A word of warning in this hot weather!

[eASY aDDICT]

Mods may want to make this thread sticky for the period of this hot weather.

I noticed a thread about a dead stepdown earlier and though I should make people aware of using stepdowns.

Xbox in particularly needs powerful stepdowns and I have seen people use some real firehazards in the past to power import consoles.

Make sure you have a GOOD/POWERFUL stepdown for running your consoles and remember to try and turn them off when not using them.

This weather is only making a poor stepdown worse and bad ones normally just melt, with the only warning being a nice plume of blue smoke.

Just a quick reminder to new importers etc...

[Concept]

Good advice.

But... This weather is making playing games right now a bit of a chore full stop. Ah. I'm not digging this level of heat when all I want to do is stay inside and play Viewtiful Joe tonight.

Too hot...

[Taka]

The stepdown I was using is still alive luckily, it was awfully hot though when I unplugged it for inspection.

[huxley]

I did notice the stepdown for my cube was a bit on the warm side last week. Best advice I think would be to unplug it when not in use.

While on the subject of heat my laptop fan only kicks in a few mins before it shuts down any ideas?

[Freddo]

yep, and definitly make sure u dont keep your stepdowns under a pile of dirty washing, thats how i killed one of mine

[Papercut]

yep, and definitly make sure u dont keep your stepdowns under a pile of dirty washing, thats how i killed one of mine

surely most things wouldn't surive that.

[charlesr]

All my consoles are now plugged into an 8way plug gang, with a lit switch, so at the end of every session, I turn them all off. It's easy to spot if I've forgotten, because the switch is really bright.

[Shimmyhill]

I prefer to get the UK spec PSU (GC, N64, SFC) or replace the internal powerboard with a UK spec board (DC etc)

I think the outlay is very much worth the peace of mind, im sure i would forget to switch it off one day and as mentioned they get very hot in these conditions.

[SuperBrother]

One of my cats sits on top of my PS2 & GC stepdowns because they are nice & warm.........................perhaps I ought to start turning them off too.

[SuperBrother]

All my consoles are now plugged into an 8way plug gang, with a lit switch, so at the end of every session, I turn them all off. It's easy to spot if I've forgotten, because the switch is really bright.

That's a good idea, one good quality stepdown and a 2 pin multi gang extension. I've tried Maplins online and can't find one, anyone got any idea where to buy a 2 pin multi gang jobbie?

[tankplanker]

What rating should a xbox stepdown be?

[Square]

That's a good idea, one good quality stepdown and a 2 pin multi gang extension. I've tried Maplins online and can't find one, anyone got any idea where to buy a 2 pin multi gang jobbie?

I think MD may have one. You could try PM'ing him?

[Treble]

Buy the one I have: CLICKY (bottom of the page).

It is fine for the Xbox and has an on/off switch with an LED, so you can tell when it's on. A good piece of kit.

[charlesr]

All my consoles are now plugged into an 8way plug gang, with a lit switch, so at the end of every session, I turn them all off. It's easy to spot if I've forgotten, because the switch is really bright.

That's a good idea, one good quality stepdown and a 2 pin multi gang extension. I've tried Maplins online and can't find one, anyone got any idea where to buy a 2 pin multi gang jobbie?

Nah, it's a normal 3 pin and the stepdowns would be plugged into it too, so that they turn off when the gang is switched off. Except I have sorted UK power supplies, so stepdowns are not used any more.

[MD]

My step down is wired with a standard 13A plug socket, so I can plug in a standard 4 way and use standard figure of 8 leads (very cheap) or unfused shaver adapters for PSUs like the PC Engine Duo R, Megadrive, etc. Simple, my Stepdown rarely gets hot as there isn't enough current being drawn through it...