Topic: Red Lights = Design Flaw (Read 800 times)

Taher · « **Reply #180 on:** April 15, 2007, 05:30:00 AM »

I do a little mod for keep 4 RAM chips under the board, cooler.
I used a piece of thick paper and placed it in front of fans to pull more air from under the board and keep RAM chips in better temperature.
See pictures (sorry for low quality) :
http://nextgen.ir/pic/ramcool1.jpg
http://nextgen.ir/pic/ramcool2.jpg
Do you think this mod is really help to cool down RAM chips ?!
Cheers

ferrari_rulz_02 · « **Reply #181 on:** April 15, 2007, 05:30:00 AM »

QUOTE(Taher @ Apr 15 2007, 09:01 PM)

I do a little mod for keep 4 RAM chips under the board, cooler.
I used a piece of thick paper and placed it in front of fans to pull more air from under the board and keep RAM chips in better temperature.
See pictures (sorry for low quality) :
Picture 1
Picture 2
Do you think this mod is really help to cool down RAM chips ?!
Cheers

sounds like a good idea....but it don't think it will pull much air from under the board.

Taher · « **Reply #182 on:** April 15, 2007, 08:04:00 AM »

QUOTE(ferrari_rulz_02 @ Apr 15 2007, 03:07 PM)

sounds like a good idea....but it don't think it will pull much air from under the board.

Thank you.
I want to measure temperature difference between two situation (with and without paper).
If I succeeded then post results here.

stoopidmnkey · « **Reply #183 on:** April 15, 2007, 11:22:00 AM »

QUOTE(dokworm @ Feb 28 2007, 03:24 AM)

The problem is that it is way beyond the tolerance these things are manufactured to to expect that you get a perfect alignment of force, the slightest bit out and you have an untenable situation.

It is a design flaw as the motherboard area around the CPU and GPU absolutely should be screwed through to the case (via pegs/standoffs) to keep that area of board flat as a tack.
With the heat and airflow on that thing, a single pressure point clamp, and a motherboard only secured via the corners is a recipe for disaster.

A simple design with the mobo secured to the case at the four points around the perimeter of both the CPU and GPU solves the problem. It is just poor design.

Mine is still glitch free so far.
To be clearer it is a combination effect of the x clamp system *and* the motherboard effectively floating that combines to cause the problem.
I can't believe they didn't really lock the mobo down to the case similar to a PC, especially on something designed to run vertically.

Would this cause you to get the overheating error message of #1 & 3 lights? I am getting it and already replaced the thermal paste with Arctic Silver 5 and it let me play for about an hour, now the error lights again.

Taher · « **Reply #184 on:** April 15, 2007, 11:52:00 AM »

QUOTE(stoopidmnkey @ Apr 15 2007, 08:59 PM)

Would this cause you to get the overheating error message of #1 & 3 lights? I am getting it and already replaced the thermal paste with Arctic Silver 5 and it let me play for about an hour, now the error lights again.

check for space between heatsink and cores. maybe after replacing thermal paste, heatsinks aren't tight enough on gpu, cpu or both of them.

RBJTech · « **Reply #185 on:** April 15, 2007, 04:48:00 PM »

QUOTE(Taher @ Apr 15 2007, 12:01 PM)

I do a little mod for keep 4 RAM chips under the board, cooler.
I used a piece of thick paper and placed it in front of fans to pull more air from under the board and keep RAM chips in better temperature.
See pictures (sorry for low quality) :
Picture 1
Picture 2
Do you think this mod is really help to cool down RAM chips ?!
Cheers

There is a lot of heat under the board - I have a hole cut in the case and a fan extracting air.

IPB Image

There is a contant flow of 'warm' air from the fan - meaning that is is cooling something ! I expect that the RAM attached to the case and under the CPU/GPU is creating the most heat.

As you've identified, the fans are low enough to suck air from beneath the board, but i'm not sure if this is by design or if that's the only way they could get the fans in ..

There are vents in the case, so maybe ?

