Sn2Pr 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:12
PSU is making a clicking noise
So yesterday while playing a game I noticed a weird clicking noise coming from the back of my PC and I found out that it is coming from my PSU. It is not the PSU fan making the noise because the PSU fan is running always and the clicking is only appearing when I'm playing games. The clicking sounds a bit like that sizzling sound when the power cord isn't fully plugged in. My PSU is the Thermaltake toughpower grand RGB 750 W and the other specs are:
CPU: Intel core I7 8700k
GPU: MSI NVIDIA Geforce RTX 2080 GamingXTrio
MB: MSI Z370 PC PRO
RAM: 32 GB Crucial Ballistix sport
SSD: Kingston A1000 240gb NVME SSD
HDD1: 1TB Seagate Barracuda(3.5")
HDD2: 1TB WD Blue(3.5")

What is this sound? Is my PSU fine or should I RMA it?
最后由 Sn2Pr 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:13
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Azza ☠ 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:25 
When the PC is turned off, check the PSU (power supply unit) fans aren't full of dust or have a broken fin. If the screws are quite tight mounting it to the PC case, then just loosen them a tiny bit.

Then open the side of the case and check your graphics card too, ensure the fans underneath it aren't brushing up against a wire or something.

Since it's occurring during gaming, that means it's either when a fan (on PSU or GPU) is ramping up to keep it cool or your PCI-e rails (the ports used by the cables that go to your graphics card) on the PSU are damaged.

If there is an issue with the PSU, don't ignore it, RMA as soon as possible. As if it's something like a damaged rail, then it could fry other components on your motherboard or graphics card. However, it's more likely to be a wire sitting on a fan or broken fan blade.

Another case is harmless, but very annoying... called "coil whine". A poorly regulated/faulty PSU can cause a GPU to whine under load or it can just be the graphics card itself. Again it would require RMA on either the PSU or GPU (if it's load enough and they accept it). However, that would sound like (movement in games / activities will change the whine pitch):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP73edpQwgc
最后由 Azza ☠ 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:32
RGX12 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:28 
Well firstly, just because "the PSU fan is running always" doesn't mean it's not producing the clicking sound. The fan can change speeds, such as when the unit is under heavy load, and a noise of this type (commonly a bad bearing) might only be heard at higher or even lower speeds than average.

That said, if it's not the fan, and you think it sounds like sizzling, something in the PSU could be arcing. Try looking inside the unit in the dark to confirm this (although you may not be able to see internal arcing anyway). In any case, if the unit is new enough that you can RMA it, that might not be a bad idea.
Sn2Pr 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:07 
Thank you both for your answers!

To Azza ☠'s answer:

引用自 Azza ☠
When the PC is turned off, check the PSU (power supply unit) fans aren't full of dust or have a broken fin. If the screws are quite tight mounting it to the PC case, then just loosen them a tiny bit.
It can't be dust since the unit is(hopefully) new( 1 week old)
引用自 Azza ☠
Then open the side of the case and check your graphics card too, ensure the fans underneath it aren't brushing up against a wire or something.
I already tried with another graphics card(a GTX 1060) since first I thought maybe it could be the support bracket of my graphics card ratteling against the card when the cards fans are spinning.
引用自 Azza ☠
or your PCI-e rails (the ports used by the cables that go to your graphics card) on the PSU are damaged.
How can I test the rails for problems?




To RGX12's answer:

引用自 RGX12
Well firstly, just because "the PSU fan is running always" doesn't mean it's not producing the clicking sound. The fan can change speeds, such as when the unit is under heavy load, and a noise of this type (commonly a bad bearing) might only be heard at higher or even lower speeds than average.
I now tried to dissable the fan by sticking a toothpick into it and it is sadly still clicking...

引用自 RGX12
That said, if it's not the fan, and you think it sounds like sizzling, something in the PSU could be arcing. Try looking inside the unit in the dark to confirm this (although you may not be able to see internal arcing anyway). In any case, if the unit is new enough that you can RMA it, that might not be a bad idea.
Yeah, I can'T see anything arcing... I'll try to RMA it then...
I have actually RMA'd the PSU 2 weeks ago and got it 1 week later back. They probably didn't fix anything back then and just sent it back to me. The problem I had was coil whine(coming from the PSU, not the GPU)(and it was even whining when the PC was off but plugged in and only stopped when unplugging the PC). Since it stopped after I got it back I assumed it would be a new one but it probably isn't then.


I have another 500w PSU. Can I use this one for as long as I don't have my original one? The BeQuiet PSU calculator said I can, but there I couldn't specify which RTX 2080 I have and it said it would be at 95% usuage already.
最后由 Sn2Pr 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:13
Jaunitta 🌸 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:22 
I'd put the tower on its side take the side case off and turn it on and then check everything.
It could be a case fan they can flakey, check if its a fan over the cpu. Put your ear down close and listen. Maybe it stops when on its side.
I discovered one of my case fans was ticking removed it cleaned it oiled it put it back.
Edit.
if you want to know how to oil case fan look in the center there is a sticker lift off a little beneath is a gear but use oil sparingly as the circuite below that gear. 1 drop. put sticker back. I used sewing machine oil
最后由 Jaunitta 🌸 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:25
Sn2Pr 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:30 
引用自 Jaunitta 🌸
I'd put the tower on its side take the side case off and turn it on and then check everything.
It could be a case fan they can flakey, check if its a fan over the cpu. Put your head into the in there and listen. Maybe it stops when on its side.
I discovered one of my case fans was ticking removed it cleaned it oiled it put it back.
Nope, the sound is definetely coming from the bottom of my PC
RGX12 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:30 
Honestly, I'm not crazy about a 500W unit with that system.The GamingXTrio is pretty power-hungry (probably just shy of 300W), the CPU is probably another 100W, a couple of spinners starting and stopping... you're really pushing the limits, and certainly have virtually no overhead. OTOH, if you don't push the system too hard, you may be able to get by for the duration of the RMA process, assuming they don't drag their feet.
最后由 RGX12 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:30
RGX12 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:40 
引用自 G4R4SC
what would happen if I push the system too hard? Would it fry or would it just crash?
Well, common signs of the PSU not handling the load would potentially be the system shutting down at random times or refusing to boot up altogether. Primarily, it's a problem for the PSU itself, as the excess current draw will cause it to heat up, leading to failure or a shortened life-span in general (assuming you care about this extra PSU).
Sn2Pr 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 1:43 
thanks! yeah, I care about the PSU because it powers my other PC.
最后由 Sn2Pr 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 3:59
Sn2Pr 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 4:02 
So I'm just gonna RMA the PSU tomorrow. Thank you all for your answers!
Azza ☠ 2019 年 8 月 11 日 下午 4:05 
引用自 G4R4SC
So I'm just gonna RMA the PSU tomorrow. Thank you all for your answers!

All the best, it's probably your safest bet. You don't really want to be messing / testing with a damaged PSU for too long - you risk damage or even a fire.

It's possible to test the PSU, via removing it, blocking the fan(s) rotation with a piece of thick cardboard, then shorting the motherboard plug connector with a wire loop (which inturn triggers the PSU to run at max - minus the motherboard, graphics card, and fans being a factor). However, it's probably not worth doing, specially if it's under warranty. You don't want to VOID it or burn it out by mistake.
最后由 Azza ☠ 编辑于; 2019 年 8 月 11 日 下午 4:06
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发帖日期: 2019 年 8 月 11 日 上午 12:12
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