@@jason5456 Yep that would be pretty easy to do, actually! Just look at the Game Boy schematic and it will tell you where positive and negative is on the DC jack.
@@esotericsean That would be a cool mod video to watch. I prefer keeping as much of the original PCB hardware as I can. I've been holding off on these battery mods in the hopes of a solution like the CleanJuice with the GameBoy Advance.
Recharging the battery with a separate adapter seems like the route I would take. Thanks for the thorough break down this is really helping me decide what mod are worthwhile!
Great stuff Sean, always a fan of the non-destructive mod route. Sometimes it's hard to find a solution/mod route that doesn't involve trimming the shell.
I really like that you went and found a new way that wasn't destructive to the original shell, always prefer keeping oem parts in tact whenever possible! I may do this if/when I go to mod my GBC down the road!
Do you think it's possible to add a led that turns on and off when charging? Its there any space to ass a Qi receiver anywhere and maybe connect to the Charging Board?
I wonder if one could short the power light connectors, then use that light as a charging indicator. The OEM light is an LED, right? Then could one remove the Ext. port and replace with a USB C charging port? Could 28- or 30-gauge wire suffice for connections to the chip located elsewhere in the shell?
If don't wanna cut anything just put the battery outside...with a mod that can use back aa batteries without unsolding the battery mod...I use those mod those years and the USB I just keep inside battery box...maybe I will do some video what mod all my Gameboy used since all the battery size is different...
It certainly should in theory, though Pockets can be a bit finicky about precise voltages. It's highly recommended to also install a voltage regulator since the built-in DC converter is underpowered, especially when installing a backlit screen.
Do you mean the IR (infrared) port? It's a feature of the Game Boy Color that allowed two Game Boys to "link" to each other wirelessly by transmitting and receiving infrared signals/data. It wasn't used in very many games.
@@suicide19915 modded exactly the same way? Directly to the terminals? Man, this might be the best battery mod out now. I currently use Bonzai AA rechargeable batteries because the have a 2400mah rating and seemingly last forever. If this can still charge through while plugged in this si the only battery mod I'm doing going forward. I wonder if the Battery HUD on the IPS v4 screens would show battery correctly. Another question, what would happen if someone had it plugged in but it had Alkaline AA batteries in the GB? I think this could be a problem if it was dangerous in that scenario.
Nothing to do with batteries but I have a Color that has non responsive A and B buttons. All other buttons work and the board is clean with no visible damage or corrosion. Did not see any broken traces. And ideas?
Earl Spencer Hmm do you have a multimeter? Could check to make sure there is proper continuity. Maybe try cleaning the contacts of the membrane? You can rub it on a piece of paper, that often helps.
@@esotericsean no continuity. Used metal forceps to short the pads to ground. This works on the other buttons but not on the a and b buttons. Checked schematics but it seems buttons go straight to RAM chip. Thinking maybe trace on the inside of the board is bad. Would use jumper wire but not sure where the connection goes.
@@earlspencer7863 Here's a little diagram showing the test pads of each button: i.imgur.com/hUdUCOy.jpg Maybe you can solder something to those. What a strange issue...
They're similar, but the TP4056 (the blue board) is designed for Li-Po batteries and this new one is designed for NiMH. They output the correct amount of current to charge each type of battery correctly and for the correct amount of time so they don't overheat. Although both of them do get pretty hot.
esotericsean thanks for that ! I was thinking about doing this mod but I only have the blue board. This set up is way cleaner. Keep up the great content! On a side note what’s a good soldering temperature?
So, just a thought experiment If I never wanted to charge the batteries inside, would I even need to connect a charging port? Or could I just add the board and always charge batteries seperate?
If you want to charge your batteries separately, you can just use the batteries instead of AAs, no need to install any sort of charging board or port. No modding required. :)
@@esotericsean Really? What am I doing wrong then? Because I've not once had rechargeable batteries that worked with any GB. Or they were "empty" after the first minutes, meaning they worked fine everywhere else but my GB. And my first one was a DMG. I tried my 2400 mA rechargeables in my GBC just the other day, and it wouldn't even turn on,but they def were fully charged. So I thought that this would be the solution for the problem (, I don't understand) 🤣🤣
@@faselwesen NiMH rechargeable AA batteries are slightly lower voltage than normal AA batteries, so some Game Boys might struggle a bit with them. I guess my only suggestions might be to replace the capacitors on your GBC motherboard or try high quality rechargeables.
Can you though? Only asking because he didn't mention it. I got my kapton tape from Amazon and I have a custom painted shell and wouldn't want the shell or paint job to get damaged by the board getting heated/overheated.
It should work! Though, I've heard a couple people say that NiMHs might be a little bit underpowered for Pockets, especially when running a flash cart with a high power draw IPS or TFT screen. But YMMV.
Would AA Li-ion batteries work with the Little Type C Charging board? Curious if I could use that board and charge Li-Ion AA batteries I already have. Would be amazing if so
This board will work with NiMH and LiPo, but I don’t think it will work with Li-ion. I’m not fully certain though. If you search for Li-ion charging boards you’ll find some though! And they should work with USB-C no problem. I have a new video in the works about all this. Soon soon, hopefully.
@@esotericsean The TP 4056 Type C board should work ? Couldn't think of the model, but it's what I have. If it worked I would just wire up the Out to the battery Terminals on the board and keep the terminals on the board for the AA to charge the GBC, then it would charge the AAs when plugged in?
