Question CX550M Making High Pitched Noise

[danielhetherington12]

Bought a CX550M a few days ago. When I enter a game, such as War Thunder, it starts making a high pitched noise. I think this may be the copper-coils but I'm not too sure. Does this harm the PSU in any way?

 

[mangaman]

Most likely coil whine from the PSU's fan. It's not harmful in anyway, but can get annoying after awhile.

Two ways to get rid of this problem:

1. RMA the PSU and request another without coil whine.
2. Request a full refund and buy a higher quality PSU, such as the TXm, RM or RMx.

The newer CX gray labeled series are good, but the biggest issue with those PSU's are coil whine. Again not harmful, just annoying.

 

[jonnyguru]

Bought a CX550M a few days ago. When I enter a game, such as War Thunder, it starts making a high pitched noise. I think this may be the copper-coils but I'm not too sure. Does this harm the PSU in any way?

No, it's not harmful. But it can be annoying if you're sensitive to high pitched sounds.

What graphics card are you using?

RMA the PSU and request another without coil whine.

Umm.... It's not like they have a box full of PSUs that don't have coil whine and another box that does have coil whine. They're going to send a new PSU. Not one that they opened up and used whatever graphics card he's using and whatever game he's playing just to make sure the particular unit he gets does not have coil whine. He's going to get what he gets.

Request a full refund and buy a higher quality PSU, such as the TXm, RM or RMx.

Which could also potentially have coil whine.

Here's some examples of high end PSUs that also have had recent coil whine complaints:


https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/owners-of-seasonic-focus-gold-psus-coil-whine.246375/
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...ge-noise-while-in-fanless-silent-mode.249066/
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4760918/all

Not sure who on these forums started this B.S. about coil whine meaning that the PSU is not good quality (I actually had those links ready because someone else made a similar claim as you this morning that I responded to), but it's absolutely incorrect.

Varnishing magnetics alone does not isolate audible noise. Caulk sometimes helps, but it's impossible to get caulk everywhere where there's potentially noise and still isolate ALL noise. Also, the non-conductive/thermally conductive RTV is hella expensive.

The reason I ask what graphics card is used is because CX-M is a double forward topology which uses what's called "hard switching". When you have a high end card like a 2080 Ti or Vega 64, the transient loads from those cards (very high/very fast) causes leakage inductance from the main transformer that manifests itself as a buzzing noise. THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM CAN BE addressed with a "better" power supply as a better power supply uses a softer switching topology like LLC resonant.

But PFC coil, X capacitors, etc.... They can potentially make noise regardless of PSU quality.

 

[mangaman]

Not sure who on these forums started this B.S. about coil whine meaning that the PSU is not good quality (I actually had those links ready because someone else made a similar claim as you this morning that I responded to), but it's absolutely incorrect.

Never said coil whine means a bad PSU. I was just suggesting that a higher quality PSU will have less coil whine, compared to more inexpensive models. He may have gotten a certain model that did not use quality components, hence the high pitched coil whine. There are bound to be some bad apples in Corsair's PSU line up, and not all of them are made 100% equal. Again great PSU, but he might have gotten it from a bad line.

 

[jonnyguru]

Right. Which is incorrect. No level of quality is going to ensure that the user will experience no coil whine. Coil whine does not point to either low quality or "a bad apple".

For some reason, people here think that coil whine and poor or cheaper quality are not mutually exclusive.

 

[danielhetherington12]

Right. Which is incorrect. No level of quality is going to ensure that the user will experience no coil whine. Coil whine does not point to either low quality or "a bad apple".

For some reason, people here think that coil whine and poor or cheaper quality are not mutually exclusive.

I have a Gtx 760, with an i5 2400

 

[jonnyguru]

I have a Gtx 760, with an i5 2400

Then you're fine.

 

[NightHawkRMX]

Coil whine is not dangerous. Annoying, yes.

You usually can rma the psu for coil whine and get another idenical osu which may or may not whine.

If i were you i would ignor it.