Tutorial- Modding The Ring Of Light (rol), Primary, Error, and LED Fader 360 Options

[sicknasty413]

In this tutorial, you will learn how to mod your ROL (Ring of Light). You will learn how to replace the stock SMDs (Surface Mount Diode) with any SMD of your choice. You will also learn how to install an LED Fader 360 (a www.sickmods.net product)

Disclaimer- Taking apart your console voids your warranty. I am in no way responsible if you screw up your ROL, burn your hand, or blow up your house.

Tool/Supplies Needed-
Soldering Iron (I use a 15/30w from Radioshack)
Solder (I used Rosin Core/.022dia)
Solder Sponge
SMDs (I use 0603s, but 0805s will work too)
30awg wire
LED Fader 360 (optional)
An R/F Board (ROL)
Some type of small/precision tweezers
Magnifying Glass (optional)
Patience and a steady hand

Where to get SMDs-
www.sickmods.net
www.lsdiodes.com
www.phenoptix.co.uk
www.ebay.com

SMD Polarity-


Modding your ROL

Step 1-
Disassembling your Xbox 360 and removing the RF Board/ROL.
Use this tutorial- Link
Once that's done, take a look at your RF Board/ROL.
-Take off the white plastic thing/light diffuser (there are clips at the bottom and top).
-Unscrew the 3 screws with a T8 screwdriver.
-Unplug the RF Board/ROL (pulls right out)

Step 2-
Desoldering the stock SMDs:
What I recommend is drenching/bathing the SMDs in solder. Heating up this glob will melt the solder on all 3 pads allowing the SMD to come right off. Just deposit the SMD in your sponge. Repeat 5 times.

Step 3-
Prepping the solder pads:
Take your soldering iron and your solder and make a tiny mountain of solder on each solder pad. It is not necessary to put solder on all 3 pads if you're not doing error SMDs.

Step 4-
Soldering in your primary SMDs:
As you may or may not know, you'll be soldering in your SMDs on their "side." (which is why we created little mountains of solder in Step 2). So find your tweezers and carefully, but firmly, grab the top of your SMD. Looking at this picture (you'll be soldering to "G" and "+")-

Position your SMD accordingly. What you want to do is place the SMD right up against your little "mountains" of solder. With this SMD positioned correctly, take your soldering iron and tack one mountain. The solder/mountain should melt and stick to your SMD. Now do the same thing to the other side. Once the SMD is firmly attached, let go of it carefully. Now do this 3 more times.

For the center pad, solder your SMD the way SMDs should be soldered... facing upwards. Basically it involves the same process... but instead of making contact with actual solder, you simply touch down on one side of the SMD. The heat will transfer through the metal to the solder. The solder will melt and create a connection. Now do this with the other side of the SMD.

You may want to test each one! Just plug in your RF Board/ROL and turn your Xbox 360 on.

Pictures-











Step 5-
Soldering in your error SMDs:
Keeping this picture in mind (you'll be soldering to the "R")-

Grab your tweezers and grab the top of your error SMD. Position the error SMD so that the cathode (negative) side is up against your little "mountain" of solder. As you did before, take your soldering iron and touch the little mountain. It'll melt and create a solid connection to your error SMD.

Once that is done, take your 30awg wire. Strip one side. Place it against the "+" solder pad and tack that with your iron. The solder will melt and the wire will now be connected to the "+" solder pad. Now measure out about 1in-1.5in of the wire and cut it. Strip the free end. Prep it with solder and place it against the anode (positive) side of your error SMD. Tack with your iron. The wire should now be connected to your error SMD. Now do this 3 more times!

You may want to test each one! Do this by plugging your RF Board/ROL back in and pulling out the AV cable and turning your Xbox 360 on.

Step 6-
Modifying the light diffuser-
This may or may not be necessary. Take a dremel and some type of sanding/grinding bit and sand away the clear part. But not too much, just enough so that there's sufficient space for your error SMDs.

