Question about sound from PSU

[Karizma]

To start you can't hear this unless your ear is up against the psu so its not loud from the normal distance you would be, it almost sounds like a card on spokes but not as bad.. I'm not sure how to describe it. Its a Channel Well Technology 500W Mo# GPT500S-A from a prebuilt gaming pc, I'm pretty sure the noise is from the fan I can't get the greatest look at it from the angle I can get but I don't think anything is clipping on it.

I'm wondering what causes a psu when it fails to take the rest of the pc with it? If something is wrong and it eventually dies I'm fine with replacing it when I have more spending money, but for now would the fan making a noise be start of a problem that fries the rest of the pc when it goes?

 

[Vic 40]

If the fan would worst case be that it stops functioning and the inner parts of the psu get hot or actually too hot even,if the psu has overtemperature protection should it shut down above a certain temp,so in that case all should be fine.But i'm not able yet to find info regarding the OTP,so i do hope it has it,seeing Channel well do i assume it does,but it's a budget psu as well ...

Need to say that getting a better psu asap is adviced.

 

[Paperdoc]

I agree with Vic40 - PSU failure does not damage the rest of your system in most cases. But you say, "it almost sounds like a card on spokes but not as bad". That MAY not be a failing PSU. It may be just as you say - some item is close enough to the fan blades inside the PSU that they are being brushed by the blades and causing the sound. If that is the case, continued damage to that item may cause problems, so you should investigate if possible and fix if necessary.

HOWEVER, working inside a PSU requires you be VERY careful, so you might not want to do this. Myself, I'd do it no problem, but I consider myself a good handyman (NOT a pro serviceman) with lots of experience with electrical systems and electronics. First of all, opening the PSU will certainly void your warranty, so if this PSU is still under warranty you might be better to NOT do that. But more importantly, there are components inside the PSU that can store a large electrical charge that can discharge through YOU and cause damage - even severe damage in some cases. So there are precautions. You ALWAYS disconnect the device from power AND from the loads on the output cables so there is NO connection to anything. You'll have to remove it from your computer case to work on it. Then as soon as you open it carefully, my habit is to connect a wire to a true Ground and to the exterior of the PSU. THEN take the other (bare) end of that wire and, holding the INSULATED exterior of the wire, go through the entire PSU internally, Grounding everything you can touch. This will discharge residual charges. THEN try very hard to use only insulated tools to poke and prod, even though you hope there are no charges left. Look for anything that might be touching the fan blades as they turn, and push them away. If necessary snag them on something else to prevent them from drifting back to the fan. While you're at ti, spin the fan and watch it. If it coasts to a stop that's OK, but if it is stiff or stops immediately, the bearings are worn and you probably have to replace it. Or, get a new PSU. When done, close up the unit and re-install in your case.