@@esotericsean Thanks will do, I believe I found an oversight, but the TP4056 on works with 1 cell(Doh!) I am searching for a series 2Cell way of working. This video might be the best way to go, and switch over to NiMH, or LiPo batteries. Or just mod my GBC and upcoming GBC mod
@@cubes6351 check out the McWill kit: www.retromodding.com/products/mcwills-game-boy-color-usb-charging-kit This one is designed for 14500 li-ion batteries
Hey, I just installed an IPS mod for my GBC and I’m not able to use it with my flash card any more. I know that it’s a battery issue. I’m using energizer 1.2 v 1300 mah batteries. I can’t do any mods that require soldering, so is there a set of rechargeable batteries that you recommend?
I know this video is over a year old... but has anyone tried this with a DMG model? About to mod mine to hell and back, and would love to add USB C charging to it as well, I use those nice Panasonic Ni-MH batteries, and being able to recharge them with the system itself would be cool.
Yep this mod should work perfectly with DMG, there’s plenty of room in there too. I guess the only difference is that there are 4 batteries. But I think it’s two sets of batteries in series (I’m not 100% sure though, I’ll have to check).
my main concern was the charger boards I found seem to support 1-3, I found some others that can do 4-5 but not sure which to get yet, might have to get the more expensive ones that support 4+
@@Cyrus_Nagisa I think you would need the same ones that support two batteries. You could either use 2 boards for each set of batteries or connect them all to one board. Might make charging longer that way, though. Might have to do some experimentation. Maybe I’ll give it a go soon too :)
Just a warning. Considering this mod allow to use alkaline or other type of non reachargeable batteries even with the charging board installed if the user so desire, people should be alert not to forget you put in non rechargeable batteries and inadvertently connect the charging supply. I don't know what kind of monitoring and protection that charging board has, but it is never good to charge non rechargeable batteries.
This is a mini Game changer, Sean. Is there a configuration that would work with four batteries in a DMG build? They might have to run in parallel because four batteries running in series would be too high a voltage? Im assuming NIMH size rechargeable exist in a 3.7 volt flavour like the Lipo and standard batteries we already use in gameboy builds ?
Yesterday's Tech Haven’t really done much modding with DMGs, are the batteries all in series? What’s the main voltage from the batteries? There’s also a McWill lithium charging board (see Macho Nacho’s video in this video’s description). The NiMH charging boards do come in different configurations (designed for single, double, and triple cell versions).
Hey my dude ...great video. Question. I wanna keep the original power port kn the gameboy. can i use a 5v charger that fits into the oem port instead of installing a microusb? And last question i can only find 1.2v AA Rechargeable nimhs that will work?
i know this comment is over a year ago, but since you got no reply. No you cant use a 5v charger, some people have stated that the gameboy will light up and then shut down. Something to do with the built in dc converter. However, you can buy gameboy color AC chargers on ebay and use them with the dc port to power your gameboy and charge your batteries if you wire the battery termials to the dc port. Also, you can use NiZn batteries in place of NIMH ones if you want more power for your gameboy.
A little late, but these are suppose to be 1a charge rate, I also have ladda 2450. How long does it actually take to fully charge them? Have you notice or time it? Thanks
@@acontecerdigital9411 Ah, they use ABS plastic in an injection mold. It's basically a big block of metal (like aluminum) that's been CNC machined to create a negative copy of the shell. Then they use a machine that melts plastic and injects it into the mold. It's an expensive and complex process. If you want to make a silicone mold of one, that would be a very complex mold, but is probably possible. Take a look at roarkesretrocorner on Instagram.
Hey Great job and it really helped me with my project to put an usb type c connector to my gbc. But having some issues.. I've tested on two different game boy and when I turn them on.. They work fine when all sorted out just after soldering.. But when I build it back and wanna test it.. It doesnt work.. (not turning on.. Nothing on screen.. Usb c works fine though..) did I burned something down? Too much power through usb c?
Was doing this mod last night, was trying a different placement for the nimh board. Worked till I connected the screen. Tried my best to eliminate shorts, you think I could've blown the fuses since it won't power on?
After removing the original power jack to make room for the USB c do you have to bridge any of those ports? I do have continuity on the fuses actually (checked your vid for that as well).
Do you happen to know if the same process would work for the gameboy pocket? Saw a different board be used with the addition of a resistor. Thanks again for any and all help!
Game Boys can take a range of voltages and still work. These boards output more than 3V, but even brand new normal AA batteries are about 1.6V each, so that's more than 3V as well. These boards should be charged with a normal USB cable at 5V.
The TP4056 is designed for LiPo batteries, it has the correct amperage for those. This new board is designed for NiMHs. They *might* work to charge different types of batteries, but it’s not a good idea as LiPos are pretty volatile and can explode. I think NiMHs are safer but if you want them to last a long time, you want to charge them with the recommended amount of electricity.
It's not designed for it, but if you check out @machonachoproduction's video, there's a board that works for those! ruclips.net/video/A9rFYVzNFX4/видео.html
Would this mod work if someone plugged it into any USB C cable, even if it didn't take advantage of the fast-charge capabilities? (like the Pixel charger, or another USB C PD charger)
It would, I believe the board limits max amps; so fast charging isn’t possible. It’s basically the same but you would be soldering four wires to the c usb connector instead of two wires. Two for power and two for ground.
Really dumb question but would this mod work if it were used while the gbc is turned on or does the gbc need to be powered off for the batteries to charge?
