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WTF? Power Brick Red Light of Death?

CZroe

Neo Member
BTW, his PSU is not the active-cooling kind.

Pimpbaa said:
Feel the goddamn bottom of your consoles after long periods of use.
That's due to the console itself getting hot, but it still trends upward and is engineered to exit there. If the carpet is not reaching into the cavity and insulating it and it is not blocking vents (his isn't), it's not contributing at all.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
CZroe said:
Look at any well-engineered piece of equipment and you will find alternate venhilation. The licensed BD&A Wii stands block the fan. The licensed Pelican horizontal stand blocks the vents under the faceplate. The XBOX360 needs every bit of venthilation it can get because the manufacturing process did not account for the issues with ROHS lead-free solder manufacturing and excess heat.

If anything, carpet FILTERS dust (while impeeding airflow and building up heat). When people tell you not to put a device on carpet, they are talking about shaggy carpet, and certainly not what you see in the OP (may as well be wood).

For "fuck's" sake, look at the last generation of consoles. PS2's and their failed lasers had nothing to do with carpet. Gamecube put it's venthilation up high, knowing full well that the portable size and handle would lead to it being placed on carpet often. Did you hear of many original XBOXes dying from carpet? It's a "front and center" issue now because we have a console that is more fragile and vulnerable to heat (we both know it happen regardless, just less often with better venthilation off of shaggy carpet).

Heat rises and any designer worth his salt knows that you intake from the bottom, so heat build-up there should be a non-issue except for very shaggy carpet.

It's never a good idea to place it on carpet, but to demonize the practice and defend the fragile hardware and shoddy engineering causing it to be the issue that it is, is just flat-out wrong.

Carpet filters dust :lol I bet the #1 cause of ps2 failed lasers was idiots putting the consoles on carpet. The gamecube was probably the least affected due to easy access to the laser lense to clean it. And this is not about the 360. I've been telling people about this shit for ages.
 
AlxRymnd914 said:
Um no it wouldn't...My ps3 was about 2 feet away from my 360 and they were both on cool tile floor. Dude this is a manufacturing defect. My 360 is clean and has never overheated.


Edit: I also have left my ps3 on that same carpet for more than a week....and it was on for an entire week: FOLDING@HOME. The ps3's harware is a beast... but I am not mad that the 360 had this problem. I am mad that microsoft doesn't take the blame for it.

Still, having a transformer on a nice, cosy warm surface is not a very good idea at its most general level.

But it is also possible that the wires from the power brick (transformer) to the Xbox360 got severed somehow? I mean, can the internal logic tell the difference?
 

Pimpbaa

Member
CZroe said:
BTW, his PSU is not the active-cooling kind.


That's due to the console itself getting hot, but it still trends upward and is engineered to exit there. If the carpet is not reaching into the cavity and insulating it and it is not blocking vents (his isn't), it's not contributing at all.

Feel the bottom of a console after being on a carpet for a while version one that has been put on a solid surface.
 

CZroe

Neo Member
Pimpbaa said:
Carpet filters dust :lol I bet the #1 cause of ps2 failed lasers was idiots putting the consoles on carpet. The gamecube was probably the least affected due to easy access to the laser lense to clean it. And this is not about the 360. I've been telling people about this shit for ages.
Did I ever say it was good for it? No. Dust enters the console MORE freely with ample venthilation, and that's a fact. Look, ask any PC enthusiast: AIRFLOW EQUALS DUST.

Because it also equals extra cooling, you have a choice: Filter the intakes and impeed airflow (which further impeeds with dust buildup on the filters), or don't filter and clean out the internals often. PC enthusiasts need the cooling from extra airflow for overclocking. I bought a $90 Thermalright Ultra120 Extreme (it didn't even include a fan!) and I'd be damned if I was going to limit its performance.