Pictures-





If you don't plan on installing an LED Fader 360.. then you're done with this tutorial! Hoped it helped! If you do plan on installing an LED Fader 360, then keep on reading!

Installing an LED Fader 360

Step 1-
Disassembling your Xbox 360 and removing the RF Board/ROL.
Use this tutorial- Link
Once that's done, take a look at your RF Board/ROL.
-Take off the white plastic thing/light diffuser (there are clips at the bottom and top).
-Unscrew the 3 screws with a T8 screwdriver.
-Unplug the RF Board/ROL (pulls right out)

Step 2-
LED Fader 360 Placement-
Peel the paper off the back of the LED Fader 360. The sticky stuff is now exposed. Place the LED Fader 360 here-


Step 3-
Prep all pads and points with solder. You need to make sure you know what you want to fade.
-If you want to fade your primary, prep points L1-Green and L2-Green.
-If you want to fade your error, prep points L1-Red and L2-Red.
-Please refer to this diagram-


Step 4-
Now just connect the dots! ..Using wires of course :wink:

Picture of an install fading primary-


Picture of an install fading error-


Videos-
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3

Step 5 (optional)-
Adding LEDs-
It is also important to note that the LED Fader 360 can fade 10 extra LEDs! The LED Fader 360 outputs 3.3v. Just wire the "+" (positive) side of your LEDs to H1. Make sure to use corrector resistance. You can ground your LEDs to any ground point.
Video (thanks to xboxexpert)

Step 6 (optional)-
Adding a switch-
Adding a switch is simple! Just grab yourself an SPST switch and wire it up so that it breaks the connection to the GND (-)

And that's it! Feel free to ask any questions!

*I'd like to give thanks to sickmods.net for the 2 diagrams and picture I used.

Ermm... stupid picture limit. Here are more pictures for the "error" section-





You can also see this tutorial at this link- Link

[darkmike57]

Nice tut, but for errors i find it easier to put the error smd flat and the anode side pointing towards the tactical switch, and using a clipped off led leg to connect the + to the smd. I took that from Grim187.

[TheGOAT99]

Great tut will give this a go sometime soon.

[javaTN]

really nice tutorial sicknasty! i think ill redo my ROL board and put some error SMDs on it... i like it!

thanks for the good info!

[Reece360]

Great tutorial, im sure this will help alot of people, including me!

[G0t M4xx 21]

Nice tut, but you should try using some higher quality solder, a good solder joint should look very smooth and shiny, not rough and dull.



^^^ That's a cold solder joint right there. You can see that the solder has stuck to only one side of the anode pad, it should contact he entire pad.

When I do ROL led's, I'll make a small "hill' of solder (instead of a mountain) on the anode side, and remove all solder from the cathode side of the primary with desoldering braid. That way, when I solder the anode side, I can make the LED sit all the way against the board, since there is no second mountain of solder to get in the way. Then, once the LED is secured on the anode side, I'll solder the cathode.

[javaTN]

the way i have soldered SMDs onto the board is just remove the old ones by adding extra solder... then taking the new ones and heating up the solder and placing it flat on the board... then just hold it down and drag some solder up the side... works like a charm!

[sicknasty413]

Thanks for the feedback fellas!

@ g0t m4xx 21.. yeah. My solder sucks. lol. But pros like me don't need to use the fancy stuff

[G0t M4xx 21]

Hey, we all know M$ uses shitty solder too... *cough* GPU *cough*

[sicknasty413]

^ hahhaa.. see! I have an excuse! I'm not a multi-billion dollar company... or am I

[MickRaider]

I liked this so I added it to the tuts.

[sicknasty413]

^ sweet. Now my life is complete

[popballz]

^ sweet. Now my life is complete

nice tutorial.. i will have to do it one day. well try to do it



if only my life was complete

[waygater]

is there a way to hook up the error lights without using another smd?

[Elliojonhy]

is there a way to hook up the error lights without using another smd?

you can use a multicolor smd (sorry dont know the name) its just like the orginal smd's installed but diffrent colours obivously