Trying to Fix FAULTY Items on eBay for a Profit! S1:E98

Introduction

It's not looking good. The last two episodes of my journey have resulted in a combined loss of £175, and my current total profit is now at £7,646. My goal has been to buy faulty electronic items on eBay, attempt to fix them, and sell them for a profit. Recently, however, things have taken a downturn, and I don't need any more setbacks as I try to reach my target of £1,000 in profit.

Today's Challenge

Welcome back to episode number 98 of my series, Profit or Loss. Today, I've got two items on the table. First up, I purchased a Nintendo Switch Lite console for a total of £40. The console looked to be in pretty good condition overall, with no cracks or dents in the chassis. There was a tiny scratch on the screen, but that’s manageable. However, the listing stated that it was "faulty" and that it received no power when connected to a voltage reader.

After inspecting the console, I found damaged pins in the charging port, which indicated someone had some technical knowledge to even test it with an ammeter. My examination revealed some liquid damage as well, which added to the challenges. Despite the initial hope, I realized that the liquid damage was significant, especially on the daughter board.

In the end, I deemed it unfixable and decided to list it on eBay for parts, hoping to recover £30 from my investment. Overall, it was disappointing to have to package it back up without making any repairs.

New Item — Digital Edition PS5

The second item I attempted to fix was a PS5 console. I paid £40 for this unit, which was described as the "Blu-ray Edition"—though it’s actually a digital edition. The seller described it as "not tested but looks intact." After some initial analysis, I found several screws either stripped or mismatched, indicating it had been opened before by someone without proper care.

Upon powering it up, it was completely dead. Further investigations revealed potential damage to the HDMI circuit and other components on the motherboard. My troubleshooting sessions became an intense battle against insufficient information and substantial physical damage.

Over the course of the repair, I replaced multiple chips, including the South Bridge and SSD controller, while tracking the voltage levels throughout. Notably, I continued to see inconsistent voltage readings, with some lines even pegged at 9 volts—far above expected levels. I spent an entire day dissecting the issue, finding possible failures, replacing damaged components, and navigating complicated circuitry, yet still ended up stuck with an unrepairable unit.

As much as I wished to bring this PS5 back to life, after hours of work, I had to concede defeat.

Conclusion

With the Nintendo Switch Lite likely to fetch £25 when sold and the PS5 encountering insurmountable issues, I was left with a disappointing tally. This episode ended with a loss of £725, dragging my total profit down to a mere £607.18. It stings to lose such progress, especially when I've been so close to reaching that elusive mark of £1,000 in profit.

Even though I failed to fix both items in this episode, I appreciate your support through this challenging journey. If you enjoyed watching this video, you can check out episode one from the playlist linked above. Thank you for joining me, and here’s to hoping the next episode brings in some better luck!

Keywords

faulty items, eBay, profit, Nintendo Switch Lite, PS5, repair, electronics, loss, liquid damage, components, troubleshooting, voltage.

FAQ

Q1: What is the aim of your series "Profit or Loss"?
A1: The aim of the series is to buy faulty electronic items, attempt to repair them, and sell them for a profit.

Q2: What was the result of the Nintendo Switch Lite repair attempt?
A2: The Nintendo Switch Lite was deemed unrepairable due to liquid damage and was listed for sale on eBay for parts.

Q3: Why was the PS5 console not working?
A3: The PS5 console had multiple issues, including faulty components and inconsistent voltage readings, which made repairs unsuccessful.

Q4: What is your current profit total?
A4: After recent losses, my total profit is now at £607.18.

Q5: How can viewers support your journey?
A5: Viewers can support the journey by watching the episodes and subscribing for future updates.