SNES Game Save Battery Replacement

[Trinity]

My game save battery died after 20 years of service.

 

But I fixed it! Now just to win back all my progress... (fight)...

[Hatta]

Is there a way to dump/restore the SRAM on these things?

[PsychoKittyNet]

I think the retrode can be used to dump save files onto a computer.

[+wood_jl]

Thanks for posting those pics.

 

But how is the clip fastened to the battery? It's soldered directly to the battery? Battery can take that kind of heat? Did that new battery come with the clip? If so, where did you get it? If not, how did you do it?

 

Thanks!

[SEgamer]

Thanks for posting those pics.

 

But how is the clip fastened to the battery? It's soldered directly to the battery? Battery can take that kind of heat? Did that new battery come with the clip? If so, where did you get it? If not, how did you do it?

 

Thanks!

 

They're "tack soldered" to the clips, but I've seen a couple of carts where the the clips do just pop right off of them. You can buy them like that or buy holders like these:

 

http://www.earthshineelectronics.com/94-199-large/lithium-coin-cell-battery-holder-cr2032-compatible.jpg

 

They're pretty cheap and make it easy to install the batteries. The only other way is to get a regular battery, scrape the surface, and hope solder sticks to it. I've had one nearly boil out from the heat of the soldering iron, so I went to the holders after that!

[Reaperman]

Thanks for posting those pics.

 

But how is the clip fastened to the battery? It's soldered directly to the battery? Battery can take that kind of heat? Did that new battery come with the clip? If so, where did you get it? If not, how did you do it?

 

Thanks!

Batteries are optionally available with the tabs already welded on. They can take a bit of heat, and it is possible to solder to them. It's never a great idea though, and the smaller the cell the greater the risk of messing it up.

 

Since pre-tabbed cells are expensive (and changing them is annoying) I usually just solder in a battery holder as linked above.

Edited February 13, 2011 by Reaperman

[MagitekAngel]

Sweet, Super Mario World is a fun game to run through in a night with a friend or two anyway.

 

Now if your Final Fantasy VI battery dies, well...

[Trinity]

Thanks for posting those pics.

 

But how is the clip fastened to the battery? It's soldered directly to the battery? Battery can take that kind of heat? Did that new battery come with the clip? If so, where did you get it? If not, how did you do it?

 

Thanks!

 

Yeah, The old battery was soldered to the clips. I bought the new battery and tool to open the cartrige here, http://www.nintendorepairshop.com/products/155-SNES-Repair-Tools-&-Kits/

 

And the new battery came with the clips attached.

[MaximRecoil]

Yeah, The old battery was soldered to the clips. I bought the new battery and tool to open the cartrige here, http://www.nintendorepairshop.com/products/155-SNES-Repair-Tools-&-Kits/

 

And the new battery came with the clips attached.

 

So you had to use a jumper wire? I wonder why that site sells batteries with the wrong type of tabs welded to them. The Sanyo CR2032-T14-1 has the right type of tabs, and is only $1.94. I ordered 3 of them a few years ago and replaced the batteries in a Super Metroid, Super Mario World, and Super Punch-Out cartridge. They are a drop-in replacement, and you simply solder them to the PCB the same as the original batteries were installed. I made a thread about this here a few years ago.