How to Determine When a Nintendo DS Lite Battery Needs to be Replaced

To determine when a Nintendo DS Lite battery needs to be replaced, all you need is the game system and a watch. There are two reasons that the battery will need to be replaced-normal wear and tear on the battery or exposure to liquids or moisture.

Things You'll Need

• Nintendo DS Lite

Instructions

Normal Wear and Tear

1. Establish a brightness level at which you will test the Nintendo DS Lite battery. Do not change the level during the test, as this will mess up the results.

2. Set a usage standard, such as only in single-player, non-wireless mode. Wireless features drain the battery faster, which may give you a false impression about the battery's ability to hold a charge. Establishing usage levels gives you a benchmark from which you can accurately judge the battery's ability to hold a charge.

3. Time how long it takes to run the battery low at the given usage level. You don't need to drain the battery completely, just until the power light on the Nintendo DS turns red.

4. Compare the time it took to run down the battery with the manufacturer's battery life estimate-about 5 hours at the brightest screen setting and without using the wireless features of the Nintendo DS Lite. If your battery delivered significantly less time than this at the same usage level, it is time to replace the battery.

Exposure to Liquids

1. Feel the battery when you take it out of the Nintendo DS Lite. If it is soaking wet from exposure to water or other liquid, the battery will probably need to be replaced.

2. Allow the battery to dry and put it back in the Nintendo DS Lite. Try to turn on the unit. If it does not come on, the battery is ruined. If the DS Lite turns on, but runs out of power more quickly than normal, the battery's ability to hold a charge has been affected. Either result means that the battery needs to be replaced.

Tips & Warnings

• Nintendo considers a 70 percent reduction in time between charges significant enough to justify replacing the battery. At the minimum expected battery life of 5 hours, a time between charges of 3 hours or less would be a reason to replace the battery.

• Rechargeable batteries do not last forever. As they are recharged again and again, they lose the ability to completely recharge. Nintendo states that the battery for the DS Lite is capable of 500 charges before suffering from loss of capacity.

• The manufacturer recommends using only licensed Nintendo batteries in your DS Lite. If you are using an unlicensed battery, it may not be fully compatible with the system, which could affect battery life. Also, using unlicensed power supply products may void your warranty.