Nyko Intercooler scorches Xbox 360 consoles?

We've seen our fair share of products that aren't exactly "as advertised," but it seems that Nyko's Intercooler might actually up the stakes by accomplishing the complete opposite of what it's intended to do. While the Xbox 360 has experienced a good bit of "technical difficulties" in its short life, the Intercooler accessory was hailed as a product that nixed the seemingly widespread overheating issues; however, new reports are suggesting that the device "steals too much power" from the oh-so-needy innards of Microsoft's console, leading to eventual failure of the components. It was noted that the Intercooler can even elicit "brown discoloration" around the system's AC input before users are faced with the ominous red ring, and if this tale-tell sign is witnessed by RMA processors, your return becomes null and void for using an "unlicensed peripheral." Although Nyko respectfully defends its questionably useful product, Microsoft doesn't appear to lend the same appreciation -- but regardless, there's still a few (unofficial) methods left to ensure your Xbox 360 stays below the boiling point, cool?

[Via digg]

[rokorre @ Oct 27th 2006 11:31AM]

wow and i was going to buy one of these today . . . dodged a bullet there

[ryan @ Oct 27th 2006 11:38AM]

same here...

[Jeff @ Oct 27th 2006 11:55AM]

Either I slept through physics or MS is making up excuses. Thats like saying if you have the 360 plugged into a power strip that the other devices on the strip are going to draw too much power away from the 360. I dont own a 360 but unless it has an external power supply (between the wall and the Nyko device) you can use high school physics will disprove this hands down.

[Sean @ Oct 27th 2006 12:25PM]

That's exactly how it works. The power supply is in the "brick", which the intercooler sits between it and the console. And I can atest to the brown scorching. When I finally pulled the unit off, it was stuck to the 360. The plastic in the power slot had melted to the 360. When I pulled it off it broke off the black square from the 360. Damn Nyko. Oh well, 360 still works, I just hope I don't have to send it back in the future.

[Bhaughbb @ Oct 27th 2006 12:46PM]

Your example wold be valid if this device plugged in BEFORE the power was converted to the precise amount that was designed to power the 360, by drawing the power afterwards it'll change the calibrated power levels, and my add fluctuations and spikes that were being filtered out causing issues.

[dave @ Oct 27th 2006 11:56AM]

its just a scapegoat

[Smithy NZ @ Oct 27th 2006 5:23PM]

not its not http://forums.xbox.com/7106682/ShowPost.aspx

[Jeremy Smith @ Oct 27th 2006 12:03PM]

I bought one of these in a bundle at Sam's club. Hooked it up and got instant red ring. It didn't seem to hurt anything. I would have returned it, but the bundle came with 4 rechargable batteries and a plug-in charger. Intercooler went in the garbage.

[David Lee Mirenic @ Oct 27th 2006 2:17PM]

My red light went on when I plugged the Intercooler in too. The reason the light was on was because I didn't push the cooler in hard enough to make the connection. I just readjusted it and the light went away and I've been using it every day since. After reading this article I am thinking about getting rid of it. I wish the 360 had a blade that would tell you what temperature your machine is running and hom much resources it's using at any given moment.

[Paul @ Oct 27th 2006 12:06PM]

Its weird - I have a launch console and dont have any issue with how hot it gets (its hot but not like some people describe) or noise. Weird...

[Rex @ Oct 27th 2006 1:23PM]

Same here. I bought a second shipment 360 and have had no problems at all. It is quite in comparison to my laptop which is always on in my living room anyway and I have never had any of the overheating issues.

[Jeff @ Oct 27th 2006 12:37PM]

Then it makes a little more sense. But with this excuse then they are admitting to under engineering the device. If I decide to hook up a few USB devices why doesn't that interfere with the rest of the devices power? From the article it is saying that the device would power any USB devices so is there an internal power supply too? If so, what an under engineered piece of crap.

[Jim @ Oct 27th 2006 12:27PM]

I use the Pelican fan stand and have not had any problems. It plugs into the rear USB and uses pwer from it. The back of the connector has a pass through for another USB device, such as the Vision.

[Bhopal84 @ Oct 27th 2006 12:30PM]

WTF?

I got one of these a couple of days after I picked up my 360, and after reading about all of the Ring of Death catstrophes.

what should I do...

a. Take off the Intercooler and run the risk of letting my 360 fry on it's own.

or

b. Leave it on and let it "lead to the eventual failure of the components."

I'm gonna go meditate and hope the answer comes to me.