@@esotericsean oh ok thanks! I was all ready to do the old mod and now that the new case arrived, I can’t bring myself to cut into the battery compartment 😅
I've heard of this happening before. I haven't experienced it myself, but it could be other components on the motherboard being old and not being able to handle 3.7v. I would recap it, replace the fuses, and check voltages at the power switch and DC-DC converter. This NiMH mod should be safer since the output voltage is lower.
@@esotericsean I replaced my fuses but also included a diode in the mod to lower the output of the LiPo. It works great now. Just curious to see if you faced the issue as well
Hi Sean! Thanks for the informative and easy to follow video. I finished the mod yesterday, but have been having an issue pop up. It works - temporarily! The LED will light up and the board will charge the batteries for about 20 minutes before the LED turns off and it stops charging. I tested it overnight and woke up to some batteries that were still pretty drained! Did some testing and discovered the 20 minute thing. If I unplug it and plug it back in, it starts up again. Do you have any ideas about what could be going wrong? I'm using Eneloop Pros instead of Ikea LADDA batteries like you are, but that's the only difference I can think of.
Hmm are you able to test the voltage coming out of the charging board to the batteries? It could be a faulty board. I doubt it’s the batteries themselves unless they’re old. Might be faulty or might be overheating. Does the same thing happen with different batteries?
@@esotericsean Alright, I've tried a few things now: - New board, same batteries: No difference - New board, new wires, same batteries: No difference - New board, wires, and batteries ( I switched to some LADDAs) - the charging light now comes on for 50-60minutes at a time, and does seem to be charging the batteries. But after that period of time, the charging light switches off and the board cools down. If i unplug/plug back in, it'll start up again, same with if I power the GBC itself on/off again. It's better, but I'm still curious as to what could be making it shut off like that. Any input you have would be awesome!
I’m experiencing an issue with my GBC and rechargeable AA batteries: I’ve tried to use different brands with different mAh values but the GBC doesn’t turn on, while it works just fine with standard, non-rechargeable, AA batteries. Have you faced this issue, that is clearly not present with the LADDA batteries you are using?
Yeah this can happen because NiMHs are lower voltage (LADDAs are 1.38v at max capacity versus normal AA batteries 1.67v). When you’re using a screen and cartridge that draws a lot of power sometimes the NiMHs can be underpowered, especially if your motherboard has issues. But I bet if you replace your caps it may help. Also check the output voltage of your DC-DC converter.
@@99897767 Ikea LADDA Battery are actually made from the same factory as Eneloop, like the Amazon basics. It's maybe batteries that doesn't pass the quality check and are not 2550mAh like the Panasonic ones, but for the price, they seems to worth it.
@@esotericsean i just finished this mod today and just found this out. luckily I felt it and turned it off before anything was ruined. I hope the newer option is easy to install like this one. I am really enjoying modding my older consoles and making them better to play. Thanks for the videos!
culti Do you mean, does it work with the batteries on the outside? I’m not sure what you mean. You can type in your language and I can use Google translate if that’s easier.
@@esotericsean Also ich meine, bei dem standard GBC kann man ein Netzkabel anschließen und ihn einschalten ohne das Batterien oder Akkus in drin sein müssen. Geht das auch bei deinem mod? So I mean, with the standard GBC you can connect a power cord and switch it on without batteries or accumulators having to be in it. Is that also possible with your mod?
culti Ohh I see what you mean. No, this is just for charging the batteries. It will not power on if you plug it in and no batteries are in. You can use the built-in AC adapter (the one I removed in this video) and out the USB port next to it.
@esotericsean I have another question. How many hours do the fully charged Ikea batteries last with your mod? And you can get a working combination of your mod and the mod from this video: ruclips.net/video/A9rFYVzNFX4/видео.html do? In the video he only has one battery in it and it only lasts 2 hours 10 minutes.
4 года назад
Hi, I made this mod but the charging board doesn't seem to tell when the batteries are fully charged, How much time does it take for you?
Can you please tell me how long it took for your batteries to charge?
3 года назад
@@thepokerus4184 I never got the fully charge led to turn on with AA but I Know the led works because I could make it turn on with a cellphone battery. I did the mod on a GB Boy Colour, I do not recomend it.
Marcos Pivetta Yeah that should work, unless you’re connecting the wires inside the USB cable directly to a different sort of power source, USB should always output the correct voltage whether it’s plugged into a computer, AC adapter, etc.
So like your friend "Perth", i was able to get 13:20 hrs/mins wiht a 2000mah Lipo on GBC 04 model with GPU D. I had an IPS FP LCD at level 4 brightness (anything beyond 4 is annoyingly/unnecessary bright IMO) with Pokemon Yellow. on the other hand, with the same gameboy and same brightness using same LADDA 2450 batteries as you , i was previously able to get 10:45hrs/min with an Everdrive (clone) and with Pokemon Yellow about 14hrs. so maybe you are getting less because you are running higher brightness or max brightness? Great video, love it, keep it up.
Probably. I only ran the test with the IPS screen twice. But I'm pretty happy with even my outcome. If others are able to get longer, then that's amazing!
Hey Sean I love this video !!! Amazing mod!! Thank you it worked!! But I Wana do type c charge port. Any links on where I can purchase a type c connector similar to the usb charge port you have in this video. But type c with the plastic piece. If anyone knows where I can find this pls let me know.
I'm going to attempt this mod with a USB-C port instead of a micro USB port. I don't see any reason this wouldn't work. i got those green 2S boards you used here and a separate female USB-C port. if anyone sees this comment and thinks I'll bump into any issues or ideas about this, let me know side note: it looks like the blue boards with the pre-attached USB-C ports are specifically for LiPo batteries, where as the green 2S boards used in this video are specific for more standard NiMH batteries.
