Smoking Xbox?, XBox smokes out the back spontaneously! Options

[4real*leb]

Hello, I have had my xbox for six years and last night, it decided to spill out heavy smoke from the back of it. I rebooted form X-dsl and then suddenly it started smoking. I quickly turned it off and then tried it again this morning after it cooled down. The XBox turns on for a second, restarts itself, stays on for two more seconds, then restarts again and proceeds to boot off the hard drive. I can't see any picture, and all the xbox tells me is that I am getting the red and yellow lights. I'd assume that there is an error code, but since I can't see anything...

According to Microsoft this is due to a power supply issue. I am supposed to order a "replacement cord", but how this hell will this fix the xbox? Has anyone had this problem and fixed it on there own?

[Bomb Bloke]

Uhm...

That's the error sequence for "serious hardware error". I would be rather surprised if a new cable made a difference.

By the sounds of it, if you open the box up and take a look you WILL see damage. I'd recommend doing that and reporting back on where the problem area seems to be.

[4real*leb]

Alright well I opened it up and it looks like a capacitor burned up. Here is a pic:



I am thinking this is probably unfixable. Any ideas?

[Mikesshunk]

I'd try some Nicorette. That should stop it from smoking.

[1hotjob]

You may be able to replace the capacitor. Since it is on the MB, that is the only option to save it.

[4real*leb]

I'd try some Nicorette. That should stop it from smoking.

I think it's too late, this morning I found a tumor on my xbox.

You may be able to replace the capacitor. Since it is on the MB, that is the only option to save it.

Yes but what caused the capacitor to explode? If I placed a new one in there wouldn't the same thing happen again?

This post has been edited by 4real*leb: Jul 1 2008, 04:49 PM

[4real*leb]

Here is a picture taken by another member of this forum with almost an identical problem. My capcitor is the aerogel one that is closest to the C6V2 (on the left).



On mine there is not visible damage under the motherboard, but I think that the capacitor that blew took out a bridge or something with it. I removed the capacitor, but the xbox is still giving the reboot twice problem described in my first post. There is still no picture and the only clue I have is the alternating lights.

This post has been edited by 4real*leb: Jul 1 2008, 05:50 PM

[Chancer]

The cap has been leaking. when they explode properly they blow the can off. They blow up when the maximum working voltage has been exceeded.
As yours has leaked badly replace it but whilst it is off the board look for traces that will have been damaged by leaking electrolyte
The bridge is not gone because if the bridge rectifier on the PSU goes it pops the fuse at switch on.

[obcd]

That aerogel capacitor just goes bad by itself after a couple of years. You don't have to search for a reason why it suddenly starts smoking, leaking or exploding.

The xbox should work perfectly without it. The only issue you will have is that it doesn't keep it's time settings anymore if you remove the supply. It only keeps them for a couple of hours with the capacitor anyhow.

The smoking capacitor might have damaged some traces on your mobo. It is even possible that it damaged the power supply, and that one of the voltages is missing.

regards.

[4real*leb]

The cap has been leaking. when they explode properly they blow the can off. They blow up when the maximum working voltage has been exceeded.
As yours has leaked badly replace it but whilst it is off the board look for traces that will have been damaged by leaking electrolyte
The bridge is not gone because if the bridge rectifier on the PSU goes it pops the fuse at switch on.

Turns out something got toasted by the goo inside the capacitor, this was causing the restarting twice problem. I linked the two ends with a piece of aluminum foil and folded it down. The tin foil worked. Here is a pic:

That aerogel capacitor just goes bad by itself after a couple of years. You don't have to search for a reason why it suddenly starts smoking, leaking or exploding.

The xbox should work perfectly without it. The only issue you will have is that it doesn't keep it's time settings anymore if you remove the supply. It only keeps them for a couple of hours with the capacitor anyhow.

The smoking capacitor might have damaged some traces on your mobo. It is even possible that it damaged the power supply, and that one of the voltages is missing.

regards.

In regards to the capacitor, it has been removed, however it left the goo all over the motherboard and I have heard that this can be corrosive. Here are some pics:






Currently the xbox is working fine since linking the two ends with the tin foil. I only have two questions:

1. Is using aluminum foil a fire hazard, or a hazard to any other components?
2. Does the capacitor need to be replaced to maintain normal working operation of the xbox?

[obcd]

1. As long as the foil doesn't touch anything else, you should be fine. I would recommend to replace it by a piece of isolated wire. It will probably have a lower resistance than the foil.

2. You don't need that capacitor. You will only notice that you will need to set the clock when you disconnect the power plug every time.

3. You might remove the stuff that came out of the capacitor. Try something like desinfection alcohol. Or use a contact cleaner spray to remove it. You can dry the pcb afterwards with an air compressor.

regards.

[4real*leb]

1. As long as the foil doesn't touch anything else, you should be fine. I would recommend to replace it by a piece of isolated wire. It will probably have a lower resistance than the foil.

2. You don't need that capacitor. You will only notice that you will need to set the clock when you disconnect the power plug every time.

3. You might remove the stuff that came out of the capacitor. Try something like desinfection alcohol. Or use a contact cleaner spray to remove it. You can dry the pcb afterwards with an air compressor.

regards.

1. Thanks, but how exactly would I join it using a piece of isolated wire? With alligator clips?

2.Actually, the clock settings stay, the only thing that's messed up is that the LED at the front keeps circulating through colors. It never stops, and it only happens half the time.

3. I was thinking of using isoprypol alchohol as I have heard that this is good with electronics.

Thanks for all the help!

[mysticrider92]

1. Thanks, but how exactly would I join it using a piece of isolated wire? With alligator clips?

2.Actually, the clock settings stay, the only thing that's messed up is that the LED at the front keeps circulating through colors. It never stops, and it only happens half the time.

1. You would want to solder the wire, as a permanent fix. If the area was large enough for tin foil, it should be extremely easy.

2. Does it reboot before giving the color error? Is it the same red/amber you talked about before? If you get two reboots then red/amber, there is a *probably* a trace destroyed somewhere, or a splash of something conductive (like the goop inside the capacitor). Clean that up well, and it should work correctly.

[4real*leb]

1. You would want to solder the wire, as a permanent fix. If the area was large enough for tin foil, it should be extremely easy.

2. Does it reboot before giving the color error? Is it the same red/amber you talked about before? If you get two reboots then red/amber, there is a *probably* a trace destroyed somewhere, or a splash of something conductive (like the goop inside the capacitor). Clean that up well, and it should work correctly.

1. Well my soldering skills are ridiculous, but I can have that done easily. Should I use shrink wrap or something to cover it up after it's done?

2. No, it usually happens right after I get an error 11 (dvd drive not found). I have been getting an error 11 8/10 boots, it happened the first time when I forgot to plug in the yellow dvd cable, and then it just kept on happening even after I plugged it back in. It seems like the more I turn it on, the lesser the chance of getting one. The strange part is, I am able to eject my drive at the same time it spits out that error. So basicly, if I'm not getting an error 11 I'm getting the circulating lights. However, without the error 11, everything boots up fine, no reboot twice problem.