Thinking that dust goes hand-in-hand with carpet and restricted airflow only shows how desperate you are to find arguments against carpet. Bringing up PS2 failures further demonstrates that you are grasping for ways to incriminate carpet and users who place them on carpet. More air = more dust. The PS2 drive assemblies would have issues with lubrication and alignement, mostly because of dust or nature breaking down or biodegrading with the lubricants until they reached a point where it interfered with the operation of the drive and caused a disc read error (DRE).

This was meant to go in my last post:
The XBOX 360, being a device with dual orientations, should be engineered with EXCESS venthilation for both positions.

Anyway, we already know that it was his PSU, not his XBOX 360 that fried. Once again, outlets are near the floor. Every other consumer device with a non-hanging power brick knows that in real-world scenarios, the brick is probably going to end up on a carpeted floor. The only way to get it off for most users is to connect the God-damned thing to a power strip, surge-supressor, or extension cord. Are you going to explode from that XBOX 360 care best-practices paradox?

Pimpbaa said:
Feel the bottom of a console after being on a carpet for a while version one that has been put on a solid surface.
That depends on the console and the engineering. Feel the bottom of a Gamecube with Gameboy Player. OOOO! BURN! I mean, er, iced? Whatever. There's no difference. Nintendo engineered it to have accessories blocking the bottom and engineered it to be fine when placed on carpet. You can't say otherwise. Are there any reports of Gamecube power supplies dying from carpet use? Those are also external bricks that rest on the floor. Mine has been chewed up by a pet and it still works, though I don't use it (probaby a fire hazard).
 

Pimpbaa

Member
CZroe said:
Did I ever say it was good for it? No. Dust enters the console MORE freely with ample venthilation, and that's a fact. Look, ask any PC enthusiast: AIRFLOW EQUALS DUST.

Because it also equals extra cooling, you have a choice: Filter the intakes and impeed airflow (which further impeeds with dust buildup on the filters), or don't filter and clean out the internals often. PC enthusiasts need the cooling from extra airflow for overclocking. I bought a $90 Thermalright Ultra120 Extreme (it didn't even include a fan!) and I'd be damned if I was going to limit its performance.

Thinking that dust goes hand-in-hand with carpet and restricted airflow only shows how desperate you are to find arguments against carpet. Bringing up PS2 failures further demonstrates that you are grasping for ways to incriminate carpet and users who place them on carpet. More air = more dust. The PS2 drive assemblies would have issues with lubrication and alignement, mostly because of dust or nature breaking down or biodegrading with the lubricants until they reached a point where it interfered with the operation of the drive and caused a disc read error (DRE).

This was meant to go in my last post:
The XBOX 360, being a device with dual orientations, should be engineered with EXCESS venthilation for both positions.

Anyway, we already know that it was his PSU, not his XBOX 360 that fried. Once again, outlets are near the floor. Every other consumer device with a non-hanging power brick knows that in real-world scenarios, the brick is probably going to end up on a carpeted floor. The only way to get it off for most users is to connect the God-damned thing to a power strip, surge-supressor, or extension cord. Are you going to explode from that XBOX 360 care best-practices paradox?


That depends on the console and the engineering. Feel the bottom of a Gamecube with Gameboy Player. OOOO! BURN! I mean, er, iced? Whatever. There's no difference. Nintendo engineered it to have accessories blocking the bottom and engineered it to be fine when placed on carpet. You can't say otherwise. Are there any reports of Gamecube power supplies dying from carpet use? Those are also external bricks that rest on the floor. Mine has been chewed up by a pet and it still works, though I don't use it (probaby a fire hazard).

Carpets have more dust in them than a flat surface, that is a fact. Also impeding airflow brings in another problem with placing them on the carpet, heat buildup. As for the ps2, you know what would cause issues with lubrication? dust! I can't believe people are blowing off common sense to justify the well known fact that you should put consoles on carpet!
 
