Please Help!!! Noisy PSU...?

[Comfy]

Hi,

Just bought a new case and the guy threw in a 500w power supply too.

Only had the stuff for a few days but there is a humming noise that is really starting to bug me.
Its not contant, it fades in, last for about 2 seconds then fades out again. Sorta like a pulsating noise.

Have had the side off and am pretty sure it is not a fan or anything but it is so hard to tell where the noise is actually coming from.

Does this sound like the PSU power supply?

Would appreciate any replies at all.
Thanks guys.

Comfy

[Spongebob]

Re: Please Help!!! Noisy PSU...?

If you can't determine where the noise is coming from and you suspect it to be the PSU, simply take the PSU out of the case and listen to it, it should be alot easier to pinpoint the noise then. Or you could just take a pencil or something thin enough to reach through the small fan grids to temporarly stop the blades from turning and check every fan unit you find one making noise. My guess is that its a fan making noise.

[PrairieDawg]

Re: Please Help!!! Noisy PSU...?

Seems to me that one is not supposed to attempt to run a PSU without a load. Not sure what the reasoning is but I always make certain the thing is hooked up before I plug it in.

As Spongebob stated the easiest way to find out if the problem is a fan is to stop the fan with something. This is not without risk as you can easily break a blade. I usually try to put pressure directly on the center of the fan itself with a finger if possible. You do have a chance of buring out the fan motor so try to keep the shutdown time as short as possible.

Humming noises can also come from a harddrive being accessed. It is possible that you are noticing a noise that was present before but the new case is causing it to resonate more than the old one did.

[Comfy]

Re: Please Help!!! Noisy PSU...?

Hey Bob & Dawg
Thanks so much for your replies. PrairieDawg - you helped me on another post too and I appreciate that!

Anyway, found out the problem... this is crazy.

I have 2 hard drives...tried unplugging the power to 1 and the humming stopped.
JHust out of curiousity, I plugged it back in and unplugged the other instead - the humming stopped.

But... both running at once and the hum was there.

Solution... moved both the drives closer to each other in the case and the humming is gone.

Weird - but good. :-)

Thanks again chaps!
Comfy

[Darthtanion]

Re: Please Help!!! Noisy PSU...?

Reason... Vibration. You can get some cushion material to put between the side of the drive and the case to help this problem in the future. Glad you got it squared away.