[Ryan @ Oct 27th 2006 4:54PM]

Bhopal84 - I would stay away from the Nyko product if I were you for 2 reasons:

1. Most consoles do not have an overheating problem to begin with.
2. If you do by chance have an overheating problem, MS will fix it for you. If your Intercooler messes up your system though, it voids the MS warranty because it is a 3rd-party product.

[hesh @ Oct 27th 2006 12:38PM]

I have one these. Used it with my launch console and it seemed to help the heat issues but the console eventually died and I had it replaced. Used it with the new console for a little bit and it would constantly crash and give me the ring of death. I stopped using it and the new console has been rock solid. I've stopped using the Intercooler.

[Bizzle @ Oct 27th 2006 12:40PM]

good thing I have this on my Xbox

[LandMineHare @ Oct 27th 2006 12:55PM]

I've had an intercooler for a few months, and I just took if off to check. I didn't notice any brown scorching.

[John Cane @ Oct 27th 2006 12:57PM]

Same, I have had my 360 since launch and never had a problem- knock on wood- All I know is that you need space for your 360.

[Brad @ Oct 27th 2006 1:19PM]

I didn't have any scorching after a months use, however, it was casuing my console to overheat and crash.

At first I thought I may have purchased a faulty xbox360, but after removing the Intercooler everything works flawlessly again.

[Mad Dick Bones @ Oct 27th 2006 1:25PM]

i had some annoying overheating issues with my launch 360 (usually only if i had been playing for more than 3 hours straight) so I bought one of these guys. I thought it helped, althought it didn't completely solve the freezing problem (I'd still have to deal with it once in a hwile, but not nearly as often). It's been in my 360 since August and I just took it out now, luckily with no problems. I wish I could send mine in and have it switched out for one of the upgraded 360s. I'd be pretty surprised if it didn't die within the next year.

[mb @ Oct 27th 2006 1:27PM]

Why should a 360 need additional cooling at all?

Do you put fans in your DVD player or tivo?

There are some serious design flaws if this kind of thing is necessary.

[Blizz419 @ Oct 27th 2006 3:40PM]

you cannot compare an xbox 360 to a dvd player or tivo lol, do either of those have 3 core procescor each core @3.2 GHz, a powerful GPU, 512MB of RAM, there was no logic to your statement, the 360 is probably more powerful than your computer and crammed into a much smaller case

[mb @ Oct 27th 2006 3:59PM]

My point is, that it is a consumer electronics device, and as such, should have been designed to adequately deal with the amount of heat it produces REGARDLESS of what they decided to put in it.

[Blizz419 @ Oct 28th 2006 12:33PM]

you do realize mb that less than 3% of the launch systems had this problem, and much less if any at all now, so this problem is not as wide spread as the internet makes it out to be, i bought mys sytem in March and never had any problems at all, and i'm willing to bet there will be a higher rate of problems with the PS3.

[Christian @ Oct 27th 2006 1:31PM]

I'll just wait for an official licensed product from Madcatz.

My console is still running good even though it's in a shelf with adequate air. I even replace the case voiding the warranty and it's still running good (maybe the case having a window on the side helps allow more air to cool the sytem down)

[Justin @ Oct 27th 2006 1:36PM]

I've kind of wondered about the physics of this thing. Ignoring the "frying" aspect reported here (which I've heard anecdotes about; enough to scare me off getting one for a while and instead spent the money on the MS extended warranty-- figured if the 360 dies TOO badly I'd eventually get a newer, cooler one in exchange ;) ) how do 3 more fans, in parallel, interact with the 2 fans already on the unit? Does it really improve airflow, or does it just do weird things and create vortexes between the internal fans and the Intercooler?

Seems like having something providing airflow IN would work better-- not sure how the Pelican fan stand works but if it pushes air IN, it seems like it'd be more like what you always are supposed to do with a PC.

[Peet @ Oct 27th 2006 1:58PM]

Well it says that it sucks the air out. I dunno how much it really helps, but I have had one on a second shipment 360 and haven't had any problems with freezing, even with extended hours playing. Also doesn't keeping the power brick off the ground and cool have something to do with the problems that so many launch xbox's had?

[jabbertrack @ Oct 27th 2006 2:00PM]

If you look at the series of small hole vents on top of a 360 in 'lying down' position you will see the easiest way to get your 360 to overheat. Cover them up.

Go ahead... start a game then put something like a game box over the right side set of holes and watch the polygons start to tear and the textures start to pixelate. Then remove it and watch the problem go away.

Really the 'problem' with the 360 is that it requires a bit more care than just putting it wherever in your entertainment system... possibly with something sitting on top of it.

PS3 design is pretty uncanny because it prevents people from confining it in ways they should not.