Pimpbaa said:
Carpets have more dust in them than a flat surface, that is a fact. Also impeding airflow brings in another problem with placing them on the carpet, heat buildup. As for the ps2, you know what would cause issues with lubrication? dust! I can't believe people are blowing off common sense to justify the well known fact that you should put consoles on carpet!

ok....maybe you should not put them on the carpet...but u shouln't need to. It might help but the console should be able to take that dude. It also has nothing to do with this problem so just let it die.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
AlxRymnd914 said:
ok....maybe you should not put them on the carpet...but u shouln't need to. It might help but the console should be able to take that dude. It also has nothing to do with this problem so just let it die.

I never was really talking about your problem to begin with since you said it was on tile when it happened. But it is an issue that gamers should be aware of. All consoles should be on a flat area that is kept as dust free as possible.
 

CZroe

Neo Member
Pimpbaa said:
Carpets have more dust in them than a flat surface, that is a fact. Also impeding airflow brings in another problem with placing them on the carpet, heat buildup. As for the ps2, you know what would cause issues with lubrication? dust! I can't believe people are blowing off common sense to justify the well known fact that you should put consoles on carpet!
That's INSANE. They hold onto more dust than a flat surface, but that is 100% irrelevant due to the fact that they are "holding on" to it. The fact it: dust settles evenly on ALL surfaces. A mat placed on carpet will collect all the dust that would have fallen on that covered portion of the carpet. A home-theater component shelf placed over the carpet will collect all the same dust that would have fallen on the carpet there. A console on top of a shelf will collect all of the dust if would have collected. If you dust off shelves and let it settle on the carpet without cleaning your carpet, that is YOUR CHOICE, not a disadvantage for carpet. Any dust coming out of the carpet and into your console is no different than dust coming off the shelf: If you don't want it, clean it. Dust your shelfs AND vacuum the carpet.

"Also impeding airflow brings in another problem with placing them on the carpet, heat buildup."

Heat buildup as a result of restricted airflow was pretty much the ONLY problem. Insulation from the shaggy carpet reaching up into the areas that are required to be kept clear of carpet is the only other one (blocking vents, insulating surfaces meant to radiate intot he air). As we've already discussed he does not have that kind of carpet. The few who do would have to be insanely dumb to put it there.

Pimpbaa said:
I never was really talking about your problem to begin with since you said it was on tile when it happened. But it is an issue that gamers should be aware of. All consoles should be on a flat area that is kept as dust free as possible.
Carpets are often flat-enough and keeping a flat non-carpeted surface dust-free is just as important. Neither dust NOR static are concerns with carpet. ONLY impeeded venthilation and insulation.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
CZroe said:
That's INSANE. They hold onto more dust than a flat surface, but that is 100% irrelevant due to the fact that they are "holding on" to it. The fact it: dust settles evenly on ALL surfaces.

Dust settles evenly but it's much more easy to do a quick dusting around your console than it is the vaccume under you console before you use it. Carpet will have more dust (and WILL get sucked in), unless a person is a slob and never dusts his shelves or cabinets or whatever.
 
The Faceless Master said:
dugg... hopefully you get a signed power brick and an autographed 5x7 of bill gates for free in a few weeks!

lol..... thats so bull. They can go through all that to get good publicity. Thats why i wanted this to get popular do evryonr can know about this bull and maybe Microsoft can do something about it.
 

larvi

Member
In reading through the warranty for the 360 I don't see anywhere where it specifically excludes the power supply being covered under the 1yr warranty for the console. It does say "accessories" only have a 90 day warranty but I think one could make the case pretty strongly that the power supply is an integral part of the console and not an accessory as it won't function without it.

The only place I see the power supply specifically addressed is as follows:

"Do not attempt to take apart, open, service, or modify the Xbox 360 console, power supply or accessories..."

By that statement Microsoft is not including the power supply as one of the accessories.

Microsoft pulled the same shit on me when my wireless receiver for the 360 controller for my PC died, the basically said that the warranty for the controller didn't cover the receiver even though they came packaged together. Since I had gotten it free from Club Live I didn't make a big stink about it, but for $80 for a new brick I would.

