The Xbox power supply was making a nasty buzzing sound and arcing whenever mains power was connected. Once I opened it up for a closer look, the trouble was right there at the AC input connector: a cracked solder joint. As if this Xbox hadn’t already given me enough to do!

I was already in the middle of working on the same machine’s TSOP flash, so this became a little power-supply intermission. I added fresh solder to the damaged through-hole joint and got it properly connected again. That stopped the arcing, which was a much nicer result than listening to the thing buzz away.

Mains-voltage power supplies aren’t something to poke around in casually. The supply needs to be disconnected before inspection, and its components can remain charged even after it has been unplugged.

Microsoft also had a broader power-cord replacement programme for some early Xbox consoles, because certain internal electrical failures could create a fire hazard. It’s worth knowing about, but not every Xbox power fault is the same. That programme dealt with a separate issue from the cracked input joint I actually found in this power supply.

Sources