[Christian @ Oct 27th 2006 2:08PM]

I'll just wait for an official licensed product from Madcatz.

My console is still running good even though it's in a shelf with adequate air. I even replace the case voiding the warranty and it's still running good (maybe the case having a window on the side helps allow more air to cool the sytem down)

[tk. @ Oct 27th 2006 2:34PM]

WHAT ABOUT THE FLUX CAPICATOR? HAS ANYONE WONDERED ABOUT THAT?

HUH?

[Matt @ Oct 27th 2006 2:48PM]

It's totally true, I had one of these, but it took too much power. My 360 would randomly shut down in out of the blue, after it did it like 4 times I took it off and my 360 has never done it again. Good thing I took it off.

[Jon @ Oct 27th 2006 3:21PM]

I have used the Intercooler for months, and I have no problems, I checked for the scorching, and there is none.

[Andrew @ Oct 27th 2006 3:23PM]

I own an Intercooler, and damned if it didnt Fawk up my 360.

For the first month I had it, everything was fine and dandy, and in fact, i was even haappier because I found when the console was charging my controller and not powered on, the fans would stay on the intercooler, thus cooling off the unit even when not in use.


Then one day, my system just shut down, no warning, nothing. I checked everything, and saw that my power supply light had changed from yellow to red.

After contacting Microsoft support, They advised that I remove the intercooler, and tested the 360 after it had cooled down. Regardless, they sent me a new power supply, and I sent the old one back. With this new Power Supply, I had no issues whatsoever.... until after the first week. Red Ring of Light and everything people.


I actually took the advice of the tech support representative and took the intercooler off the back of my system, let it cool down, and tried it again. I havent had any problems since, and this was 6 months ago.


The intercooler, while being a good idea to cool a console that cannot be in an open area, also has its cons to it. It causes the power supply to overheat, and eventually WILL cause system failure. If you choose to use it, keep your eyes on it.

[Bill @ Oct 27th 2006 3:46PM]

I was talked into buying one of these by Gamestop when I got my 360 in the spring. I even bought one as a gift for my brother. We used ours until a few days ago when this news broke. Now we have $50 worth of paperweights. That's because I'm fully convinced from reading these posts, and my own experience, that these fans cause more problems than they solve.

In a way though, this is Microsoft's fault. The launch systems had such well known problems with overheating that we all believed add-on cooling made sense. That's why I bought this. I thought I was protecting my investment from damage. Turns out my xbox is probably fine on its own (it's not a launch system), and this cooler is poorly designed anyway.

I think the biggest problem with this cooler is it makes a poor electrical connection to the Xbox. I've had red lights of death and solved them by shutting down, re-seating the connections, then restarting. I suppose this poor connection is why some people face scortching issues, and why the circuitry inside the box gets fried at times.

In any case, I'm not using this cooler ever again. If the XBox overheats, Microsoft can fix it.

[Humberto J Correa @ Oct 27th 2006 4:10PM]

mine depens where I put it works but most of the time it heat my xbox360 to the max

[Blizz419 @ Oct 27th 2006 4:18PM]

only 3% of early shipments had any of these problems, much less than that now if any, i bought my 360 in March and never had any problems at all

[Robotron @ Nov 6th 2006 3:31PM]

So you believe everything MS tells you?
There is no way that 3% number is true. Every 360 owner I know had problems....well except for one guy. 1 out of 7 isn't good.
I waited over 6 weeks to get my first 360 replaced because of the backlog of faulty consoles being shipped to MS. It took them 2 weeks just to verify that they got my system (I had the delivery date from the courier).

Never trust a corporations own numbers, never trust a woman to tell you her weight either.
MS once tried to convince us their OS didn't require defragging either (it was even a propoganda question on their certification exams).....but we knew better.

[Smithy NZ @ Oct 27th 2006 5:23PM]

The issue is the connection between the console and the "intercooler" getting loose, cratering sparking. See this post http://forums.xbox.com/7106682/ShowPost.aspx note the date, this is old news.

[bornwitit559 @ Oct 27th 2006 5:24PM]

I have a 2nd shipment 360 w/ the new version of the intercooler *the one without the on/off switch* my xbox used to get hot to the touch even with the pelican stand, this product works hands down. Not every single unit is bad just like not everyone gets the "3 rings of death" and I'm fully confident I won't on my system and I plan on leaving the intercooler on, it works!!!! The xbox is cool to the touch and games seem to run smoother than with the pelican stand. Sure the power connection is plastic but if you push it in all the way it sits perfect and it's not like it's going to fall out... if you read the xbox forums there are many people who are still happily using this product like myself.

