Switch OLED fell in bathtub - completely dead. Ultrasonic cleaning, component-level repair, and NAND chip preservation recovered device and saved all game saves including 300+ hours Animal Crossing island.
Before & After Results
Switch OLED completely dead after bathtub submersion
Heavy corrosion on charging IC and power management chips
Zero signs of life - no LED, no charging indication, nothing
300+ hours of Animal Crossing island at risk (not cloud backed up)
Nintendo quoted RM 1,299 for replacement (loses all local saves)
Motherboard restored via ultrasonic cleaning + micro-soldering
Replaced corroded M92T36 and BQ24193 ICs
NAND chip preserved - ALL game saves intact
Switch charges, docks, and plays perfectly
Animal Crossing island recovered - customer emotional reunion
Step-by-Step Timeline
Customer brought Switch in towel still damp. Immediately opened device to prevent further corrosion. Found heavy green oxidation on M92T36 charge IC, fuel gauge IC, and surrounding components. Photographed damage.
Removed Joy-Con rails, battery, game card reader, cooling fan, and shield plates. Protected critical components: NAND flash storage (contains all game saves), WiFi/Bluetooth module, eMMC. Isolated motherboard.
Submerged motherboard in ultrasonic cleaner with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Ran 15-minute cycles, changed solution after each pass. Required 4 passes total to remove all mineral deposits and corrosion residue.
Under microscope at 50x, identified failed components: M92T36 charge IC (corroded beyond repair), BQ24193 fuel gauge IC (oxidized pins), and damaged power rail trace near F1 fuse area.
This IC controls USB-C charging and power delivery. Removed corroded chip with hot air at 350°C. Cleaned pads with solder wick. Micro-soldered new M92T36 chip using low-temp solder paste and precision placement.
Fuel gauge IC monitors battery charge level and prevents overcharging. Replaced corroded chip following same procedure. Critical for battery safety - corrupted fuel gauge can cause battery fires.
Found broken trace in 5V power rail near F1 fuse. Used 38AWG magnet wire to bridge the break. Applied UV-cure solder mask for insulation. This rail feeds entire motherboard - critical repair.
Connected power supply in current-limited mode. Switch drew 0.08A (normal standby). Connected screen - Nintendo logo appeared! NAND chip survived - all data intact. Customer's Animal Crossing island safe!
Tested all functions: Joy-Con connection (working), WiFi (working), Bluetooth (working), speakers (working), USB-C charging (working at 18W), docking (working). Reassembled Switch with new thermal paste.
Booted Animal Crossing. Customer's 300+ hour island loaded perfectly. Walked through island with customer via video call - they cried tears of joy seeing their preserved island. Priceless moment.
Nintendo Switch Repair Specialist
"Every repair I complete is done with the same care and precision I'd want for my own device. Your trust is my responsibility."
— Michelle Wong
Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
"I dropped my Switch OLED in the bathtub while watching YouTube. It died instantly. I had over 300 hours on my Animal Crossing island with custom designs and rare villagers - not backed up to Nintendo Online. Michelle recovered my Switch AND all my game saves! When I saw my island again I literally cried. She's a miracle worker. Worth every sen of RM 899."
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