PS3 overheating

[Kit]

Oh noes, I’m starting to see some artefacting in GTA IV and MGS 4.

I have my ps3 seated vertically and it’s next to the window so I’m a bit mythed as to how this happened.

I guess there could been some trapped dust restricting the fans but I don’t know where to start to get the thing clean. I’ve seen some guides on how to force dust out of the fans by flipping it on it’s side but they say you can only do this with the 40gb model - I’m using the 60gb.

Worst thing is I've only played 3 games on the bloody thing.

Any advice?

[Strolls]

Warranty return.

Sorry if that isn't the advice you were looking for.

With mine the artifacting was only a very brief symptom - it just started locking up so that you couldn't even boot to the X-menu - and I had to send it back to VG+ in Canada, which obviously turned out to be quite expensive.

But since you've "only played 3 games on the bloody thing" I assume it's under warranty, so I advise you to return it rather than risk opening it & voiding that. From what I've read of others' loud fan & overheating reports changing orientation or moving it to somewhere "cooler" won't make any difference.

[huxley]

use a hoover over the vent holes.

[fahrenheit]

There is a method of using the fans to expell dust, but I only know how it is done on the 40gb units. Youtube should be able to help you.

It basically ramps the fans up to ludicrious speed for 30 seconds.

EDIT: hmmm, the 60gb method seems to involve overheating (making the console think its overheating) and is probably the method you have already read up on.

http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=AcHJzhzUCYk

[BeyondJumpFish]

Worst thing is I've only played 3 games on the bloody thing.

I've only played 3 games on mine too...but thats mainly coz its crap!

I've noticed that if i play it for a good while, my room is hotter then hell! I think it just generates a ridicules amount of heat!

[Kit]

Just bought this.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerplay-USB-Cooling-Fan-Stand/dp/B000PH7RHC/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1215963197&sr =8-12

It was only a tenner so I figure it’s worth a shot.

Warranty return.

Sorry if that isn't the advice you were looking for.

With mine the artifacting was only a very brief symptom - it just started locking up so that you couldn't even boot to the X-menu - and I had to send it back to VG+ in Canada, which obviously turned out to be quite expensive.

But since you've "only played 3 games on the bloody thing" I assume it's under warranty, so I advise you to return it rather than risk opening it & voiding that. From what I've read of others' loud fan & overheating reports changing orientation or moving it to somewhere "cooler" won't make any difference.

Unfortunately I bought my PS3 from eBay and it’s an import so I’m officially boned. Lesson learnt though.

use a hoover over the vent holes.

I’ve got a couple of cans of compressed air so I’ll give that a try later.

Still don’t understand why both the intake and outtake fans are right next to each other. Surely you’d want to keep the two separate so the console isn't taking in exhausted hot air.

[JP]

I've not had any problem with mine overheating yet but I'm hoping that you'll be able to sort yours out.

I have a launch model and use the fans to clear mine occassionally, every few months or so I do it as I can hear the fans working a bit harder over time. I do it a little differently to the person in that video though, I don't bother to heat it up at all and I definately don't recommend blocking the vents with your hand.

I just switch it on as normal then turn it over to the top end but then lay it down on a couple of supports to ensure that there is no obstructions and plenty of airflow. Within a couple of minutes it will reach the highest fan speed, I leave it on that for 10 seconds as it's the same length of time that the proper fan test does it for and then turn back so it's on it's base again and the fans will reset to the slowest speed.

After I've done that it's completely silent while playing games or watching films.

I wouldn't recommend that anybody does this though as it's not an official way to clean out the dust but I've had no problems in 16 months and it's on daily for games, films, music, etc.

I also have rubber dampers on each corner of the base but I do on all my AV equipment to reduce the vibration & noise. It does also mean there is about 1cm of airflow underneath it which may or may not help.

I wouldn't bother with the compressed air really as although it may loosen the dust, blowing it around inside doesn't really resolve anything. I just make sure that the vents are hoovered occassionally when whichever room it is in gets hoovered.

It's playing a CD now about 4 foot away from me in a warm, sunny room and the fan is completely silent when I mute it as I cleared it with the fans about a week ago.

[Kit]

Does dust actually fall out when you do this? I’ve watched a few videos on youtube and there doesn’t seem to be any visual confirmation of it working - I’m not expecting thick black smoke to fall out just something similar to when you clean a graphics card or heatsink.

[JP]

Not sure if there was any visible dust but I've done fairly regularly since getting the PS3, maybe there would be some if you hadn't done it for a while.

Still don?t understand why both the intake and outtake fans are right next to each other. Surely you?d want to keep the two separate so the console isn't taking in exhausted hot air.

It's far from ideal but when you see how much has been squeezed inside the box you it makes more sense why the vents are where they are.

I had a look for a pic for you and found a video of somebody disassembling one. Really not sure why people would video themselves doing that but luckily it does show just how tight things are inside.

[kernow]

hmm, mines getting quite noisy (pal 60GB) but I don't know the best method to clean it really. I guess a hoover sucking it out (when off) might do the job.

[squishyfishy]

It's beyond me how they get the reputation of being the "safe console that doesn't break." I've never had a 360 die on me yet, but my first (euro) 60gb overheated in a well ventilated area and just stopped displaying a picture and making sound. Nothing would fix it.

No worries now though. Sold both my PS3 consoles... and I have a PS2 slim again. Much less hassle. Alot nicer to look at too. Sorry Sony.

PS3 gets a huge PHAIL from me.

[kernow]

Never had a problem with mine, whereas I just won't buy a 360 due to the high and inevitable failure rate.

[angelx]

It's beyond me how they get the reputation of being the "safe console that doesn't break." I've never had a 360 die on me yet, but my first (euro) 60gb overheated in a well ventilated area and just stopped displaying a picture and making sound. Nothing would fix it.

No worries now though. Sold both my PS3 consoles... and I have a PS2 slim again. Much less hassle. Alot nicer to look at too. Sorry Sony.

PS3 gets a huge PHAIL from me.

As much as I like the Xbox you only need to look at the amount of people here who have had a 360 die compared to the amount of PS3s

[Brad]

I had my ps3 die on me. They're not indestructible. The big difference though was that I was able to back up all my game saves and everything and Sony brought a new replacement round to my house for exchange in under 48 hours. I'd bought some songs off the SingStore too and there's a DRM problem when you try to get them again on a new machine. Sony credited me &#163;16 to re-download all the songs again < 12 hours after I contacted them. So, PS3s are not indestructible but they have a MUCH lower failure rate than 360s and Sony make Microsoft's after sales care look laughable.

Sorry to hear of the OP's woes :-(

[Darwock]

I just switch it on as normal then turn it over to the top end but then lay it down on a couple of supports to ensure that there is no obstructions and plenty of airflow. Within a couple of minutes it will reach the highest fan speed, I leave it on that for 10 seconds as it's the same length of time that the proper fan test does it for and then turn back so it's on it's base again and the fans will reset to the slowest speed.

John, what do you mean by "turn it over to the top end"? Do you mean upside down? Horizontal or vertical?

My PS3 always gets noisy now after about 10 minutes (it never used to).. but as it's noisy due to being hot and therefore running at the highest fan speed already I don't quite understand how just turning it over can reset it to the slow speed...