Genesis 2 won't power on

Hello, I have Genesis 2 va1.0 that won't power on. I put a power jack, power switch and reset button on it from another va1 that will power on, nothing. I put on a new 7805 and 31 friggin new caps on it from console5, nothing. It reads 9.6v from the jack, but when I turn the switch on, everything up to the voltage regulator all of sudden only get 3.5v. Any suggestions? Trash can?

 

I'm assuming you mean 3.5v coming out of the regulator... Sounds like the board has a (partial?) short somewhere. See any corrosion on the board? Such corrosion could be acting as a resistor between voltage and ground, and thus dropping the vcc.

I don't personally spend too much time troubleshooting Genesis 2 boards...they're not worth enough to justify the time for me. I do keep them in storage for the future should prices rise.

 

Thanks, I didn't see any corrosion. 3.5v going into the regulator, 0 coming out

 

Hmm...now that sounds more like a bad power adapter. You try the power adapter on another console?

 

Adaptor is ok, I think you're right that there is a short somewhere. A bad something else maybe. You're also right that they aren't worth fixing right now to sell. I got a lot of 4 for cheap and I was hoping to get them all going and resell. I really just wanted to sell 3 and net a free Genesis. Not going so well!

 

I think I found the problem. I'm getting continuity between the ground and out on the 7805. The solder is not touching, what could cause that?

 

...anything conductive between any 5v and ground. 5v and ground go to pretty much everything. Expand your hunt for the short to include the whole board. I've had shorts like this around the controller ports, but it could be anywhere.

 

I found it! What a piece of ****! It was this: Thanks so much tristate294. Your comments kept me motivated. I just tested everything like you said. That was making me crazy. I know this forum isn't exactly for this, but thanks anyway! Want to buy a Genesis?

 

So you replaced the crystal and it started working? Or was there corrosion around the crystal that caused the short? I've never seen a "bad" crystal cause a VCC short before.

 

There was continuity on two pins of the oscillator and it was causing continuity between ground spots and caps all over the board. I know nothing about them. But I switched it out and it fired right up with the correct voltage.

 

Aren't you proud of me? Where can find a new 53.693mhz oscillator?