Help with 360 power cable(step down unit?) required.

[fieldgeneraluk]

Sorry if this question has been asked before on here guys but I need to know what the score is with the power lead that supplies the 360??

I've been told 2 conflicting stories.....
You may have seen my other post (re:importmadness.co.uk) and I was told off them that I could use the step down unit that I already have for my exisiting original ntsc x-box that I've had for a good couple of years.......

but...........

When I contacted microsoft(x-box) direct here in the UK last week they have informed me that the power lead connection is totally different and that my x-box one won't fit!

Anyway as I'm still waiting on my bloody console to be delievered I could do with knowing off one or two of you experts on here what the truth is?

Will it or won't it fit? and if not can anyone recommend a quality step down unit that will fit my new 360 console when it arrives?

Info on the name,model,price and where to perchase the step down unit would be great.
Also will I need to set it myself to a certain output or can you still get sealed step down units like the one I have for my U.S. (X-box which I can't manually change as there's no dial to turn on it to tinker with the voltage)??

Any help would be greatly appricated.

thanks in advance,Mark.

[andrewfee]

The 360 uses an external power supply, and draws 203 watts. One end is a custom pin that goes into the back of the machine, and a "kettle plug" style cable goes into the other to get power from the mains.

I've got a PAL machine and it's only 200-240v, so I would imagine a US machine to be 100-120v, so you'd need a step-down capable of doing 203 watts. (most likely 250 or 300)

[Cuber001]

the 360 uses a greater wattage to run the console. So i am guessing that it will not work.

[Edame]

I think the MS person has misunderstood what you were asking. Sounds like they thought you wanted to put a US plug into a UK socket. If your stepdown takes a US plug then I can't see why it wouldn't work, unless the 360 draws more power than the stepdown can handle as others have said.

I bought a monster of a stepdown (300W i think) for my xbox from Maplins but I can't see that same version on their website any more.

[Spatial]

If the Maplin one isn't around any more, try this one

http://www.eurobatteries.com/sitepages/description3.asp?id=2112&cat=Power%20Adaptors

I got it for my 360 and heartily recommend it (and the service by Eurobatteries was pretty good too).

That said, you might not need a stepdown. I've been told that if you use a UK powerbrick (and obviously the UK leads as well) then it'll work fine. I've yet to try this myself though as I'm still trying to get MS to give me a UK brick

[fahrenheit]

I've read multiple reports of 300w stepdowns not being up to the task. One person destroyed two in a row, one within half an hour of use. Glowing white hot apparently. Get 500w minimum like Spatial101's.

[Iori]

Hey Cuber (or anyone else in Oz...), do you know a decent step down to get and where from (somewhere like Dick Smith perhaps...)?

My 360 is almost here, and I still don't have one that's up to the task...

[Pavey]

Spatial,how is your step down? No problems?

Also has anyone managed to source a uk PSU,official or not,for an NTSC 360?

[Spatial]

Still working fine with no problems

I still haven't got around to pestering Microsoft for a UK supply. I emailed them about one and they said to phone Customer Support to arrange it. When I tried I was kept on hold for an absolute age (about 30 - 40 minutes).

In the end I just gave up but will try again at some point.

[Cuber001]

Hey Cuber (or anyone else in Oz...), do you know a decent step down to get and where from (somewhere like Dick Smith perhaps...)?

My 360 is almost here, and I still don't have one that's up to the task...

yep i just walked in and bought the one that dick smith sells. its a digitor 500w step down. it was $179. good buy and works a treat!

[Mofoman]

Thanks for the link to euro batteries Spatial, you just saved me a fortune on a 500 watt stepdown, and hopefully I will now be playing my jap 360 on Monday or Tuesday.

[Sane]

I just received my US 360 and unfortunatly I didn't know it it has such a high wattage. After searching a bit I found this thread but I'm still unsure on which step down to get. Will the 300w one from Maplin's be ok or should I go with the 500w one? If the 300w will do the job I'd much prefer that one really, since it's smaller and a lot cheaper.