Game Cart Contact Cleaning Guide - Atari Sega Famicom NES

[Soldier Blue]

I hope someone can answer this question. I have some NES games that won't work because they seem to be missing the bottom part of the contacts that lead to the end of the PCB. I'm wondering what is the best and cheapest way to go about fixing the pins? Adding a bit of solder to them? Here are the pics..

[Ziggy]

^ I would guess that isn't an official NES cart. At least, I've never seen pins like that on an official NES cart. The bottom part of the pins isn't missing, it was just never there.

Either way, the short pins shouldn't be a problem. You can see where the cart slot is biting. In the second pic on the left side, you can see that it's biting up high where the fat part of the pin is. So the problem isn't that the pins are too short.

Maybe it's just the way the pic looks, but those pins look like copper, like the gold plating was removed. I also see what looks like brush marks. Did you (or someone else) remove the gold plating?

Copper will tarnish/oxidize/rust which is why the pins are coated. The gold plating wont corrode like copper, and still conducts very well.

If the copper is exposed, unless you have some method of re-plating them, you're gonna have to tin them with solder to keep them from corroding.

[Soldier Blue]

The one on the bottom is Donkey Kong Classics and I'm pretty sure it is an actual Cart. These came from a person who used a NES clone system, so maybe the contacts eventually ripped off because of the iron grip those consoles often have?

I do have another cart that looks like these and it seems it plays sometimes but not always. These two don't play at all though. Trying the pictures with my flash off this time.











Well, worst case screnario, maybe someone here needs a label replacement, because this one sure is minty.

[Soldier Blue]

So something amazing happened. I tried it on a NES Clone system I had lying around and it actually worked! Although I swear I already tested on my own clone I've owned awhile and it didn't work.It could be the game is just finicky

In the other clone system that came with the game it just flat out wasn't working properly at all. I'll probably have to clean the slot out on that system. It was giving me garbled text on some of the games I tried.

You were spot on about it gipping high on the pins!

[Ziggy]

With the flash, that sure looked like copper and not gold!

Yeah, sounds like it's just a dirty cart slot and/or cart pins.

[Soldier Blue]

Has anyone tried the NES cleaning Paste sold by videogamessource ? I'm been looking for a good connector cleaner with not too many harsh chemicals in it and one that won't take away the gold plating.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NES-Cleaning-pa ... 27b4c294b0

[Cronozilla]

I've really found as long as your pin connector is clean and aligned, non-abused, normal wear and tear, carts play just fine with some alcohol to clean them off.

If the pin connector is a really large issue, I'd recommend looking into the BlinkingLightWin which is officially available. It solves all the connector issues.

[CRTGAMER]

I hope someone can answer this question. I have some NES games that won't work because they seem to be missing the bottom part of the contacts that lead to the end of the PCB.

Either way, the short pins shouldn't be a problem. You can see where the cart slot is biting. In the second pic on the left side, you can see that it's biting up high where the fat part of the pin is. So the problem isn't that the pins are too short.

That is interesting, never noticed that in a cart. The original NES cart have just slight notches which help to identify early carts with a Famicolm adapter. The long pins pictured above as mentioned appear to be a boot leg or 3rd party cart.

Has anyone tried the NES cleaning Paste sold by videogamessource ? I'm been looking for a good connector cleaner with not too many harsh chemicals in it and one that won't take away the gold plating.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NES-Cleaning-pa ... 27b4c294b0

No idea what that cleaner is, never heard of dedicated "NES Cleaner" paste. I suspect the it is a kit put together from cleaners that they had success on. A risk the paste might have grit to "sandpaper" clean a contact and maybe removing the gold plating. I imagine there will be some residue chemical left behind, follow up with alcohol. Definitely remove the PCB from the cart case to get all chemical removed.

The easiest method is just a pencil eraser, pull the PCB from the cart housing. No chemicals and very quick and easy.

Resort to heavier chemicals listed in the OP, only if the contacts are in bad shape.

[Soldier Blue]

Okay so a little update. I can say for certain that it is the game that is being weird because of the missing pins near the bottom (although it works sometimes?). I have a few games with this issue and they all have a loose connection to my clone systems, while all of my other games work perfectly. The clone consoles have a IRON GRIP on the ones that work. The new NES Clone system that came with the broken game works perfect.

Now whether they all piarate carts I can't say for certain, but it is definitely the openings on the gold plating on the bottom of the pcbs that is causing them to not work. If you ever see any carts like this..DO NOT BUY.

Now if someone will let me in on some secret on how to re-plate them for cheap, I'd be much oblidged

[Ziggy]

Has anyone tried the NES cleaning Paste sold by videogamessource ? I'm been looking for a good connector cleaner with not too many harsh chemicals in it and one that won't take away the gold plating.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NES-Cleaning-pa ... 27b4c294b0

Never used it, never will.

Just use isopropyl alcohol or electrical contact cleaner. That's all you should ever be using to clean carts and slots.

The ONLY time you'd want to use a more aggressive method is when the pins are pitted, heavily corroded, etc.

If the pin connector is a really large issue, I'd recommend looking into the BlinkingLightWin which is officially available. It solves all the connector issues.

I've never heard of that, but it looks awesome! So it's a replacement pin connector that pretty much turns the toaster into a top loader (or side loader, but same principle since you don't have to push down). Nice. I wanna try one out.

Now if someone will let me in on some secret on how to re-plate them for cheap, I'd be much oblidged

They don't have to be replated.