Maybe you should call them back and tell them that your console no longer works and you want it fixed, that should be covered under warranty. For all you know the power supply is still functioning and the console is messed up. For those who have gotten 360's fixed under warranty do you send the power brick in with it in the coffin?
 
larvi said:
In reading through the warranty for the 360 I don't see anywhere where it specifically excludes the power supply being covered under the 1yr warranty for the console. It does say "accessories" only have a 90 day warranty but I think one could make the case pretty strongly that the power supply is an integral part of the console and not an accessory as it won't function without it.

The only place I see the power supply specifically addressed is as follows:

"Do not attempt to take apart, open, service, or modify the Xbox 360 console, power supply or accessories..."

By that statement Microsoft is not including the power supply as one of the accessories.

Microsoft pulled the same shit on me when my wireless receiver for the 360 controller for my PC died, the basically said that the warranty for the controller didn't cover the receiver even though they came packaged together. Since I had gotten it free from Club Live I didn't make a big stink about it, but for $80 for a new brick I would.

Maybe you should call them back and tell them that your console no longer works and you want it fixed, that should be covered under warranty. For all you know the power supply is still functioning and the console is messed up. For those who have gotten 360's fixed under warranty do you send the power brick in with it in the coffin?

thanks alot dude. You dont have to send in the power brick for the coffin boxes though.
 

kiUNiT

Member
neight said:
troll? I'm sorry if my contention to your claims threatens you. How did that work exactly? You actually saw a static charge hit your console and the console stopped working instantaneously after that? All of my cousins have put their consoles on their carpets and they never broke down. I don't buy that it was static that killed your console. Yes static is dangerous to electrical components but not when they're encased in cases. That's what cases are for, to protect the components from the elements.

btw, static isn't something that happens just on carpets. It can happen anywhere. why not warn against touching consoles when you're wearing sweaters or petted cats or wearing socks without shoes?

You are a fucking ignorant asshat, go ahead put your PS3 or Wii on your carpet and see how long it lasts. The 360s build quality is shit but any electronic device should be put on a hard flat surface for better ventalation and to keep it away from any static shock.
 
The only other piece of consumer electronics hardware that I own with as many usage warnings and conditions for use, is my cordless drill from Black & Decker.

I'm on my THIRD 360, in all three cases they were placed horizontally, both the console and the PSU on a clean glass shelf underneath my TV. It's one big huge shelf, so it's not "enclosed" in any sense of the word.
 

neight

Banned
kiUNiT said:
You are a fucking ignorant asshat, go ahead put your PS3 or Wii on your carpet and see how long it lasts. The 360s build quality is shit but any electronic device should be put on a hard flat surface for better ventalation and to keep it away from any static shock.
staticshockthenewkidfy0.jpg
 

neight

Banned
Ramenman said:
Oh wow that was a strong point.

Seriously, try to argue that when you put a laptop on your bed it doesn't heat more than normal.
I liked things yesterday when everyone was on my side. :(

When a device gets hot it's going to pass that heat along wherever it can but heat does escape upwards. That is how thermodynamics work.
 

TomServo

Junior Member
neight said:
I liked things yesterday when everyone was on my side. :(

When a device gets hot it's going to pass that heat along wherever it can but heat does escape upwards. That is how thermodynamics work.

No, that's not how thermodynamics works.

Hot air rises. Heat moves from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.
 

neight

Banned
TomServo said:
No, that's not how thermodynamics works.

Hot air rises. Heat moves from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.
wait a sec I did mention heat is going to pass wherever it can. as for the hot air part, that's what the fans on heatsinks are for. to move the heat that the heatsink is radiating away.

and not wanting to place consoles on carpets for fear of static shocks is still stupid.
 

a1m

Banned
You should start a new thread about carpets.

