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Xbox 360 External Cooling Mod

A few weeks ago I realized that I had my xbox 360 for about a year. In that year I had NOT received the red ring of death even once. Though last fall during a 80 degree day while playing with a friend we noticed the graphics on the TV from getting these weird lines through them. It was hot in the room and at that point I really realized that heat is kryptonite to Xbox 360’s and I knew that by the next summer I had to come up with a cooling solution or face red ringed hell. After scouring the internet for a solution that would not break the warranty this is what I came up with. So far with this system my xbox 360 runs very cool.

Ingredients:
4 - Thermaltake Mobile Fan II External USB Cooling Fan - $8 each (these push ALOT more air than most computer fans)
1 - long 1/2″ thick piece of wood (home depot, lowes etc.)
1 - Powered USB hub (any hub thats powered by an Ac adapter)
1 - Roll Electrical or duct Tape (You can use white tape for a better look)
1 - Power strip with a switch (optional, for switching the hub/ fans on and off)
1 - Staplegun
1 - Measuring tape

MAKING THE BASE

mod base

1. I measured the xbox 360 and cut 5 pieces of the wood to make the frame. I stapled the pieces together with a staplegun. Note that there are wood pieces that are sticking out in the back and right side to hold the fans.This wood platform also helps airflow from the airholes on the left side under the console.

PREPPING THE FANS

usb fan

2. Unscrewed the grill of the Thermaltake fans and remove the stand. If you are not using a wood base for this mod then you may want to keep them on but I chose to remove them.

ATTACH THE FANS

3. Tape the fans together in pairs. You can use white duct tape. I used blue and red but I will be changing it to white soon. Pay attention to which end blows and which end sucks air.

tape over the airholes

4. With your 360 laying flat put tape over the airholes right side (top and bottom).

5. Put your xbox 360 on the base. Then attach a pair of the fans (taped together) on the right side of the xbox 360. Tape the fans to the base and place tape over the airholes on the right side (note: its the left side when viewed from the back). Make sure the fans are blowing AIR INTO THE CONSOLE. Cover any reminding air holes on the right side with tape.

make sure air is being SUCKED OUT by the fans

6. Place the other pair of taped together fans on the back. Tape the fans to the base. make sure air is being SUCKED OUT by the fans. The fans in the back should be blowing towards the back blowing hot air out. Eventually all the air it blows will be only slightly warm or cool.

7. Set the fan speed by adjusting the knobs. If the fans are too loud you can lower the speed but I keep mine on high.

8. Attach the usb connectors to the powered hub and plug it in. It should be blowing air into the right side and sucking air out that back.

7 comments on “Xbox 360 External Cooling Mod”


I want to get ahold of 4 of those fans, but do you know if they ship stuff over to England?
Richie


hahahahahahahahahahaha!
RRODBOX3SHITTY


Are you proud of this?
Robert


Nice one in terms of ingenuity and and effort but really the 360 does not overheat that bad. Keep it off the carpet, with the vents clear and you should be fine.
Tom Hillman


It’s a really good idea to use a powered usb-hub!!

Tom: of course should be really nice not to be worried and use the machine without any mod, but unluckily all of us that suffered the RROD in the past, we don’t want to repeat the experience… These mods are very nice for people like me that lives outside USA and can not redeme the warranty in any case.

So, thanks Fallback to share your idea!!!
Nervio


Hey guys I used blue painters tape for the tutorial to help show what areas should be taped. The blue painters tape I used is actually great because its easy to remove and theres no glue residue after its removed.

If looks are a concern you can use white duct tape, or white electrical tape. I have my 360 on a shelf above eye level and the fans/tape on the side cannot be seen. Anything other than the faceplate cannot be seen. So this mod is perfect for me.
Fallback


It looks like a good design except for 1 thing. All the airflow is going across the cpu and is missing the graphics processor which is where 90+ % of all heat failures occur. If you could design one with the air inlet at the left front (beside the hard drive) then you would have a perfect design.Good luck it’s good to see people addressing this problem.
Donald



(9) comments | Add your comments




Comments on Xbox 360 External Cooling Mod:

kinda ruins the look though. I had an attachable fan on the back. Ironically I only got the red rings when I had it attached..
Originally Posted by D BiGGS View Post
kinda ruins the look though. I had an attachable fan on the back. Ironically I only got the red rings when I had it attached..
sucking shit in.


Brook, you be doing to much. Not to hate but I have a feeling your shit going to get fucked up because of somebody doing something stupid.
^ HA HA.

Actually I been using it for weeks and it runs cool as shit. I got the idea from some vids on yortube and from some xbox forums and it works. If you use the usb power from the 360 like most cooling attachments then theres a chance of fucking the system up but this uses an external power source and it doesnt just suck air out it blows cool air in also. I dont care about "the look" because I have my 360 on a shelf and you can only see the front anyway so you cant even see the fans. Hey I never got the red rings (chauncy you have..lol) so ...
Originally Posted by brooklyniteOne View Post
^ HA HA.

Actually I been using it for weeks and it runs cool as shit. I got the idea from some vids on yortube and from some xbox forums and it works. If you use the usb power from the 360 like most cooling attachments then theres a chance of fucking the system up but this uses an external power source and it doesnt just suck air out it blows cool air in also. I dont care about "the look" because I have my 360 on a shelf and you can only see the front anyway so you cant even see the fans. Hey I never got the red rings (chauncy you have..lol) so ...
I know. How about 3 times and a 1 time the disc tray fucked up
i just leave my 360 by my window when i plays
I just took the external cooler apart flipped the fans around cut the fan holes bigger and it runs fine
ive had my 360 for a couple years and have never got the ring of death once
Originally Posted by J High View Post
ive had my 360 for a couple years and have never got the ring of death once
You lucky bastard. You know my shit dies more than Cancer Patients
Originally Posted by Chauncy Talon View Post
You lucky bastard. You know my shit dies more than Cancer Patients
LMAO, shit man my brothers shit died like two weeks ago and he just called them this past sunday.
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