ATX power supply for an Xbox360 and Xbox 360 cooling mod!

This is my updated instructable on how i used a standard pc power supply for my XBOX 360. This is not my original idea, I saw a few different ways to do this on the internet but this is what I did and it worked for me. This is an easy way to avoid speanding money on a new or 3rd party 360 power brick and be able to power some pc fans for my new cooling mod.

I warn anyone who decides to use this instructable, if your power supply doesn't meet the minimum power requirements YOU WILL KILL YOUR XBOX !!!!!!

Step 1: Power Requirements

Before you start cuting wires and buying things your going to want to know how much power your 360 needs. Turn your Xbox360 so you can see the back and look at the left side(from back). Right above the power plug is what you are looking for. My xbox360 elite uses 16.5 amps on the 12 volt rail and 1 amp on the 5 volt. The number you want to worry about is the 12 volt rail, this is what you will look for when choosing a powersupply. The supply i used supplies 25A on the 5V and 19A on the 12V.

Once you have found the power supply you will use, the next step is to connect your new power supply to your xbox360.

Comments

[jj_1]

Hi ps3_soldier. I'm using a 350W ps rated at 12V / 20A / 240W and 5V / 33A / 175W. I only spliced the wires feeding the molexes (total 4 black, 2 yellow, 2 red), leaving the 20-pin motherboard connector intact. My reasoning is that the wires in the xbox ps seem to be the same gauge or smaller than the molex wires in the atx ps, plus I didn't want to cut more wires than I needed to. The xbox starts fine, but eventually gets the red rings. Does my way not provide enough juice to the xbox and therefore the red rings? Will splicing the 20-pin connector help, or is there a problem with the atx ps? Thanks for your help.

[diazsinger]

Thanks!, this will be a much cheaper alternative should mine go the way of the Dodo.

[ps3_soldier]

I plan to do an update that includes using pc case fans powered by the atx power supply.

[RudeBoi5330]

Same here going to fit all into a tower got all the parts just gettin around to assembling it

[marilandita]

Just tried this yesterday and I was afraid of powering it on today, mine is a PAL xbox, and had 4 yellow 4 black cables. I also joined the green and black directly because I didn't have a switch at hand but it did turn on :D.
Thanks man!

Here's the pic, I dunno if you can see it but the button is greeeenz!

[mpakulak]

Hey I have a few questions

1. Is the yellow wires the only wires you connect from the PSU to the 360 cord?
(For example: Black grouped wires(PSU) >>Connect>>Black Grouped Wires(xbox cable),
: Red Grouped Wires(PSU)>>Conneect>>One Red Wire(Xbox),
: Yellow Grouped Wires(PSU)>>Connect>>Yellow Gropued Wires (Xbox)

-OR-

Do you just connect the yellow Grouped wires(PSU To Xbox Cable)

2. My power supply has a lot of black wires in the 24 pin connector is that normal.

3. If the answer to number 2 is normal do you group all of the black wires together in one bundle(even the 4 pin connector black wires.

[tdykes1]

Isnt the 5v wire from the xbox plug actually 5vsb? Would it not be better to plug it into the purple wire from the atx supply?

[bbeal1]

just did this to my xbox went to turn on one day and nothing, I just happened to have the exact power supply you used lying around works perfect. many thanks. now to just get rid of the play dvd error if its not one thing its another lol

[junits15]

get the slimmmmm

[uberdum05]

We have a slim and it has just got the "red dot" problem...

[junits15]

that sucks man, iv only heard that happening on rare occasions. Mine's been pretty good; thing runs cool to the touch and dead silent

[uberdum05]

Yeah ours runs cool but we have booked it in for a service with microsoft but we have a theory to it :- we have to leave it running for a while to warm up? from cold and then it works fine so I reckon it could be broken solder joints...

[backwardsboi24]

What Wattage is the power supply?

[ps3_soldier]

450watts. but its the amps you need to worry about. Make sure you have atleast 18 amps coming from the 12volt rail

[joshr.cars]

dude all your fans should be blowing inwards to create positive presser which will maximize cooling

[lelekx]

I wonder why not to use 360's PWR_ENABLE pin to control PSU's power on? It just requires connecting red wire to purple on PSU 20-pin plug and blue to green. And you won't have to put any switch to turn on the PSU.

[junits15]

what does replacing the brick accomplish? The same heat will be dissipated

[poolshark162006]

...you dont have to worry about this if you got the ps3!

[glitch45]

Ya you wont play a ps3 long enough to wear out a power supply! You must be friends with Chad Warden !

[junits15]

no, the ps3 is actually made much better than an xbox,

[poolshark162006]

well i guess i should be telling you the same thing!, the xbox will RROD it self before the power supply will die!

[ZeroXL91]

I think Xbox 360 is better, you can do alot of interesting mods in it, and the ps3 is 500$ so Xbox is cheaper and better, I've had mine for 2 years and it hasnt RROD yet, its modded.

[Bentnutt]

Your Welcome.

[mrmaverick]

i see by your windows logo your bias but when was the last time you went to the store? and where, ps3 is 300-350. i smell microsoft XSS KISSER

[General Anubis]

I've had my 360 since 12:05 AM Nov. 22nd 2005 (Day of release).

It took 4 years of extensive play before it finally RRoD'd on me.  I fixed it using the x-clamp fix method for less than $8.00.

You fail.

[tennesseebob]

yeah my 360 lasted 2 years...then my second lasted 2 years...my third will be dying any day now...too bad my ps3 has lasted since launch night ...i would dearly love to dump another $600 down them too.

[ZeroXL91]

The Xbox doesnt look good with cardboard....should put alluminum foil xD

[MACKattacksnipe]

The Elite Wont RROD there is only a 2% chance it will cause they used different heat sinks on them

[ugis1000]

Hey , how to solder the needed wires to their respected pins ?
i don't know ! :(
i need pc power supply for my xbox 360 xenon !

[dubyes]

i do the same sort of thing as the styrafoam, except i use 2 psp umb cases duct taped together with some nonslip material hot glued to the bottom. the2 umd cases are almost a perfect fit under the xbox.

[dubyes]

*umd

[Derin]

The built-in switch does not control the green wire.It is just wired in series with the line in.

[punkatsub]

Got enough fans there?, this looks so ghetto as well, why not just open the xbox and solder a couple wires to the fans to the 12v power points on the power point where the plug goes.

[ps3_soldier]

I wanted to be able to cool the 360 with the same power supply as the 360.

[punkatsub]

it's not really saving any room there, because your making the 360 bigger in height, just to kept it cool and in the thing

[ps3_soldier]

I didn't say anything about saving room, and the foam feet only add 1/4 inch to the height. If you don't like it that's your problem! When you make your first instructable let me know so i can critic something irrelevant.