This is very risky and serves no purpose when you can have amazon basics rechargeable batteries that you take out and put in a charger. You can have multiple sets so you never have to wait to charge it. They can be up to 3200mah which is massive. This whole mod is costly and not even as effective as simply getting better batteries that you wont even need to replace for many many years. Not to sound mean in any way or even stop you, but remember theres a more effective and cost efficient method that requires no mods at all.
That’s a great way to do it too :) I like keeping one set of batteries per Game Boy and just charging the device. There are even newer options now that are safer and better, but of course if you prefer charging your batteries externally then that’s fine too
@@7GSC251 it can struggle if you’re using an IPS screen and a flashcart. But there are some new regulators like the one from Helder that support a wider range of voltages.
It's Nickel Metal HYDRIDE not halide... Oops
Can this mod be done using the original dc port instead of adding the usb thing. If so how ?
@@jason5456 Yep that would be pretty easy to do, actually! Just look at the Game Boy schematic and it will tell you where positive and negative is on the DC jack.
@@esotericsean That would be a cool mod video to watch. I prefer keeping as much of the original PCB hardware as I can. I've been holding off on these battery mods in the hopes of a solution like the CleanJuice with the GameBoy Advance.
@@sinceforever There are some new Lipo batteries in the shape of AAs, so I think that’s a possibility now!
What's the battery life like my man ❤🔥🔥🔥
Recharging the battery with a separate adapter seems like the route I would take.
Thanks for the thorough break down this is really helping me decide what mod are worthwhile!
Great stuff Sean, always a fan of the non-destructive mod route. Sometimes it's hard to find a solution/mod route that doesn't involve trimming the shell.
I really like that you went and found a new way that wasn't destructive to the original shell, always prefer keeping oem parts in tact whenever possible! I may do this if/when I go to mod my GBC down the road!
Very nice! This is definitely the way to go for a rechargeable battery mod.
Do you think it's possible to add a led that turns on and off when charging? Its there any space to ass a Qi receiver anywhere and maybe connect to the Charging Board?
The board has an led on it. So this is possible.
This is awesome man thanks!
Like this mod a lot. Doesn’t require shell cutting or tampering, which is great!
Thanks for the awesome videos. I have never enjoyed playing Gameboycolor more than I did after installing the Q5.
PLEASE show us how to use the dj jack to do this it is driving me crazy trying to figure it out and i don't want the gameboy blowing up if i mess up
This is awesome!!!! Great work!
I wonder if one could short the power light connectors, then use that light as a charging indicator. The OEM light is an LED, right? Then could one remove the Ext. port and replace with a USB C charging port? Could 28- or 30-gauge wire suffice for connections to the chip located elsewhere in the shell?
If don't wanna cut anything just put the battery outside...with a mod that can use back aa batteries without unsolding the battery mod...I use those mod those years and the USB I just keep inside battery box...maybe I will do some video what mod all my Gameboy used since all the battery size is different...
Interesting idea, make a video!
Do you have a diagram of how you would hook it up to the original DC jack to charge from there?
Have you made a video about re-routing the charging light?
My screen gets energy direct from the battery pin were you welded the recharge board into. It will affect the screen if I play while it's charging?
Where's the previous mod?
Would this also work on an original gamebot advance? Just by connecting the battery terminal to the nimh charging board to the micro usb port?
Would the same tutorial work for a Pocket, with some minor adjustments?
It certainly should in theory, though Pockets can be a bit finicky about precise voltages. It's highly recommended to also install a voltage regulator since the built-in DC converter is underpowered, especially when installing a backlit screen.
Hey Sean, who/where can i find the 3d printed bracket for the TP4056. My search terms on Thingiverse aren't pulling it up.
Also great vid. Thumbs up!
TheAfroman here you go! www.thingiverse.com/thing:3665467
@@esotericsean Awesome! Thingiverse's search is crap sometimes.. Gameboy and Game Boy cause different results. LOL. Appreciate it!
would you mind explaining what that black reflective bit on the top of a GBC is? looks like a solar panel almost haha
Do you mean the IR (infrared) port? It's a feature of the Game Boy Color that allowed two Game Boys to "link" to each other wirelessly by transmitting and receiving infrared signals/data. It wasn't used in very many games.
@@esotericsean sorry, didnt grow up with GBC and am new to the modding scene. thanks for the reply and the great video!
Graham Baker It’s okay! I can only think of one single time I ever even used it as a kid. 😆
Can you play and charge simultaneously?
Hey Sean really love the videos, just quick question will this work on DMG ?
Yes it does. @collectingthingsilike
@@suicide19915 modded exactly the same way? Directly to the terminals? Man, this might be the best battery mod out now. I currently use Bonzai AA rechargeable batteries because the have a 2400mah rating and seemingly last forever. If this can still charge through while plugged in this si the only battery mod I'm doing going forward. I wonder if the Battery HUD on the IPS v4 screens would show battery correctly. Another question, what would happen if someone had it plugged in but it had Alkaline AA batteries in the GB? I think this could be a problem if it was dangerous in that scenario.
@@MikeLoverly i would not suggest using it while it's charging... But yes, it works the same way.
Nice video!! What wires did you use? What gauge they are?
Nothing to do with batteries but I have a Color that has non responsive A and B buttons. All other buttons work and the board is clean with no visible damage or corrosion. Did not see any broken traces. And ideas?
