Snes game save batteries

[Snesgamer4ever]

By the way, it would not involve a deadline or anything, i would just be thrilled to get my game working again.

[Ziggy]

Some time in the future, maybe. I wouldn't have the chance any time soon. Too many of my own repairs and such projects without enough time to do them.

[Snesgamer4ever]

No worries man, thank you.

[Hobie-wan]

I've never replaced an SRAM chip. If a matching one could be found, it would just be a matter of swapping it in though.

[CRTGAMER]

Looking online, hard to tell which battery with built in tabs will be durable. I have a couple of bootleg GBA carts with dead batteries, both of which have a yellow vinyl plastic outer shell. Are the yellow shelled batteries reliable?

Oh screw it, I ordered 20 of the CR2032 holders. If they do not fit on the SNES cart PCB, I'll mount them inside the shell somewhere. This gives me an easy change out option with name brand batteries.

[Ziggy]

If the ones you got look like the ones in the pic you posted, they're almost certainly too tall for a SNES cart. You could still wire them in and put them above the board, yes, but not for carts with full size boards (the board takes up the entire inside of the cart shell).

Also, that battery that you posted a pic of looks like cheap generic shit. I would never get a battery like that. I've posted this in multiple threads, and eventually it'll go into a guide I've been wanting to make, but only get good brand name batteries. And beware of new old stock.

[Hobie-wan]

The reason for the vinyl ring is that when you're mounting them flat on a PCB, the tabs both have to go near the edge. Depending on which side is up, you may have to worry about the tab folding around the edge where it could short if mounted poorly or after the item is dropped if it was pushed that way. The tabbed batteries I have don't have the vinyl ring, but I put some electrical tape under the bent over tab to make sure it is safe.

[CRTGAMER]

Thanks for the responses.

@ Hobie - Good info on the yellow edge cover of the battery, that makes sense. The prong on the opposite side will short out when bent to the same side as the other prong for the PCB mounting. I imagine that vinyl could melt next to the bent prong if not a careful quick solder melt.

@ Ziggy - A good point on the height of the holders, this is my concern too when I got ready to clicked the buy button. One thing I like about the tall holders (besides great price) is that one buyer commented how hard it is to change out the battery, needing a small screwdriver. This alludes to the battery not easily vibrating off, in case the cart shell does not keep it in check. I was looking at gluing a piece of foam inside on the shell above the holder.

I plan on also writing a Guide on this as well when I get the holders in the mail; we could make a combined guide. Yours covering the direct battery to board, mine mounting the holder on the case. Maybe when one of us gets ready to post a new OP, give the other a heads up to get the 1st Reply for the other part of the Guide?

This is an easy two wire desolder and resolder job, a Guide can be a very useful reference for all battery backup carts. Taken further, even certain PC Motherboards and consoles such as the Dreamcast that have direct soldered clock batteries.

@Hobie - Interested in also adding; a three part Reply Guide? Certainly can use your expertise since you also perform this service regularly in Sales Thread.

[Retrogamer0001]

This definitely isn't fun, but at least the game can be beaten within two or three hours if you know what you're doing. Good luck figuring it out though!

[Hobie-wan]

I've put a holder in the Chrono Trigger that I have. Since I was using one that was too tall like most that was scavenged from a PC mobo I jut wired it up and have a piece of electrical tape holding it against the cart shell so it doesn't rattle around in the dead space. Since it is too thick to be mounted on the board I know it isn't going to slide in and short on anything even if the cart gets really shaken around. For normal use it will stay put just fine.

I've mostly replaced GB (Pokemon) batteries, fitting the larger ones in which will last longer. I solder with the one leg pointing it up in the air so I'm not melting the protective tape, then bend it down and secure the other side.