Since Dropmix inception, I have wished for better options to power the game board. Four AA batteries and no way to switch the system off? This was less than ideal for traveling. I found the dropmix button was easy to trigger while the game was in transit. This would cause my game sessions start up with near dead batteries… not good. So, I decided to correct this problem.

Below are the steps I used to add an Female DC Power Jack and power switch to my Dropmix game board.

Disclaimer: I am NOT and electrical engineer. I followed other DIY projects related to adding AC adapters and power switches to other non-Dropmix electrical devices. You are following my instructions below at your own risk. I am not liable for any damages, voiding of warranties, or other undesirable outcomes that maybe incurred. If you do not want to accept responsibility for your own actions, DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Additional Warning: This mod requires soldering and drilling capability.

Supplies

Supplies:

- One Dropmix game board that you are okay with maybe screwing up. At the end of the process mine worked fine, but I would not have taken the chance if I was not okay with breaking the board. I had extras, so losing one would not bother me.

- One Female DC Power Jack 5.5mm x 2.1mm 3-pin

- Appropriate Male Power Supply to fit a DC Power Jack 5.5mm x 2.1mm

- One 3-pin Switch of your choosing. Something smaller because there is surprising little space to work with placement.

- About 1’ of thin wire to run new cabling for power and grounding. Something that can distinguish between the two types like black/red or black/white.

- Solder

- Method to hold 3-pin Switch and Female DC Power Jack in place (adhesive, nuts, whatever your preference)

Tools:
- Small Philips head screwdriver

- Soldering iron - Solder-sucker (optional if you need help when disconnecting leads)

- Drill and bits to make holes of appropriate size for the power switch and Female DC Power Jack

-Wire stripper, wire cutter, or scissors (whatever you are competent with for stripping wires)

Links to what I purchased:

(not pushing these... just if people were curious)

AutoEC Rocker Switch with Shell: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N12RKT N/ref=p...

Female DC Power Jack: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077YB75N3/ref=p...

Other supplies were already in my possession.

Step 1: Preparation

Strip both ends of two pairs of wire. These will be used to run power from the power switch to the Female DC Power Jack and from the Female DC Power Jack to the battery housing. About 6” should be plenty for each. But if you want to have the switch or the jack farther from the battery box, you will need longer lengths.

Above is a diagram showing the flow of electricity between the various components. Basically, the connection between the game board and battery housing is interrupted to insert the power switch and Female DC Power Jack.

Step 2: Disassembly

1. Unscrew the lid to the battery compartment

2. Remove any batteries

3. Remove the single screw inside the battery compartment and store it safely. This is the ONLY screw of this size, so do not lose it or switch it with any of the other screws.

4. Remove all (sixteen!!!) of the other screws from the bottom of the game board

5. Remove the bottom of the game board from the rest of the device. A little prying maybe necessary, but nothing is attached. This will expose all the circuitry.

6. Remove the final screw on the battery housing (it’s the same as the other sixteen on the bottom)

7. Flip over the battery housing exposing the soldered leads. Be very careful with these leads as they are fragile. You do not want to need to replace them as it will require soldering on the circuit board. I had to do this for my red wire (mine is white and black)… I do not recommend.

Step 3: Electrical & Testing

1. Use the soldering iron (and solder-sucker if necessary) to heat up and remove both the red and black leads from the battery housing. I intentionally avoided messing with anything on the circuit board itself. We will NOT be trying to solder anything on it at all.

NOTE: No new soldering is being performed yet. Connections should be tested first.

2. Using one of the wires you made, connect your positive/red wire from the battery housing to the load positive on the switch (my red wire is white & black because I broke the included red

3. Connect your ground/black wire from the battery housing to the ground power negative on the switch

4. Connect the red wire from the circuit board to the power positive on the switch

5. Connect the black wire from the circuit board to the ground power negative on the switch

TEST 1: Confirm the switch is set to Off and carefully insert the batteries into the housing. Turn the switch to On and see if the board turns on. If it does, turn off the switch, remove the batteries, and proceed to step 6. If it doesn’t you will need to troubleshoot.

6. Solder the wires to the battery housing. Do not solder anything else yet. Up to this point you have confirmed the switch can turn power on and off to the circuit board and power can still be received from the battery housing.

7. Disconnect the wires currently attached to the switch that are coming from the battery housing

8. Using the second pair of wires you made, connect your positive/red wire from the Female DC Jack to the load positive on the switch

9. Connect your ground/black wire from the Female DC Jack to the ground power negative on the switch

TEST 2: Confirm the switch is set to Off and carefully insert the DC Power Jack into the Female DC Jack. Turn the switch to On and see if the board turns on. If it does, turn the switch off, remove the DC Power Jack from the female jack, and proceed to step 10. If it doesn’t you will need to troubleshoot.

Why we test: During my mod, I kept failing this test. While troubleshooting, I found the DC Male Power Jack I just bought was a dud. Unlikely, but still a possible problem. Luckily it was found early.

10. Connect your positive/red wire from the battery housing to the positive position on the Female DC Jack.

11. Connect your ground/black wire from the battery housing to the power negative on the Female DC Jack. This is the last unused pin. The battery should NOT be connected to the same ground/black that the switch is using.

TEST 3: Run both TEST 1 and Test 2 above. Also, run an additional test with batteries installed and the DC Male Power Jack plugged in. If everything works, turn the switch off and remove both the batteries and the DC Male Power Jack. You may proceed to Soldering and Drilling. If any of the tests fail, you will need to troubleshoot.

Step 4: Soldering and Drilling

1. Take pictures of all your connections and note/remember where everything is wired

2. Disconnect all the wires that have NOT been soldered. This should be all the connections on the Female DC Jack and switch.

3. Determine where you want the switch and Female DC Jack located and cut out your holes. I will not be providing any details on this because it is more personal preference.

4. Depending on the configuration of your switch and Female DC Jack, it maybe beneficial to run your wires through the hole you created before attaching. If you have any nuts that hold things snug against the board, be sure to run the wires through them first before running them through the drilled hole.

5. Connect all the wires to the switch and Female DC Jack like before

TEST 4: Run TEST 3 again. If anything fails, troubleshoot. If all passes, proceed to step 6.

6. Solder everything down. I will let you decide if it is better to solder before or after securing the switch and Female DC Jack to the housing. For me, it was easier to solder first, then attach to the housing.

7. If you have not done so already, attach everything to the housing. So, tighten any nuts used to secure or if you are using adhesives, now would be the time.

8. Trim any excess wire on the end of the soldered leads (optional as needed)

9. Screw down the internal battery housing with the one single screw first, then replace the back and screw in all the remaining screws. Remember, there is the one smaller screw that belongs inside the batter housing.

TEST 5: Play some Dropmix using your preferred method.