If you are a keen gamer and play your playstation 3 for prolonged periods of time then you could be at risk from an overheated console. Overheating is the main reason for the yellow light of death to appear so it is something you need to be aware of. As in most things prevention is better than a cure and this is the same with an overheating ps3. If you are one of the unlucky ones whose ps3 overheats on a regular basis then you should find these fixes of some use.

If your console feels hot all the time then maybe you should consider purchasing an external fan. This will sit snugly on the back of your console and help the internal fan keep the ps3 cool. You may find this to be an easy fix to the problem of an overheating console. If you do not want to buy a fan just yet then maybe you have a laptop fan, just sit your console on this and that should help.

Another way to fix the yellow light of death due to overheating is to place the console near an air conditioning unit. Not right next to it but in the path of the cool air. You will find that this can cool your console down really quickly and have you playing again within the hour. The best thing is there is no extra expense as the air conditioner is on already.

A really simple way to fix the yellow light of death is to check the vents. It is possible that they can become blocked with dust through extended use. If they do become clogged up it is advisable to use a clean dry cloth to wipe the dust away from the vents. This will allow a good circulation of air in and around your console, therefore preventing the console overheating.

Last but not least and my number one ps3 overheating fix is, check where your console is stored during use. Many people keep their playstation 3 in an entertainment unit, while this may look good it can actually contribute massively to the overheating problem. What happens is that you may have a lot of other audio video equipment stored in there to, all of this will produce some heat and before long it gets quite warm in there. The ps3 will be trying to suck in cold air but only getting the warm air and before long the console will give up and display the yellow light of death. If you really want to keep your console in such a unit then I suggest you play with the doors open to allow a good flow of air to the console.

Well hopefully these pointers will make you aware of what causes the playstation 3 to overheat and also give you some ideas how to prevent it. Happy gaming.