Earl Spencer Hmm do you have a multimeter? Could check to make sure there is proper continuity. Maybe try cleaning the contacts of the membrane? You can rub it on a piece of paper, that often helps.
@@esotericsean no continuity. Used metal forceps to short the pads to ground. This works on the other buttons but not on the a and b buttons. Checked schematics but it seems buttons go straight to RAM chip. Thinking maybe trace on the inside of the board is bad. Would use jumper wire but not sure where the connection goes.
@@earlspencer7863 Here's a little diagram showing the test pads of each button: i.imgur.com/hUdUCOy.jpg Maybe you can solder something to those. What a strange issue...
That may be helpful thanks will give it a shot
I want to use usb-c and it comes in 20v, 9v, 12v, and 15v. Which should I use for this?
What’s the difference between the blue board(used last video)that had the micro usb on the board and the green board used in this video ?
They're similar, but the TP4056 (the blue board) is designed for Li-Po batteries and this new one is designed for NiMH. They output the correct amount of current to charge each type of battery correctly and for the correct amount of time so they don't overheat. Although both of them do get pretty hot.
esotericsean thanks for that ! I was thinking about doing this mod but I only have the blue board.
This set up is way cleaner. Keep up the great content!
On a side note what’s a good soldering temperature?
Great video Sean, and fine mod!
Thanks!
Can I do this to my OG gameboy? I don't have the color version.
Can this be done with usb c instead of micro
So, just a thought experiment
If I never wanted to charge the batteries inside, would I even need to connect a charging port?
Or could I just add the board and always charge batteries seperate?
If you want to charge your batteries separately, you can just use the batteries instead of AAs, no need to install any sort of charging board or port. No modding required. :)
@@esotericsean
Really? What am I doing wrong then?
Because I've not once had rechargeable batteries that worked with any GB.
Or they were "empty" after the first minutes, meaning they worked fine everywhere else but my GB.
And my first one was a DMG.
I tried my 2400 mA rechargeables in my GBC just the other day, and it wouldn't even turn on,but they def were fully charged.
So I thought that this would be the solution for the problem (, I don't understand)
🤣🤣
@@faselwesen NiMH rechargeable AA batteries are slightly lower voltage than normal AA batteries, so some Game Boys might struggle a bit with them. I guess my only suggestions might be to replace the capacitors on your GBC motherboard or try high quality rechargeables.
@@faselwesen For what it's worth, I've been using Eneloop Pro rechargeables in my unmodded GBCs with great results!
You could use Kapton tape as it is heat resistant
Can you though? Only asking because he didn't mention it. I got my kapton tape from Amazon and I have a custom painted shell and wouldn't want the shell or paint job to get damaged by the board getting heated/overheated.
You think this could work with a Gameboy pocket? I kind of already bought the stuff to do the lipo mod with my Gameboy color XD.
It should work! Though, I've heard a couple people say that NiMHs might be a little bit underpowered for Pockets, especially when running a flash cart with a high power draw IPS or TFT screen. But YMMV.
Would AA Li-ion batteries work with the Little Type C Charging board? Curious if I could use that board and charge Li-Ion AA batteries I already have. Would be amazing if so
This board will work with NiMH and LiPo, but I don’t think it will work with Li-ion. I’m not fully certain though. If you search for Li-ion charging boards you’ll find some though! And they should work with USB-C no problem. I have a new video in the works about all this. Soon soon, hopefully.
@@esotericsean The TP 4056 Type C board should work ? Couldn't think of the model, but it's what I have. If it worked I would just wire up the Out to the battery Terminals on the board and keep the terminals on the board for the AA to charge the GBC, then it would charge the AAs when plugged in?
@@cubes6351 I think that should work! Might want to check with others on the Game Boy Discord server though
@@esotericsean Thanks will do, I believe I found an oversight, but the TP4056 on works with 1 cell(Doh!) I am searching for a series 2Cell way of working. This video might be the best way to go, and switch over to NiMH, or LiPo batteries. Or just mod my GBC and upcoming GBC mod
@@cubes6351 check out the McWill kit: www.retromodding.com/products/mcwills-game-boy-color-usb-charging-kit
This one is designed for 14500 li-ion batteries
Hey, I just installed an IPS mod for my GBC and I’m not able to use it with my flash card any more. I know that it’s a battery issue. I’m using energizer 1.2 v 1300 mah batteries. I can’t do any mods that require soldering, so is there a set of rechargeable batteries that you recommend?
I know this video is over a year old... but has anyone tried this with a DMG model? About to mod mine to hell and back, and would love to add USB C charging to it as well, I use those nice Panasonic Ni-MH batteries, and being able to recharge them with the system itself would be cool.
Yep this mod should work perfectly with DMG, there’s plenty of room in there too. I guess the only difference is that there are 4 batteries. But I think it’s two sets of batteries in series (I’m not 100% sure though, I’ll have to check).
@@esotericsean checking my GB now, it seems all 4 are in series
my main concern was the charger boards I found seem to support 1-3, I found some others that can do 4-5 but not sure which to get yet, might have to get the more expensive ones that support 4+
@@Cyrus_Nagisa I think you would need the same ones that support two batteries. You could either use 2 boards for each set of batteries or connect them all to one board. Might make charging longer that way, though. Might have to do some experimentation. Maybe I’ll give it a go soon too :)
@@esotericsean yeah, you are right, might just have to try it and see, thanks for the info, help a lot. ^.^
Would a type c connector work just the same? Awesome videos by the way.
