can't Nintendo replace them for you (assuming you can even send it to them)?

I don't even think Nintendo does any service work related to the SNES anymore.

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:53 am

snkcube wrote:
neo_bahamut1985 wrote:Can't Nintendo replace them for you (assuming you can even send it to them)?
I don't even think Nintendo does any service work related to the SNES anymore.

Of course they do.

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/repair ... s.jsp#snes

They tell you to:
a. Fuck yourself.
b. Get a new system and re-buy your shit.

neo_bahamut1985 · Post by **neo_bahamut1985** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:09 pm

Phht! That's what I was freakin' afraid of. And what are the chances of such games reappearing on the Virtual Console? I'd like to see that!

Deathlike2 · Post by **Deathlike2** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:50 pm

You're lucky if they wanted to, and in some cases, probably never.

casualsax3 · Post by **casualsax3** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:51 pm

I replaced the battery in my Zelda (NES) cart - it's just a CR2032.

neo_bahamut1985 · Post by **neo_bahamut1985** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:53 am

yeah, that kind of battery. I'll probably just wait till the release it on the VC...if they ever do.

PHoNyMiKe · Post by **PHoNyMiKe** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:08 pm

I replaced a bunch. I used a battery holder from radio shack and the cr2032. the holder had some legs, so I filed them down a bit. the holder also has three pins opposed to the original battery which has two tabs. so I was able to drill the holes in the board matching the polarity of the pins in the holder to the pcb. works out great, however the cartridge becomes say 2mm thicker because the battery holder isn't as low profile as the original with tabs. no big deal, it's unnoticable.

Johan_H · Post by **Johan_H** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:59 pm

Why is emulator and TV-out not an option?

casualsax3 · Post by **casualsax3** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 10:33 pm

Just not as cool?

Johan_H · Post by **Johan_H** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 11:29 pm

Cooler than hoping and waiting for VC release :P

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Tue Oct 02, 2007 11:49 pm

Johan_Hanberg wrote:Cooler than hoping and waiting for VC release

Which will just be an emulator with TV out anyways.

PHoNyMiKe · Post by **PHoNyMiKe** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:45 am

did I miss something?

back on topic, for a price I'll backup a sram, replace the battery, and restore the sram. as well as hack the sram for ya so you have a billion dollars in game. say $30. or you can do it yourself for less with a little balls.

FamicomFreak · Post by **FamicomFreak** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:26 pm

I suggest if you have never done this before try it out on a game you don't care much about and then try it out in your baby. You don't want to make mistakes with FF3!