Question Issue about power supply (i think)

mat1995

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Sep 16, 2019
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Hello

I´ve recently built a pc and while things are good(until now) my system is making a strange noise

When raining (it does not matter if the PC is on or off) my pc is always making a loud fan sound(power supply i guess)

Moderate rain, moderate noise but when strong rains occur(not all that strong tbh like lightning and these things) the fans go even louder

What is this? Is this a hardware problem?

I think that this noise is coming from power supply fans but i could be wrong

What should i do?

I have a 500w power supply i5 9400f gtx 1060 6gb and 8gb ram

This only happens when raining , not even playing intensive games

Thank you
 
The only possible way that rain could have an effect on your power supply or your system in general, that I can think of, is if water is getting into your outside breaker panel and causing some kind of shorting, ground looping or other cross circuit complications.

Unless your wall outlet in on an exterior wall and water is somehow getting into the wall and affecting the outlet itself. Otherwise I see no way that rain could play a role in what your power supply is doing. I'm pretty skeptical this is a real question given the nature of the content, and the improbable circumstances, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now because I have no reason other than my own incredulity to discount it. Maybe a bit more information is required. Perhaps you can explain how it is that rain is able to affect something that is not out in the rain?
 

mat1995

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Sep 16, 2019
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Sorry i´m not joking but indeed my system is making a strange sound when it rains

Can rain somehow affect the energy/voltage my PSU is receiving?

Is my PSU damaged somehow?

I´ve tried another power outlet and the same noise appears

My system is currently on the floor also

Thank you
 
What country are you in? Maybe the effect of the rain is not a local issue, but is relevant to the entire grid in your area.

Are you using a UPS battery backup? Does there seem to be any similar type effects for TV or radio, other devices at all, when raining? Are there common power grid problems in your area?

Is there anything that might be in a basement area that is on the same circuit as your outlet, and is there any kind of moisture or flooding problems in that basement?

Are your power lines brought in off power lines in the air or do you have buried power lines to your residence?
 

mat1995

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What country are you in? Maybe the effect of the rain is not a local issue, but is relevant to the entire grid in your area.

Are you using a UPS battery backup? Does there seem to be any similar type effects for TV or radio, other devices at all, when raining? Are there common power grid problems in your area?

Is there anything that might be in a basement area that is on the same circuit as your outlet, and is there any kind of moisture or flooding problems in that basement?

Are your power lines brought in off power lines in the air or do you have buried power lines to your residence?

I´m from brazil , I don´t use UPS battery backup, no similar effects on other devices, no power grid problems, no flooding problems but i have power lines in the air ( no undergrounding)

I still have my PS4 and a TV from my room , no issues from these two from about 5 years

Idk but i´m suspecting a issue from my PSU that i dont know
 
Borrow a stethoscope and carefully listen to the PSU while rain is falling outside.. If one ear hears a fan and the other hears rain the problem is with the ears and not the PSU.

I'm not a hearing specialist but I know a thing or two about PCs and I can assure you the PSU cannot sound like rainfall.
 

mat1995

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Borrow a stethoscope and carefully listen to the PSU while rain is falling outside.. If one ear hears a fan and the other hears rain the problem is with the ears and not the PSU.

I'm not a hearing specialist but I know a thing or two about PCs and I can assure you the PSU cannot sound like rainfall.

Pretty sure is the PSU since the noise instantly goes away if i toggle it off(or pull from outlet)

I´ve tested 20 minutes on and off and no way that could be all that coincidence, the noise is active while on and not active while off
 
Slightly more serious than my previous post, I wonder if a small piece of paper or a leaf has got stuck on the PSU's cooling fan and imitating rainfall.

If you can buy what we in England call cotton buds, with the power lead out of the box, gently stroke all the fan blades and see if that quitens things down.
 

popatim

Titan
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This could be an issue with the grounding in your house added to using an inferior quality PSU.

Which exact PSU's make these noises?

You could always stick a toothpick or something in just far enough to block the fan from spinning (I use a ballpoint pen cap) and then turn turn it on. If you still hear the noise then perhaps remove the case's side panel and look for a fan that is. Maybe its the moisture in the air acting as a lubricant allowing a fan to spin when otherwise it can't... If not then we are back to having an electrician check things out.
 

mat1995

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Sep 16, 2019
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This could be an issue with the grounding in your house added to using an inferior quality PSU.

Which exact PSU's make these noises?

You could always stick a toothpick or something in just far enough to block the fan from spinning (I use a ballpoint pen cap) and then turn turn it on. If you still hear the noise then perhaps remove the case's side panel and look for a fan that is. Maybe its the moisture in the air acting as a lubricant allowing a fan to spin when otherwise it can't... If not then we are back to having an electrician check things out.

I have only one PSU for PC gaming

I doubt it is moisture (in the PSU at least) given how short the period of the rain(very short yesterday)

Can it be the power outlet itself that is becoming wet? But it is weird because immediately after raing stops the noise also stops

And i´ve managed to check , it is not the fan that is doing this nor coil whine

Everything else in my house is fine in rainy days

What could be it?

My PSU is a 500w one

Thank you
 
First thing you need to do, is find a decent quality unit. That one, isn't.

 

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