[mike @ Oct 27th 2006 5:49PM]

this thing is so dead when Wii comes out... puthetic

[neverplay @ Oct 27th 2006 6:23PM]

My intercooler just melted the whole power plug on the back of my 360. This just happened 2 days a go. I wish this story had come up sooner.

My Warranty is now VOID. Great.

This product is garbage and the company is now dead to me.

[consoleguy @ Oct 28th 2006 6:37PM]

Ever considered how weak or poorly designed the xbox 360 is? Is the power brick on xbox 360 that weak that it can not handle 3 small fans? If that is the case, don't you think you should be careful to add anything to the USB? Wireless adapter? Pelican fan stand is a complete useless piece of cooling device. Save yourself money and do not promote that useless items. NYKO is an American company and they have strict rules which they have to follow. Unlicensed product warning can be applied to a fly-by-night company. Microsoft is just unhappy that they are not profiting off intercooler. If they license the intercooler, it would meant they are admitting to overheating of the xbox 360. A newer hardware design of xbox 360 is coming in 2007. Yes, they have mentioned that this new designed 360 will be cooler. Intercooler works by increasing air flow in confined spaces and does something which microsoft failed to do. Make the xbox 360 work better.

Maybe when Playstation 3 is on the market, microsoft can learn to make a better hardware. Not rush out an incomplete product.

For die hard Microsoft fanboys/girls, get ready to pay for incomplete games. Buy now, get the fix/patch later.

[Blizz419 @ Oct 28th 2006 11:12PM]

wow you really think trhe PS3 is gonna have less problems lol, its funny how almost eveybody forgot about the problems with the PS2 which were more widespread than the 360's issues, and with blu-ray and cell, it is bound to have even more problems, its funny out of all the pathetic console fanboys out there the Ps3 sony fanboys are the most pathetic

[shooterfan @ Oct 29th 2006 8:31PM]

interesting. I have had it since Nyko put it out and have never seen a problem. If anything, it definetly cooled down the 360 drastically. On another note if you guys have iyour 360 connected directly to a wall jack than your really screwing your xbox period. That may be the cause of all these problems with them. If you don't have a surge protector ( recommend Monster products ) to clean the voltage out and separted it efficiently, than your going to 'cause problems with any electronic device you own. The reason being is that everyday you get spikes of surge throughout your house, anytime you turn on the light for instance will give you a spike every time. This is what 'cause alot of electronics to fail. GET A SURGE PROTECTOR, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!!!
...and knowing is half the battle.

[Daniel @ Oct 30th 2006 6:43AM]

Holy s**t I wish I knew sooner. I bought an an xbox 360 2 weeks ago cos I was fed up with the ps3 delay in europe. I bought the new intercooler (the one without the on/off switch) from the same place and in the first week I got the rings of death. I thought it was the power cable being a bit loose from the intercooler but I turned it back on and it was fine.

I think ill take mine off, better now than never and if the console is still in good condition and it burns out naturally than at least it shouldn't be void and Microsoft can replace it.

Ironic that Ive had the playstation 2 since 2000 and not once has it had a single problem with overheating, crashing etc. I think ill buy a ps3 and get rid of the 360, I heard a rumour that every ps3 had a 10 year life expectancy and now Id be surprised if my 360 has a 1 year life expectancy.

[RoundeRx54 @ Nov 1st 2006 1:04AM]

Mine works just fine. I don't think engadget even did a test. This is purely speculation....

[Matt @ Nov 6th 2006 12:45PM]

I just got red lights while playing my 360 last night. Removed the intercooler and I have the brown frying on the supply. And the power plug was pretty hot. I let it cool off for a while and plugged in my system without the intercooler. All worked well.

It does happen.

[RipMa @ Dec 12th 2006 2:29PM]

I just bought a cooling station made from Intec and it works great. It has its own adapter where it uses its own power and not from your 360. Its stands it up in an upright position and has two quiet fans blowing air into the 360 from the bottom. So I say anything that has to be powered by the 360 is not good.

[Brian @ Jan 7th 2007 8:32AM]

If you use intercooler fans connect them to an external power supple.
remove intercooler,remove the three small screws around the socket,lift up the socket and cut the fan leads as close as possible to the socket
without damaging the other leads,replace the socket.drill a small hole
near the top corner for the power supply leads and conect {Brown/POS
Grey/NEG}...A 1amp 12volt power supply,the fans will run on 6/9volt a with a lot less noise,depending on the amount of air you move.Try this if you won't to use the fans....Brian