Batteries Do Not Work At All

[buntz]

Yes take the back cover off and you'll need a #1 Phillips head screwdriver. Look at the jack and you should see 5 contacts. the two in the from are for the sheild, the next two are the two you need to short, and the one in the back is negative.

Its a little fuzy but you get the idea. Or you could get a new jack from mouser for around 5 bucks after shipping.

 

[Reycat]

Ok, with buntz permission, I'll use his picture for my explanation.

If you look from the upper side of the picture (and I mean <from> there, that is, with your eyes really close to the on/off switch of the GP2X) to the "little black box" (LBB from now on ), you will notice that there is some kind of small metalic plate <inside> the LBB.

I used the pins to move that plate up. And that's it. I took off the pins (they were just tools, not a part of the "fix") and closed the GP2X

If you want a more permanent solution, you can join with a wire the two pins with the red arrows in buntz's pic, but if you do so, you should never, ever, use the AC adapter with batteries in the GP2X.

Again, I don't know if I have make myself clear

 

[markiej]

If you want a more permanent solution, you can join with a wire the two pins with the red arrows in buntz's pic, but if you do so, you should never, ever, use the AC adapter with batteries in the GP2X.

I may join them temporarily to test it. Permanent sounds scary, because I use the adaptor every night and I'm sure I would forget at one point and possible blow up the gp2x (which I now consider my third child - I have named her Maxine, after her paternal grandmother).

Again, I don't know if I have make myself clear

Perfectly clear - thank you again! I think I will try this this afternoon.

And thank you 'Buntz' for the pictures. If my minor tinkering doesn't work, I may order the mouser part. I am a little scared though because I have not soldered in almost 20 years.

 

[buntz]

Ok, with buntz permission, I'll use his picture for my explanation.

Reycat, you dont have expressed written consent, but then again I'm not the NFL.

I am a little scared though because I have not soldered in almost 20 years.

Just get yourself a good iron, one with adjustable heat, and a desoldering tool. You'll most likely have to pry the tabs on the old on up with a small screwdriver as you go. Surface mount components are a pain.

 

[markiej]

It is fixed - thanks to the advice of all.

I picked up a little screwdriver set and followed the instructions of Reycat & buntz. Amazing forum. hooray!

 

[Intruder]

That great to hear markiej!

So now your GP2X can work with either the AC adapter or the batteries right? So I guess the switch is a bit flimsy and easy to break, Ill keep that in mind when ill start to use an AC adapter to be carefull when plug it in and plug it out.

 

[markiej]

That great to hear markiej!

So now your GP2X can work with either the AC adapter or the batteries right? So I guess the switch is a bit flimsy and easy to break, Ill keep that in mind when ill start to use an AC adapter to be carefull when plug it in and plug it out.

The switch still gets stuck in the "battery off" position, but since I pulled off the rubber cover to the dc port, a paper clip can pop it back into place (no more unscrewing the back). I know it's hacky, but it does work.

 

[buntz]

Awesome, glad I could help.

 

[prairiefire]

Thanks everyone for this great info!

I don't have anything to add except that my GP2X that was just purchased two weeks ago has experienced the same problem as markiej. It would be good to know how many others have experienced this problem. Does anyone know of a place where issues can be reported and tabulated so that GPH knows what severity the problems with their devices are?

Again thanks for the info on the defective switch. I would have been lost otherwise.

 

[buntz]

I'm not sure it's an issue with GamePark Holdings. It's just physics. If you leave a piece of metal bent too long, it will eventually take that shape. In this case, that bend is preventing contact from being made between two contacts. I'm sure if the manufacturer of the jack used high quality spring steel, this wouldn't happen, but they didn't, so it does.

The best thing you can do is only plug your adapter in when you want to use wall power. Otherwise unplug it. It servers no purpose to plug it in when the GP2X is off as it will never charge the batteries.

I would be curious to see how many times this has happened though.

 

[prairiefire]

I'm not sure it's an issue with GamePark Holdings. It's just physics. If you leave a piece of metal bent too long, it will eventually take that shape.

Hi Buntz,

Careful quoting "physics". All metals have an elastic limit and if you exceed that the part permanently deforms regardless of time. And in terms of time, we're only talking 12 hours maybe in which the AC Adapter was plugged in. The only way it would stay deformed was if you exceeded the limit and it would never go back. Here's more on that topic for your viewing pleasure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress-strain_curve

As for my GP2X, I opened it up, tested the connections and the switch was the problem. It fixed itself though just by plugging it in and out a little more... weird. Thanks everyone. If it stops working again, i'll know where to look.

Brett

 

[buntz]

Twelve hours is deffinately not enough time to perminately deform the metal in the jack by simply having it pluged into an AC adapter.

But I have studied my fair share of physics in college (engineering major), and am familar with the limits of metal. I am just saying I have heard of the problem before on other devices, but only after leaving something pluged in for an elongated period of time. I would be pissed to if it only happened after a short twelve hours.

Thanks for the clarification Bret.