Xbox 360 FAQ
What soldering temperature is need for the Xbox 360 ring of light
Using lower temps
Technically you can use soldering irons that are only rated in the 20-30 watts range, and have temps only around 400 degrees F. The soldering temperature needed for Xbox 360 ring of light mods is really only around 350 degrees F. The problem is that when you are soldering on the new LED lights that kind of temperature makes it very hard to prevent something called cold solder joints. Cold solder joints can cause the LED lights to not work and can even cause the RF board to short out.
LED lights matter
There is one way to decrease what soldering temperature you need for an Xbox 360 ring of light. Getting higher quality LED lights make a huge difference. Higher quality means the metal connectors are made from better materials. These materials bond much easier with solder than cheap LED lights. In some cases the LED lights can even have flux added to the connecter materials. Flux is a type of paste that melts upon contact with the solder and mixes with it. This helps prevent cold solder joints and ensures a much stronger bond. The problem is that these types of LED lights are not easily found. Most of what you buy are made from the cheapest possible materials so companies can make as much money as they can from the sale. Luckily Tinker Mods offers LED lights that use a pre-rosin fluxed connector and make it much easier to get good connections when using lower temperature soldering irons!
