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February 19, 2005
Xbox power cord recall
Apparently Microsoft is recalling 14 million Xbox power cords. What could possibly go wrong with a power cord, you might ask? It's not like making them is some kind of rocket science. Apparently, the problem isn't the power cords but rather the consoles and the power cord is some sort of backup:Why are Xbox replacement power cords needed?
The replacement power cords are designed to protect consumers and their Xbox consoles from rare electrical component failures that can pose a fire hazard.How great is the risk?
Fewer than one in 10,000 consoles have experienced these component failures. In almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console.Does my console require a replacement cord?
If it was manufactured before October 23, 2003, your console requires a replacement cord (except for consoles purchased in Continental Europe, where consoles manufactured prior to January 13, 2004 require a replacement cord). Consoles manufactured after October 23, 2003 (after January 13, 2004 for consoles purchased in Continental Europe) do not require replacement cords because design improvements to the cord and console already protect against the problems that are addressed by the replacement cords.
I wonder what's actually wrong with the Xboxes, and what happens when the internal components fail with the new power cord.
Posted by ekr at February 19, 2005 9:32 PM | Filed under:
Comments
Having just done a fair bit of research on basic electrical stuff, I will guess that internal component failure can potentially cause a near-dead short (a dead short would trip the breaker) and overheat the wire.
"In almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console." The connection between the power cord and console is probably the weakest link - i.e. the connection capable of carrying the least amount of current - external to the box, and thus will be the point generating the most heat. The new cord is probably thicker, and possibly designed to form a better connection with the plug on the back of the box.
$400 worth of componentry in a $200 box, gosh I wonder if they skimped on the power supply a bit...
Posted by: Andrew at February 20, 2005 5:02 AM
Re: X-Box power cables
There's this thing called a 'fuse'.......I suppose that MSFT hasn't heard of them, but they're a current limiting device that's used to break the circuit in the event of a fault, limiting the current flow and potential for damage.
Posted by: Martin Usher at February 22, 2005 12:48 PM
Its a p.s. thing. The older ones don't have the jack riveted to the mb so then it comes loose and intermittent connections.
Posted by: yoyo1212 at February 26, 2005 10:03 AM