AnhĐen Yep! The pin out is a bit different, but I plan on making a video about USB-C soon.
Sweet!!! Looking forward to it man 🤟
Just a warning. Considering this mod allow to use alkaline or other type of non reachargeable batteries even with the charging board installed if the user so desire, people should be alert not to forget you put in non rechargeable batteries and
inadvertently connect the charging supply. I don't know what kind of monitoring and protection that charging board has, but it is never good to charge non rechargeable batteries.
Gabriel Daniel Very good point! Maybe I should test that and see what happens so others can see that it’s dangerous.
I love that light green Pokémon
How about for usb-c?
This is a mini Game changer, Sean. Is there a configuration that would work with four batteries in a DMG build? They might have to run in parallel because four batteries running in series would be too high a voltage? Im assuming NIMH size rechargeable exist in a 3.7 volt flavour like the Lipo and standard batteries we already use in gameboy builds ?
Yesterday's Tech Haven’t really done much modding with DMGs, are the batteries all in series? What’s the main voltage from the batteries? There’s also a McWill lithium charging board (see Macho Nacho’s video in this video’s description). The NiMH charging boards do come in different configurations (designed for single, double, and triple cell versions).
esotericsean Neither have I and am also unsure. I’m just starting to looking into options for a current DMG build so I will let you know what I find 😃
Just measure the output to find out
Hey my dude ...great video. Question. I wanna keep the original power port kn the gameboy. can i use a 5v charger that fits into the oem port instead of installing a microusb? And last question i can only find 1.2v AA Rechargeable nimhs that will work?
i know this comment is over a year ago, but since you got no reply. No you cant use a 5v charger, some people have stated that the gameboy will light up and then shut down. Something to do with the built in dc converter. However, you can buy gameboy color AC chargers on ebay and use them with the dc port to power your gameboy and charge your batteries if you wire the battery termials to the dc port. Also, you can use NiZn batteries in place of NIMH ones if you want more power for your gameboy.
A little late, but these are suppose to be 1a charge rate, I also have ladda 2450. How long does it actually take to fully charge them? Have you notice or time it? Thanks
Do you know how I can make a Gameboy case ? Which materials I need?
What kind of case?
@@esotericsean what plastic, resin, and mold Nintendo used to make the cases of their gameboy color handhelds?
@@acontecerdigital9411 Ah, they use ABS plastic in an injection mold. It's basically a big block of metal (like aluminum) that's been CNC machined to create a negative copy of the shell. Then they use a machine that melts plastic and injects it into the mold. It's an expensive and complex process. If you want to make a silicone mold of one, that would be a very complex mold, but is probably possible. Take a look at roarkesretrocorner on Instagram.
Hey
Great job and it really helped me with my project to put an usb type c connector to my gbc. But having some issues.. I've tested on two different game boy and when I turn them on.. They work fine when all sorted out just after soldering.. But when I build it back and wanna test it.. It doesnt work.. (not turning on.. Nothing on screen.. Usb c works fine though..) did I burned something down? Too much power through usb c?
I just found your channel! Holy shit! Subscribing! Very informative!!! Thank you!!
brickwester Glad to have you! :)
Didn't thought it works so well with only 2,4 volts
Was doing this mod last night, was trying a different placement for the nimh board. Worked till I connected the screen. Tried my best to eliminate shorts, you think I could've blown the fuses since it won't power on?
Very possible! You can try bridging the fuses with something like a pair of tweezers to see if it turns on.
After removing the original power jack to make room for the USB c do you have to bridge any of those ports? I do have continuity on the fuses actually (checked your vid for that as well).
@@dunewwwyzzerdd3551 yep you need to bridge pins 2 and 3
@@esotericsean everything's working flawlessly now, thanks!
Do you happen to know if the same process would work for the gameboy pocket? Saw a different board be used with the addition of a resistor.
Thanks again for any and all help!
One question, with what voltage do you power the gameboy color and with how much do you charge them, with 5 or 3 volts?
Game Boys can take a range of voltages and still work. These boards output more than 3V, but even brand new normal AA batteries are about 1.6V each, so that's more than 3V as well. These boards should be charged with a normal USB cable at 5V.
Why did you used a different charging module? Is the Tp4056 not compatible?
The TP4056 is designed for LiPo batteries, it has the correct amperage for those. This new board is designed for NiMHs. They *might* work to charge different types of batteries, but it’s not a good idea as LiPos are pretty volatile and can explode. I think NiMHs are safer but if you want them to last a long time, you want to charge them with the recommended amount of electricity.
@@esotericsean Thanks!
Can I add a usb type c instead?
Will the green board recharge lithium AA batteries?
It's not designed for it, but if you check out @machonachoproduction's video, there's a board that works for those! ruclips.net/video/A9rFYVzNFX4/видео.html
Would this mod work if someone plugged it into any USB C cable, even if it didn't take advantage of the fast-charge capabilities? (like the Pixel charger, or another USB C PD charger)
It would, I believe the board limits max amps; so fast charging isn’t possible.
It’s basically the same but you would be soldering four wires to the c usb connector instead of two wires. Two for power and two for ground.
Does anyone know if the light is supposed to turn off when it's done charging??
@esotericsean let me know bro
Whats the size of the wire and where do you buy it?
Christian De La Rosa I typically use 30 gauge Kynar wire. You can get it from electronics stores, eBay, Amazon etc.
Really dumb question but would this mod work if it were used while the gbc is turned on or does the gbc need to be powered off for the batteries to charge?
Not a dumb question! It will work while it’s charging but these boards get very hot so it’s not recommended to do so.
@@esotericsean ah, alright, thanks!
Maybe this is a dumb question, but does the board you used in the old mod not work with these types of batteries?
It does not! The TP4056 is only for LiPo. But this new board works with both LiPo and NiMH.
@@esotericsean oh ok thanks! I was all ready to do the old mod and now that the new case arrived, I can’t bring myself to cut into the battery compartment 😅
Great video! I actually did the LiPo mod on my GBC, but I blew out the fuses on the board. Did you face any similar issues with yours?
I've heard of this happening before. I haven't experienced it myself, but it could be other components on the motherboard being old and not being able to handle 3.7v. I would recap it, replace the fuses, and check voltages at the power switch and DC-DC converter. This NiMH mod should be safer since the output voltage is lower.
@@esotericsean I replaced my fuses but also included a diode in the mod to lower the output of the LiPo. It works great now. Just curious to see if you faced the issue as well
@@ToxelThrash Ah, nice idea. I've seen boxypixel add a diode to his, so that seems to be a good solution.
Do you know if you can charge the Nimh batteries with the usb-c board?
Small Idaho Yeah they sell USB-C connectors on eBay and AliExpress. Search for USB-C Female Connector Board
@@esotericsean The problem is I don't know where to solder the wires
nevermind, I found the perfect one in ali express which has a breakout so it's besically the same as the micro usb
@@edgarang Could you link it please. I also would like to use USB C and dont know where to solder.
@@lewisfreeman5353 wait a moment!
Hi Sean! Thanks for the informative and easy to follow video.
I finished the mod yesterday, but have been having an issue pop up. It works - temporarily! The LED will light up and the board will charge the batteries for about 20 minutes before the LED turns off and it stops charging. I tested it overnight and woke up to some batteries that were still pretty drained! Did some testing and discovered the 20 minute thing. If I unplug it and plug it back in, it starts up again. Do you have any ideas about what could be going wrong?
I'm using Eneloop Pros instead of Ikea LADDA batteries like you are, but that's the only difference I can think of.
Hmm are you able to test the voltage coming out of the charging board to the batteries? It could be a faulty board. I doubt it’s the batteries themselves unless they’re old. Might be faulty or might be overheating. Does the same thing happen with different batteries?
@@esotericsean I'll test it with a new board and some different batteries and get back to you! It does get pretty hot.
@@esotericsean Alright, I've tried a few things now:
- New board, same batteries: No difference
- New board, new wires, same batteries: No difference
- New board, wires, and batteries ( I switched to some LADDAs) - the charging light now comes on for 50-60minutes at a time, and does seem to be charging the batteries. But after that period of time, the charging light switches off and the board cools down. If i unplug/plug back in, it'll start up again, same with if I power the GBC itself on/off again. It's better, but I'm still curious as to what could be making it shut off like that. Any input you have would be awesome!
Would you recommend 1.5V batteries? Since AA are 1.5V too afaik or does 1.2V suffice?
I havent had issues with my 1.2v
What’s the need for this mod?My Rechargable batteries last forever in the gameboy color even with modded screen.
Allows you to charge them inside the Game Boy. So it has some added convenience.
I’m experiencing an issue with my GBC and rechargeable AA batteries: I’ve tried to use different brands with different mAh values but the GBC doesn’t turn on, while it works just fine with standard, non-rechargeable, AA batteries. Have you faced this issue, that is clearly not present with the LADDA batteries you are using?
Yeah this can happen because NiMHs are lower voltage (LADDAs are 1.38v at max capacity versus normal AA batteries 1.67v). When you’re using a screen and cartridge that draws a lot of power sometimes the NiMHs can be underpowered, especially if your motherboard has issues. But I bet if you replace your caps it may help. Also check the output voltage of your DC-DC converter.
Use eneloop pro batteries, they are great
Lancelot V thanks for the suggestion! :)
@@99897767 Ikea LADDA Battery are actually made from the same factory as Eneloop, like the Amazon basics. It's maybe batteries that doesn't pass the quality check and are not 2550mAh like the Panasonic ones, but for the price, they seems to worth it.
@@tawyyy the eneloop pro are made in Japan and can output a higher current
"I like having my wires somewhat neat"...leaves a circuit board loose inside the shell.
Haha 😂
Very cool. I can only find the Charging board in lots of 10 though. lol I want 1 not 10. :D
Haha yeah that’s the trouble with a lot of electronics
You can still play it while its charging right?
No you really shouldn’t. It does “work” but it can overheat if you do that. Working on an updated solution :)
@@esotericsean I can't wait to see it. I want to make the Ultimate gameboy Color.
Can I do this mod with USB-C? What would that look like?
Definitely! It's the exact same process. I recommend these: oshpark.com/shared_projects/7znz2lFT
hi does this still charge while using the gameboy??
No, it gets too hot for that and isn’t safe. But there are some newer options I might make a video about soon. :)
@@esotericsean ohh nice nice. will wait for that
@@esotericsean i just finished this mod today and just found this out. luckily I felt it and turned it off before anything was ruined. I hope the newer option is easy to install like this one. I am really enjoying modding my older consoles and making them better to play. Thanks for the videos!
hey, english is not my main language
does it also work without the batteries inside?❤
thanks for answere
culti Do you mean, does it work with the batteries on the outside? I’m not sure what you mean. You can type in your language and I can use Google translate if that’s easier.
