Snes game save batteries

[Snesgamer4ever]

I need help! I have changed many save batteries in Super Nintendo games with no problem.....except for one. Ok, so the game is super metroid...an all time favorite which makes this even worse. so I changed the battery and it saves if I reset the Super Nintendo but if I turn it off and turn it back on again there's no save data..........help!

[Hobie-wan]

Did you replace by soldering a proper tabbed battery or a socket, or did you just use one of the not very good 'tape' methods? Text side up on the battery? Verified the battery was good with a voltmeter? Checked that the power is getting to the board by checking voltage on the board?

[ninjainspandex]

hmm this same thing happens to me! I thought i had a bad battery so i soldered in a new one and it still does it occasionally, no idea why and its only this game. I've soldered almost 100 game batteries no problems.

[Snesgamer4ever]

Did you replace by soldering a proper tabbed battery or a socket, or did you just use one of the not very good 'tape' methods? Text side up on the battery? Verified the battery was good with a voltmeter? Checked that the power is getting to the board by checking voltage on the board?

[Snesgamer4ever]

So ninja...the game you are referring too is super metroid? If so, same thing with me. I have done the solder technique on all my other games and this one just won't save!

[ninjainspandex]

So ninja...the game you are referring too is super metroid? If so, same thing with me. I have done the solder technique on all my other games and this one just won't save!

yes super metroid and I don't mean to brag but my soldering was flawless, but for some reason that game just randomly loses its save. Glad I'm not crazy.

[Snesgamer4ever]

The only question is, do i attempt to play for a few hours and risk it all for not.....or just find a new copy and hope for the best....

[Ziggy]

No, don't get a new one. Let's fix this one.

Can you take a picture of the PCB and post it here? If so, can you post a picture that as large and as clear as can be?

Where did you get the "new" battery from? There's a lot of cheap batteries, particularly on eBay, that are new old stock. I've gotten in CR2032s before that where dead when I tested them. Brand new, in the factory package, dead.

You can test batteries with a voltage meter. Get one if you don't already own one, they're cheap enough. It takes the guess work out of this. THIS is my favorite budget meter. Worth every penny, I highly recommend getting one if you don't already own a meter. I recommend the one in the link, but you can also get ~$10 meters in auto parts and hardware stores. Just be sure to get a digital one that does at least voltage and resistance, and stay away from analog meters.

They're 3v batteries, so they should measure something like 3.2v when they're brand new. Anything less than that and you know it's old stock. And anything under 3 should be considered dead, and you'd want to replace a battery before it hits 3 just to be on the safe side.

The SRAM could possibly be dead. It happens, they only have a certain amount of read/write cycles before they burn out. All memory is like this. If it is dead, it's replaceable. But it's a cross that bridge when you get there situation, you'll wanna rule out all things to do with the battery first. Then you'll wanna test the SRAM theory.

[Snesgamer4ever]

Thank you....yes i will post the pictures this evening

[Snesgamer4ever]

Here are the pics, hope they are clear enough...and yes, i tested two batteries, tried both and nothing.