The Xbox power supply was arcing badly whenever mains power was connected.
Once I had it apart, the problem was visible at the AC input connector: a cracked solder joint.
With the console disconnected from mains power and the PSU treated as potentially charged, I resoldered the failed joint with fresh solder.
The arcing stopped.
So “reflow” is not really the best description of what happened here. I repaired a visibly cracked through-hole solder joint at the mains input.
This is also not a universal diagnosis for every original Xbox power fault.
Microsoft separately ran a power-cord replacement programme for early Xbox consoles because rare internal electrical component failures could create a fire hazard. That broader safety issue is useful context, but the cracked input joint shown here is the fault I actually observed and repaired on this particular PSU.
Much better.
And considerably less sparky.
Sources
- Microsoft - Microsoft Announces Power Cord Replacement for Xbox - historical context for Microsoft’s power-cord replacement programme and the broader electrical safety issue affecting some early Xbox consoles.