@@esotericsean Also ich meine, bei dem standard GBC kann man ein Netzkabel anschließen und ihn einschalten ohne das Batterien oder Akkus in drin sein müssen. Geht das auch bei deinem mod?
So I mean, with the standard GBC you can connect a power cord and switch it on without batteries or accumulators having to be in it. Is that also possible with your mod?
culti Ohh I see what you mean. No, this is just for charging the batteries. It will not power on if you plug it in and no batteries are in. You can use the built-in AC adapter (the one I removed in this video) and out the USB port next to it.
@@esotericsean thank you very much for the answers. you helped me a lot ❤
@esotericsean I have another question. How many hours do the fully charged Ikea batteries last with your mod? And you can get a working combination of your mod and the mod from this video: ruclips.net/video/A9rFYVzNFX4/видео.html
do? In the video he only has one battery in it and it only lasts 2 hours 10 minutes.
Hi, I made this mod but the charging board doesn't seem to tell when the batteries are fully charged, How much time does it take for you?
Can you please tell me how long it took for your batteries to charge?
@@thepokerus4184 I never got the fully charge led to turn on with AA but I Know the led works because I could make it turn on with a cellphone battery. I did the mod on a GB Boy Colour, I do not recomend it.
@ thank you for your reply :)
Great video! You should do a gameboy color wireless battery charging mod
Really want to try that sometime :)
can u do this on gba?
Definitely! There are easy to install kits for GBA now too.
What type of charger are you using? Can you use a regular cellphone charger?
Marcos Pivetta Yeah that should work, unless you’re connecting the wires inside the USB cable directly to a different sort of power source, USB should always output the correct voltage whether it’s plugged into a computer, AC adapter, etc.
How Sean connected the micro USB port, at 14:42 of ruclips.net/video/tGUx15ZgTeQ/видео.html
Are you having trouble connecting it?
esotericsean no trouble, just wanted to remind myself a month in the future (or whenever the parts arrive) when I'm going to try this mod myself 😅
NHL VAN ohh haha
Can you give me an gameboy with the gameboy charger?
I was wondering for the charge light, cant you removed the led from the board and wire it up to the gameboys led?
Also can this be done with gba?
There are pre-done gba kits, I would recommend one of those
@@khoshekhthecat links?
So like your friend "Perth", i was able to get 13:20 hrs/mins wiht a 2000mah Lipo on GBC 04 model with GPU D. I had an IPS FP LCD at level 4 brightness (anything beyond 4 is annoyingly/unnecessary bright IMO) with Pokemon Yellow.
on the other hand, with the same gameboy and same brightness using same LADDA 2450 batteries as you , i was previously able to get 10:45hrs/min with an Everdrive (clone) and with Pokemon Yellow about 14hrs.
so maybe you are getting less because you are running higher brightness or max brightness?
Great video, love it, keep it up.
Probably. I only ran the test with the IPS screen twice. But I'm pretty happy with even my outcome. If others are able to get longer, then that's amazing!
The hardest part about this seems to be getting a Gameboy xD
Haha they're getting expensive nowadays...
Hey Sean I love this video !!! Amazing mod!! Thank you it worked!! But I Wana do type c charge port. Any links on where I can purchase a type c connector similar to the usb charge port you have in this video. But type c with the plastic piece. If anyone knows where I can find this pls let me know.
www.amazon.com/dp/B00VJ944V2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
A little late, but that's what I used. Works great
@@Dwhayworth thank you so much that's so helpful. Did you just connect the v for positive and grd for negative?
@@robert_wolf6989 that's exactly right, for just power you don't need anything else.
@@Dwhayworth amazing thank you!
@@Dwhayworth Hey do you know if I can use the same board as in the video, or does the type of usb connector not matter?
hi i was wondering what kind of wire you use
Luis Flores I use 30 gauge Kynar wire. I always prefer solid core wire like that, but some people prefer stranded.
thanks i have a gameboy color really sentimental to me and this video game me a lot of hope ro restore it
Very nice video. Thanks for the advices. Now there is mine: please eat more carbs!
I'm going to attempt this mod with a USB-C port instead of a micro USB port. I don't see any reason this wouldn't work. i got those green 2S boards you used here and a separate female USB-C port.
if anyone sees this comment and thinks I'll bump into any issues or ideas about this, let me know
side note: it looks like the blue boards with the pre-attached USB-C ports are specifically for LiPo batteries, where as the green 2S boards used in this video are specific for more standard NiMH batteries.
When you set yours up please let me know how long it takes to fully charge batteries please.
This is very risky and serves no purpose when you can have amazon basics rechargeable batteries that you take out and put in a charger. You can have multiple sets so you never have to wait to charge it.
They can be up to 3200mah which is massive.
This whole mod is costly and not even as effective as simply getting better batteries that you wont even need to replace for many many years.
Not to sound mean in any way or even stop you, but remember theres a more effective and cost efficient method that requires no mods at all.
That’s a great way to do it too :) I like keeping one set of batteries per Game Boy and just charging the device. There are even newer options now that are safer and better, but of course if you prefer charging your batteries externally then that’s fine too
@@esotericsean the 1.2 volts stack to 2.4 and everyone says the gameboy color needs 3 but i havent had any issues running 2.4
@@7GSC251 it can struggle if you’re using an IPS screen and a flashcart. But there are some new regulators like the one from Helder that support a wider range of voltages.
do it for a GBA !!
Mines better
speak up man
I try 😅
@@esotericsean I know you can do it
FIRST