The power brick needs air too, it's so well designed.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
Pimpbaa said:
I baby all my systems. A ps3 would have an early demise too if used on the carpet.

My friend has his PS3 on the carpet and uses it over 5 hours a day for Rock Band. Not a problem. The static from the carpet is not going to jump up 4 inches into the PS3's vents, turn a left, and contact with the circuits on the inside.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
a1m said:
lol'rly? I've only heard that it needs air but a fan?

My old busted halo edition had a PSU with a noisy fan. I wasn't sure if my falcon revision 360 had one, but I felt air coming out of holes of the PSU so it must.
 

Xun

Member
Curious, I currently have my system plugged into a power strip (not a surge protector). I'm guessing that's fine... right?
 

CZroe

Neo Member
Pimpbaa said:
Dust settles evenly but it's much more easy to do a quick dusting around your console than it is the vaccume under you console before you use it. Carpet will have more dust (and WILL get sucked in), unless a person is a slob and never dusts his shelves or cabinets or whatever.
Just like dusting off before you set your console on a shelf, if you vacuum the carpet before placing the console over it, the new dust that settles will be equal. If anything, the air drawn in from the floor area has to travel over a high-friction surface that can remove some dust before entering your console without measurably slowing down. You will NOT Pick up more dust from the carpet than from the shelf unles you stupid dust shelves and don't vacuum carpets.

MOST carpets are not appropriate for a console, but I know many people who do have carpets that are just fine. In general, any carpet that seems appropriate for outdoor use (very flat, can be wet by rain, not deep/soft, almost as hard as the surface you put it on, etc) is fine. That's what I used to encase my subwoofer to tone it down (the z680s are too bass-heavy). When I built my game room, I gave it a tile floor, but I still have the Gamecube on the rug in front because it's top-loading and the entertainment racks are filled with more-delicate hardware like Phillips CD-i, Panasonic 3DO, model 2 Sega Genesis 32X/CD, in addition to the model-2 NES, XBOX, Super Famicom, model-2 SNES, N64+V64+V64jr, Dreamcast, Sega Pico, and much, much, much more... don't ask me why I also have a Master System and a Genesis model 1 + Power Base Converter connected (for semi-redundant redundancy? ;)). Well, I guess I could say that it's because the Genesis Virtua Racing doesn't work through the 32X, the Power Base Converter doesn't fit the model-2 (and doesn't work through the 32X), and the Master System helps when I'm too lazy to remove that single game cartridge. ;)) I keep my Wii, PS3, HTPC, etc (next-gen stuff) nearby at my twin brother's apartment with my 52" LCD. I build to accomodate my consoles and even I have had to resort to placing things where I don't want them.

TomServo said:
No, that's not how thermodynamics works.

Hot air rises. Heat moves from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.
And guess which side is cooler due to the hot air being replaced by cooler air as it warms from contact and floats away? The top. Thats the side the excess heat is being wicked away from, therefore that's the side additional heat is moving to. Everything else reaches a saturation point that should be within tolerance no matter what the surface as long as the vents aren't blocked and airflow impeeded. Engineering MUST take this into account.

In a horizontal position, the XBOX 360 stupidly has an optical drive assembly right over the heatsink and they even shortened the fins to fit it there (less surface area). Even though they expected it to be OK, it wasn't (poor engineering) and that's why they had to add heat pipes later (move the heat to a place where it could exhaust more easily in the horizontal orientation and compensate for the reduced surface area).
 

CZroe

Neo Member
watership said:
Okay. Sure.
Air coming down and then being sucked across low friction surfaces is more likely to keep the particles airborne until they enter the device and contact components (vent walls, fan blades, heatsink surfaces, etc). The air must be still for it to settle. On carpet, this is not the case. The majority of air will come from the directly above without coming across the carpet because that same friction sill slow/stop air and cause it to be higher pressure, but that is still better than blowing air across a flat surface that dust has settled on while the device was off.
 
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