My PSU makes this weird noise

FShadow1998

Honorable
Aug 14, 2013
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10,530
I used an air blower to clean my PSU last month (I now know that was a mistake).
Since then, it's been making this weird noise. At first it was just after booting and then it would be mostly silent until I shut down and restart. Now, it got more frequent and annoying.

It didn't sound alarming at first because is sounded kinda soft and I figured that the air blower messed with the fan (like it did with another fan in my case).
I recorded it with my phone today and after increasing the volume I realized it's a static electricity noise and got really worried.

This is a clip recorded in idle operation: https://clyp.it/pp3rjap5#
It gets like this more and more often during the day. Sitting at my desk, it sounded soft, like the fan was lightly brushing against something.

This is a clip recorded during boot (I didn't hear this noise sitting at my desk): https://clyp.it/rgyz1su1

Both clips were recorded behind the case right next to the ventilation vents.

The PSU is a 6-year-old Thermaltake LT-450NL2NL.

What should I do?
 
Sorry, but I couldn't hear anything. There are only two sounds that a PSU can make, one is from fan, scratching noise or a vibration, another one would be high pitched sound, so called "Coil whine" coming from a loose coil or transformer.
Do you know that you are supposed to keep fan from turning when blow cleaning them ? A lot of air car make it spin way over what was designed for and ruin it's bearing or generate enough electricity to damage it or connected circuits.
 

FShadow1998

Honorable
Aug 14, 2013
33
0
10,530


The second link's audio is almost muted for some reason. But the first link (the one from idle operation) is the important one. I just listened to it again online and it works. Maybe if you try it again and increase the volume on the website?



I listened to coil whine on Youtube and it's definitely not that. Now that you said it, it does kinda sound like scratching. Is that good or bad?



I learned after the fact that I should at least keep the fans from turning. But I didn't which is almost definitely the cause of the problem.



Does that kind of damage usually cause severe problems in PSUs?