PSU make whiny noises while under load

Chrillo

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Bought myself this for my new Core 2 Duo system:
http://www.hipergroup.com/English/products/hpu-4m530.html

Everything was working ok in the start and the PSU is very quiet.

However, now like 2 weeks after initial start up it has started to make strange noises.

For example, when I scroll with my mouse in my browser I hear really annoying whining sounds from the psu, and the fan speed begins to vary. When I stop scrolling, it's silent again. Same thing happens when I play/pause a movie or when I play games and use certain commands.

Does anyone have a clue as to what might be wrong?

I have the following mobo and gfx card:

http://www2.abit.com.tw/page/uk/motherboard/motherboard_detail.php?pMODEL_NAME=AB9&fMTYPE=LGA775

http://www.sapphiretech.com/nw/products/products_overview.php?gpid=137&grp=3

I know it's the PSU making the noises since I have tried to shut down all the other fans.
 

Doughbuy

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What kind of cooling do you have? Case and other specs? Do you have any temps for your cpu and case temps?

Sounds to me as if your PSU is trying to cool itself down due to high temps when you do anything that stresses your processor. Why it makes noise when your mouse scrolls I have no idea, but the movies/games its probably too much heat inside...

More info please.
 

Chrillo

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My CPU temp is 39 degrees, and the system temp is 34 degrees, so that's not the problem. I've been trolling some other forums that indicate its not a fan issue. It's a rather high frequent noise that apprently comes from inside the PSU for some reason.

Gah, this makes me nut. This is my other specs:

Cooler Master Mystique 631, Svart
Aluminium (utan nätagg)

Hiper Nätaggregat ATX 530W Svart,
120mm Fläkt, 4xSATA, 2XPCI-E, 20/24pin

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz Socket
LGA775, 4MB, BOXED m/fläkt

Corsair Value S. PC5300 DDR2 1024MB
Kit w/two matched Value Select 512MB

ABIT AB9, P965, Socket-775, GbLAN,
ATX, 6xSATAII, DDR2, Firewire, PCI-Ex16

Samsung SpinPoint P120S 250GB SATA2
8MB 7200RPM

Sapphire Radeon X1900XT 256MB GDDR3,
PCI-Express,ViVo,Dual-DVI-I,Lite-Retail
 

Doughbuy

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Hmmmm, thats odd, then you may just have a faulty unit, although most PSU's have no moving parts except for the fan... so if there is a whining noise it will still scream fan to me. No idea.

You might want to try RMA'ing it since theres not much you can do about a PSU. I'd really discount heat since it seems fine, and I doubt its your system causing anything...

You could try replacing the fan if your warranty is up, but I would definitly read up on doing that.
 

Chrillo

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Cheers for the help, coming to the same conclusion, I'll probably RMA it. Lets hope they send me a new one swiftly :)

I have a 350W PSU from my old computer, think that would be enough to power my system while I wait for the new PSU?
 
G

Guest

Guest
well it does have
Cooling System:
Active Thermal Controlled Circuitry
120 mm Long Life Fan
Power-Off Component Protection design

funnyly enough, scrolling does take some CPU cycle, so what probably happen is when you scroll or do anything that ask a bit more of juice form the PSU, it gets more loaded/warmer so the Fan kicks in/ spin faster.

Might be a defective bearing in the fan.

RMA the PSU.

Will 350 be enough? will be really tight, use the PSU calculator in the sitckies, check if you get close enough. Normally worst that could happen is frying the OLD PSu...[/quote]
 

Doughbuy

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I agree... it will be real close, I would say at stock everything you would use around 250W at load... which gives you headroom technically, but I don't know how reliable that old PSU is anymore... I wouldn't do it, but then again, I wouldn't be able to live without a computer. If this is your only comp, I guess give it a shot and pray. Otherwise, don't try it.
 

Chrillo

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Seems like alot of people are having problem with so called coil noise.. If I RMA it I hope they'll replace it and not charge me and saying it's normal.

Btw, the PSU I have should without any problems cope with my CPU and Gfx card right? That's what I've been told by numerous of friends and the company I ordered the parts from.
 

Chrillo

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Unless it can supply about 22A on the +12v rail(s).
The 530W psu I have now gives 18A on the +12v rails which accoring to the manufacturer, ati and the place I bought the stuff from should be enough. The 350W PSU gives 17A on the +12V rails, but I wont bother trying.
 

Doughbuy

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It can support it if everything meets spec, but I don't know what brand or how reliable it is so I don't want him to mess up anything else in his comp (See the guy who fused his 8 pin connector to mobo...)
 

Chrillo

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Had a look at the voltages in the BIOS:

When the PSU is cold and hasnt been used for a while these are the values (they doesn't change at all, completely stable)

+12V (24pin) : 12,07
+12v (4-pin) : 12,01


However, when the PSU has became hotter / CPU and/or GFX has been stressed these value intervals or variation arise:

+12V (24pin) : Varies between 11,83-12,25
+12v (4-pin) : Varues between 11,77-12,19

These values change like 3 times each second. Does this indicate that the PSU is defect, or that the load on it is too high?

Thankful for answers.
 

Doughbuy

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Is that the old PSU? That is a hell lot of change. It is still within spec, but it shouldn't be fluctuating like that. If its the old PSU, the load is probably too high for it. If its the current PSU, then I would blame the PSU. How hot is the air coming out. If the PSU is overheating, it might degrade some of the performance.
 

Chrillo

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Is that the old PSU? That is a hell lot of change. It is still within spec, but it shouldn't be fluctuating like that. If its the old PSU, the load is probably too high for it. If its the current PSU, then I would blame the PSU. How hot is the air coming out. If the PSU is overheating, it might degrade some of the performance.

That's the new PSU. These sounds as I've been mentioning before only occurs when the values start variating, so when they do i hear that wierd noíse change about 3 times per second.
 

Doughbuy

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Ugh, either way, that fluctuation isin't a good thing. It's delivering uneven power, which is exactly not what a PSU is supposed to do. I don't know why the fluctuations would cause a whiny noise unless its delivering uneven power to the fan also...

Either way, the fact that it fluctuates so much is cause enough to get rid of it and get a new one.
 

SuiSid3l

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The problem is that your running an X1900xt and your power supply IS addequate enough to run it on your system as far as your WATTS are concerned. The whining you are hearing is the x1900xt pulling 19+ amps off your 12v rail and chances are it only supports between 16-18amps. I had the EXACT problem with a brand new 500 watt antec which is well known for only supporting up to 18amps (only good enough for nvidias finest). So you need to buy a power supply rated at providing you with enough amps to run a video card that strong. Preferrably one with 2 12v rails b/c when only one is used they combine the amps from both rails. My hiper 650watt power supply has about 36amps.
 

Chrillo

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The problem is that your running an X1900xt and your power supply IS addequate enough to run it on your system as far as your WATTS are concerned. The whining you are hearing is the x1900xt pulling 19+ amps off your 12v rail and chances are it only supports between 16-18amps. I had the EXACT problem with a brand new 500 watt antec which is well known for only supporting up to 18amps (only good enough for nvidias finest). So you need to buy a power supply rated at providing you with enough amps to run a video card that strong. Preferrably one with 2 12v rails b/c when only one is used they combine the amps from both rails. My hiper 650watt power supply has about 36amps.

I can dig this, since I noted that my amp consumption was at 21Amp when gaming. However, this noise I was talking about continues when idling in windows when the consumption only is 5.5A.

Think this will be solved with a powerful PSU, or do I only need to RMA my current one?