Troubleshooting your Xbox 360 Power Supply when the power supply light is red

The light on your Xbox 360 power supply may turn red. This article contains step-by-step instructions to help you to resolve the issue.



The Xbox 360 Power Supply light is red.

When you use the Xbox 360 console, the power supply light changes to red.

This issue occurs when the external power supply has detected a fault. The power supply has several built-in safeguards to help prevent damage to either the console or to the power supply itself. The power supply will turn itself off if one of the following conditions is true:

• There is too much current
• The voltage is too high
• The temperature of the power supply is too high

Under these conditions, the light on the power supply turns red.

Here are some things that you can try to resolve the issue or to determine the cause.

Step 1: Make sure that the power supply is cool

The red light may indicate that the power supply is too hot or that it has already overheated. If the power supply light is red, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that your Xbox 360 console is turned off.
2. Disconnect your Xbox 360 Power Supply from your Xbox 360 console and from the wall socket.
   
   For more information about how to disconnect the Xbox 360 power supply, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   906205  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906205/ ) How to connect and disconnect the Xbox 360 power supply
3. Let the power supply cool for several hours in a well-ventilated space. Do not connect the Xbox 360 power supply to the console or to the wall socket during this time.
4. After the power supply has cooled for several hours, reconnect the Xbox 360 Power Supply to the console and to the wall socket.

If the power supply light is still red, go to step 2.

Step 2: Make sure that the power supply is plugged in correctly

If the power cord is plugged in to an extension cord, a surge protector, or a power strip, the current or voltage that flows through the power supply may not be correct. Make sure that the power supply is plugged directly into a working wall outlet.

Step 3: Plug the power supply into a different wall socket

Try a different wall socket. Ideally, plug the power supply into a wall outlet that is elsewhere in the house.

For more information about how to correctly move the power supply to another wall outlet, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Step 4: Try another Xbox 360 Power Cord and Xbox 360 Power Supply unit

If another Xbox 360 Power Cord and Xbox 360 Power Supply unit is available, try to use them to test the console. If the console now turns on, you will have to replace the faulty power cord and power supply unit. If the console does not turn on, the issue may be with the console itself.

If these steps did not resolve the issue and the Xbox 360 Power Supply light continues to illuminate red, contact Xbox Customer Support to obtain a replacement power supply.To contact Xbox Customer Support directly, please visit the following Web site:

Follow these safeguards to help the power supply work:

• Do not block any ventilation openings in the power supply.
• Do not put the power supply on a bed, on a sofa, or on any other soft surface that may block ventilation openings.
• Do not put the power supply in a confined space, such as a bookcase, a rack, or a stereo cabinet, unless the space is well ventilated.
• Do not put the power supply on a stereo speaker, an amplifier, or a heat source such as a radiator or a heat register.
• Do not use an unlicensed accessory, such as a non-Microsoft replacement power supply or any accessory that plugs in between the Xbox 360 console and the power supply.
• Plug the power supply directly into a working wall outlet. You may have problems if you use an extension cord or a power strip, if the extension cord or the power strip is faulty or cannot supply the required power to the console.

The following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles provide additional information about the different issues that you may have encountered.

For more information about how to connect and disconnect the power supply, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about when the power supply light is orange or when the light is not illuminated, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: