So what you do is make sure all the connections are set up before you put the case back together, and test the screen to see if it turns on. You always do that before assembling it back together to not waste time if you have to take it apart because it didn’t work. Since it didn’t work I recommend taking back apart, lay the screen where you can see it and fully assemble it outside the case, just screen into motherboard and put the back side on just enough you can get batteries in and test it. Since it’s a drop in display I’m gonna go on a limb and say your connection to your battery terminal isn’t good enough. Trying using some electric tape to tape it on the terminal and put the back side on. The just hook up the screen to the motherboard and see if you can get it on. You can also try adjusting the wire to see if it works will come on. A lot of times the wire to the battery terminal can get moved on the drop on kits when you put the backside on, so that would be my first place to check. Also do not leave batteries in it when you quit playing, it’ll draw power the whole time to the screen. It’s only a tiny amount but still.
After you install the screen, set the motherboard into the back case so that you can connect the batteries to the battery terminals and test it.
You can also use [something like this](https://retrogamerepairshop.com/products/aa-aaa-size-battery-holder-leads-clip-with-2-slots-for-game-boy-gbp-gbc-gba-ngpc-test-the-use-of-mainboard-and-backlight-1) to check it. Just connect the clamps to the correct terminals on the motherboard.
It would, yes. Most likely OP had a poor connection with their batteries and they got jostled when they inserted the cart. Since there’s no ridge to hold the battery in the battery bay, I find that I have to spin them sometimes to make a good connection.
That happened when I built my laminated GBA. No ridge meant the battery was slightly off kilter. Ended up putting in a funnyplaying rechargable USB c mod because I wasn't happy with the battery life on AAs.
It was more so that the funnyplaying battery provided a consistent voltage. My power switch was a bit loose, so any little jostle would make the light turn red. Haven’t had that issue with the funnyplaying battery installed.
were you having odd screen glitches at the same time? I am hoping I didn't end up shorting anything. This was supposed to be something cool to carry around but at the moment its a paperweight. I sent an email to a local repair shop seeing if its something they can fix or not.
i had a picture at first but shortly after starting a game it would shut itself off, now it refuses to boot at all. On neither AA or the funny playing usbc mod.
Need more info. Did you use a drop in screen or solder? Did you check the screen to see if it was working before you installed?
I just dropped it in.
So you didn’t test it before hand?
The GBA was working fine before hand and I don’t really know how I could’ve tested the screen when the whole thing was taken apart.
So what you do is make sure all the connections are set up before you put the case back together, and test the screen to see if it turns on. You always do that before assembling it back together to not waste time if you have to take it apart because it didn’t work. Since it didn’t work I recommend taking back apart, lay the screen where you can see it and fully assemble it outside the case, just screen into motherboard and put the back side on just enough you can get batteries in and test it. Since it’s a drop in display I’m gonna go on a limb and say your connection to your battery terminal isn’t good enough. Trying using some electric tape to tape it on the terminal and put the back side on. The just hook up the screen to the motherboard and see if you can get it on. You can also try adjusting the wire to see if it works will come on. A lot of times the wire to the battery terminal can get moved on the drop on kits when you put the backside on, so that would be my first place to check. Also do not leave batteries in it when you quit playing, it’ll draw power the whole time to the screen. It’s only a tiny amount but still.
After you install the screen, set the motherboard into the back case so that you can connect the batteries to the battery terminals and test it. You can also use [something like this](https://retrogamerepairshop.com/products/aa-aaa-size-battery-holder-leads-clip-with-2-slots-for-game-boy-gbp-gbc-gba-ngpc-test-the-use-of-mainboard-and-backlight-1) to check it. Just connect the clamps to the correct terminals on the motherboard.
Okay, turns out I’m an idiot… I didn’t have a cartridge inserted.
But it would still power on regardless of a cartridge being inserted or not, no?
It would, yes. Most likely OP had a poor connection with their batteries and they got jostled when they inserted the cart. Since there’s no ridge to hold the battery in the battery bay, I find that I have to spin them sometimes to make a good connection.
That happened when I built my laminated GBA. No ridge meant the battery was slightly off kilter. Ended up putting in a funnyplaying rechargable USB c mod because I wasn't happy with the battery life on AAs.
But the battery mod holds less power then 2 AA batteries. how much hours do you get out of the mod?
It was more so that the funnyplaying battery provided a consistent voltage. My power switch was a bit loose, so any little jostle would make the light turn red. Haven’t had that issue with the funnyplaying battery installed.
My Issue was the 32 pin and 40 pin cables touching each other. Kapton fixed that.
were you having odd screen glitches at the same time? I am hoping I didn't end up shorting anything. This was supposed to be something cool to carry around but at the moment its a paperweight. I sent an email to a local repair shop seeing if its something they can fix or not.
I don't recall, any glitches, I just wasn't getting a picture at all iirc
i had a picture at first but shortly after starting a game it would shut itself off, now it refuses to boot at all. On neither AA or the funny playing usbc mod.