DS battery dying? Anyone know?

[RTSDaddy2]

For the longest time, the speakers on my DS Lite were pretty strong for such a tiny unit. These days however, it seems I have to push the volume to the max to hear it at all. Could this mean the overall strength of the replaceable battery is growing weak (much as with a laptop computer whose battery recharge grows weak over time)?

Bear in mind this unit has been on a LOT since January when I purchased it.  We are recharging it at least every 4-5 days over a period of 6 - 7 months.  The battery just not being as strong would be my first guess (not enough juice to run game and sound at full power)...don't mean to sound like such a goober, but was just wondering what you thought before I put $7 in a new battery.

[crashwg]

Hows it sound when hooked up to power?

[RTSDaddy2]

It may be just the slightest bit stronger hooked up to AC power.

[SavannahLion]

Another possibility.

I forget where the speaker grill is located, but check for gunk or some kind of crap inside. If you carry it around a lot in your pocket, a cloth lined bag, or something similar, lint will collect inside and effectively deaden the sound. Blowing it out may or may not work. I usually have to take apart the portables to get to the speakers to clean them. DO NOT USE compressed air to flush out the lint. If the cone is made of paper, you may just rip the cone rendering the speaker useless.

If the speaker grill is located where your hand is when you grip the DS, you'll get this thick goo inside which consists of sweat, skin oil and dead skin cells and other mystery junk. It's gross stuff. Luckily, it never reaches the paper cone, it just gets trapped in the speaker grill itself. Again DO NOT USE compressed air. Besides your risk of ripping the paper cone, you'll only push the goo further and onto the speaker. Not fun to clean off.

You don't exactly need to take apart the console to check for either, Check the speaker grill. Whatever is coating the cone will also coat the inside of the holes.

[RTSDaddy2]

NEW QUESTION - How do I get the unit apart to clean the speakers?  Does that then void my warranty?

The speakers are located on the thinner, top half of the DS.  I do carry it in a case, but the DS is normally shut - however, my four year old likes to play Cooking Mama (or mess with it), so grease and dirt would not be an impossibility.  I also adjusted the sound ingame too - it helped a little but still doesn't sound quite as loud as it used to.

[pointdablame]

If your speakers do not sound normal when the AC adaper is plugged in, it is not the battery.

Try cleaning the speakers as suggested, but a battery is not likely to fix the problem.

[shmokes]

however, my four year old likes to play Cooking Mama (or mess with it), so grease and dirt would not be an impossibility.

Cooking Mama lets you use dirt as an ingedient!?!   


 

[RTSDaddy2]

Shmokes, I thought everyone knew it was a necessity for mud pies....... (yep,  lame comeback, was all I could think of).

I don't really see much dirt around the holes - it appears that it just "pulls apart" to unveil the inner workings of the top half....but before I go and break my DS Lite (because my wife and kid would KILL me), let me ask again - does anyone on here know how you take it apart to check for goo and stuff?

[SavannahLion]

does anyone on here know how you take it apart to check for goo and stuff?

I'd offer an answer, but I honestly don't remember how it's constructed. I hid it from the kid as a punishment and promptly forgot the hiding place. Next time I take something away, I'm sure I'll find it.

[RTSDaddy2]

I just watched a 10 minute video on YouTube of how to disassemble it, and I got two words for you - NEVER MIND!!  God, I can't even IMAGINE trying to do something that looks that complex just to fix the speakers. I'd lose a screw, or a part, and my $129 investment would be toast - and so would I.  That video made my head hurt - seriously.

Does anybody know a good way to clean without taking it apart or using compressed air?

[RTSDaddy2]

As a truly odd, rather disgusting aside, it apparently was NOT the DS at all, but rather my own ears.

I have horrible allergies and sinusitis at times and it had become much like speaking in a pit - could hear myself, but I could hardly hear those around me.  I have noticed since the lovely cleaning procedure I've endured that the DS is sounding it's usual robust self again.

Rather sad, ain't it? 

[shardian]

FYI, a DS battery should go 500 charges before it starts to lose max juice holding capacity. 500 charges is quite a bit of time.