With your mod, I would be wary of taking the air flow from the main heatsinks - you will also be creating a fair bit of extra noise with the air divider that close to the fan blades...

lawdawg0931 · « **Reply #186 on:** April 15, 2007, 07:34:00 PM »

Hey RBJTech,
Do you have a mod written out for that botton fan? Where do you hook into power & how much. Also been thinking about making "feet" to get some airflow under...what'd you use? Thanks

ferrari_rulz_02 · « **Reply #187 on:** April 15, 2007, 07:36:00 PM »

QUOTE(RBJTech @ Apr 16 2007, 08:55 AM)

thats a better idea. just a pitty that there is no real way of making it look great....

i think having the fan there would be more effective too

Taher · « **Reply #188 on:** April 16, 2007, 03:08:00 AM »

Thank you, RBJTech

I saw your cooling mods before and those mods are really great but I have problem with cutting that metal case ! that is really hard for me because I don't have appropriate tools

Also, I made 12V Fan mod on the FANs and that make a lot of noises and this paper piece doesn't really make extra noises. at least with huge FAN noises, I can't hear any more sound from inside of the console !
How you can cut that metal case in that way ? are you using standard drill ?
Thanks again for your help and concern

RBJTech · « **Reply #189 on:** April 16, 2007, 03:32:00 AM »

QUOTE(Taher @ Apr 16 2007, 09:39 AM)

Thank you, RBJTech

I saw your cooling mods before and those mods are really great but I have problem with cutting that metal case ! that is really hard for me because I don't have appropriate tools

Also, I made 12V Fan mod on the FANs and that make a lot of noises and this paper piece doesn't really make extra noises. at least with huge FAN noises, I can't hear any more sound from inside of the console !
How you can cut that metal case in that way ? are you using standard drill ?
Thanks again for your help and concern

Yep - drill lots of small holes then cut through them and punch out the centre - the file it all flat. A PITA to do tbh - unless you have the tools then don't even attempt it ...

12v fans ok cool - shouldn't have any issue with airflow then ..

PS - for maximum under board cooling using your mod - then I would also block the ends of the airguide, as that will be the easiest open path for the air to be sucked in and not from under the board, by blocking it, you force the air to come from under the board via the vent holes ..

Taher · « **Reply #190 on:** April 16, 2007, 08:56:00 AM »

OK, I'll block that ends.
Thank you for your attention

dcfcforever · « **Reply #191 on:** May 08, 2007, 02:07:00 PM »

I need a little advice here

My 360 went for repair 3 months ago and came back working fine up untill last week. I got my xbox back again today and within 10 minutes games are freezing.

The first time my 360 broke it was freezing and occasionally it had 3 red lights and it worked fine for 3 months.

Now its back it plays for 5 minutes then freezes and every restart after that it freezes at the boot up, red lights at all yet

Does this sound like an x-clamp problem and would replacing them solve it?

Thanks

aerodigital · « **Reply #192 on:** June 05, 2007, 07:26:00 PM »

QUOTE(fahrenheit @ Mar 1 2007, 11:03 PM)

@Elemino -

You have to factor in the quality of the PCB that is used to produce the 360 motherboards. Its poor. Some PC motherboards cost more than the 360 itself and are of far higher quality componentry. The 360 is a high volume, mass produced product that is made as cheaply as possible because it is made at a loss to the supplier (MS).

You aren't comparing apples with apples.

I couldnt agree more. I have a WHOPPING P4 Copper core heatsink i modded on to my X800GTO on my pc. No problems as long as i circulate the heat. It makes perfect sense. I just read the pdf for the 3rlod and it sounds like it could work, but risky. Everyone who has done the project doesnt seem to have many "theories" but more concrete info. I am looking to get this fix rolling within a week. Ill post will my info as well on the results forum.

Mikekay1976 · « **Reply #193 on:** June 07, 2007, 03:38:00 PM »

Hi

looks like a great thread thansk people for all the hard work, esp for the main man RBJTech, for the last week my 360 has been crashing a lot and now i have the 3 rings..... if i let it cool off i can power a game for liek 5 mins before it hangs and then i get the 3 rings again.

Please.... a quick question if someone doesnt mind.........is it worth firing up my unit with the lid of and a wacking big house fan blowing on it to make sure heat is the issue or will the warping still occur?

this is partly to make sure its worth my buying the bits for the mod (i need a torx 6 screwe driver as well) and partly becasue i want to get back to dead rising and cant get anywhere to buy the bits till Saturday.

but i dont want to damage anything more than it already is.

PS i wonder if there is a market for a modding kit package with the correct screws/nuts for the heatsink (yes i know there is a pack for this) but also bundled with the ram sinks, the heat pads, and the uprated rear fans.

anyways thanks for reading.......

M.

Mikekay1976 · « **Reply #194 on:** June 11, 2007, 01:37:00 AM »

Well fingers crossed this seems to have worked......

i did the x clamp removal as well as improving my internal airflow whilst i was in there. Before it wouldnt last more than 5 mins without freezing and then following up with the ring of death, however its since been solid for around 7 hrs of gaming.....

the M$ standard heatsink compund seems very poor, it looks almost like a liquid rubber.... hopefully the arctic silver will do the job a little better

Many thanks

M.

<ps have posted on the poll>

Author Topic: Red Lights = Design Flaw (Read 800 times)