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How to Do LED Mods on an XBox

Despite the console's cutting edge graphics and extensive game library, many Xbox 360 owners decide to take their gaming experiences a step further and customize their machines. Many of these modifications decorate the console's outer casing or modify gameplay. Others modifications change the look of the controller. One such controller mod is the addition of LED lights under the lettered option buttons (A,B,X,Y). Adding the LED lights not only illuminate the buttons, but add an inherent "coolness" factor to the gaming experience.

Things You'll Need

15-watt soldering iron
Solder
Glue gun
Wire stripper
Phillips head screwdriver
Pliers
Electric drill
X-Acto knife
30 AWG wiring
Resistor
Surface mounted LED lights

Instructions

- 1
  Click the tab on the rear of the controller to remove the battery compartment and set aside. Use the screwdriver to remove all the screws on the controller's backside (one screw should be located underneath the battery compartment; you may have to remove the sticker to gain access to the screw). Pry the top shell from the controller and set aside.
- 2
  Remove the colored button casings from the inside of the controller. Select one button to work on first. Turn the button casing upside down and gently grasp the sides of the button with the pliers. Insert the drill bit into the underside of the button and drill in a circular motion to reduce the size of the four plastic pegs.
- 3
  Continue to drill inside the button to completely remove the pegs (you'll have to empty the plastic shavings from inside the casing often). Once the insides of the casing is relatively smooth, use the X-Acto knife to cut a small notch on the side of the casing to create a route for the AWG wire.
- 4
  Heat the soldering iron. Bend the long metallic strand underneath the light (the leggings) to a 90-degree angle. Cut about a three-inch strip of AWG wire and use the wire stripper to expose the workable wire underneath. Solder the wire to the end of one of the LED legs by applying a small bit of solder to end of the iron, then press the tip of hot solder into place. Cut away and discard the remainder of the unused leg.
- 5
  Insert the LED light into button casing and fill the casing with glue. Insert the blunt end of the X-Acto knife into the button to mash the light into place, then wipe away any glue residue. Twist the AWG wires together into one length.
- 6
  Solder the remaining end of the wire onto the corresponding grey/black pad on the control board underneath where the button would normally rest (i.e. the yellow Y button sits in the 12 o' clock position). Allow to cool before continuing to prepare the remaining buttons in the same manner as the first.
- 7
  Reassemble the controller in the reverse order once all soldered joints have cooled. Power up your Xbox 360 console to check to see if the LEDs illuminate; if not, disassemble the controller to re-solder the joints again.

Xbox 360