Often, home PC owners are faced with this problem - the power supply is starting to make noise . There can be several reasons why this happens, from the deterioration of the PSU itself to the malfunction of the cooling system. In today's article, we will examine in detail the most common causes of noise, as well as tell you how to deal with them. It will be interesting!
Dust
So, the first, and it is the most common reason why the power supply is noisy - dust. One way or another, dust gets into the PSU case, which only accumulates over time. Her is becoming more and more. Of course, if you clean the unit at least once every six months, then there will be no problems, however, if the PSU is new, purchased in a store, then it is under warranty, which means you can’t open the case. Well, okay, we are a little off topic.
So how can dust still affect the appearance of extraneous noise? Everything is simple. When there is too much dust inside the unit, the cooling system (fan) starts to work much worse. To cope with her task, she needs to work even more efficiently. Accordingly, the fan speed increases to maximum, and hum and noise are generated.
To cope with this problem is quite easy. All that needs to be done is to disassemble the PSU case and remove all dust and debris. For those who have the unit under warranty and cannot be disassembled, there is also a way out. But it is suitable only for those who have a vacuum cleaner with the function of blowing air or a home compressor. Actually, all that needs to be done in this situation is to remove the PSU from the computer and blow it thoroughly with air using a vacuum cleaner or compressor.
High load
The second reason why the PC power supply is noisy is because it works under high loads. Many users initially incorrectly calculate the power consumption of their system and often buy end-to-end power supplies. For example, the power of the entire system (PC) is 450 watts, and the computer has a power supply with a capacity of 500-550 watts. This is not enough. As a result, the PSU begins to work to its fullest, making various sounds, for example, hum, crack, squeak. In short, the computer's power supply is noisy.
What to do in this situation? Well, for starters, it would be nice to calculate the power consumption of the entire system. You can do this in different ways, using special measuring instruments or through a less accurate method - use online calculators. The latter, as a rule, give out not an exact figure, but with an error of about 5%.
If during the calculation it turns out that the capacity of the installed power supply is not enough, you will have to change it to a new, more efficient one.
It often happens that the PSU has enough power, but the quality of the “filling” (components inside) is rather low, which is why it is unable to cope with high loads. As a result, extraneous noise appears . Changing components manually does not make sense, and it will not help much. So the right option would also be to buy a new power supply.
Lack of voltage
Insufficient voltage is also one of the reasons why the power supply is noisy . This problem is especially common where the voltage in the network is unstable and constantly changing. As you know, inside the unit there are separate components that are responsible for stabilizing the input voltage. However, if the current is constantly changing or not enough, the work will be accompanied by extraneous noise, crackling, clicks, etc.
In this case, an uninterruptible power supply or a voltage rectifier can help to fix the problem. In this case, the UPS will be more profitable, since it not only corrects the situation with unstable and low voltage, but also protects the PC from unexpected light turns off.
Cooler wear
Often, the PSU cooling system becomes the reason that the computer's power supply is noisy. The more often and more the unit operates at high loads, the more the resource of the cooling fan (cooler) is consumed. Ultimately, the cooler’s working resource will be completely consumed, and it will start to work incorrectly. He will begin to hum and make noise quite strongly.
All that can be advised in this case is to replace a worn fan with a new one. You can, of course, try to disassemble the old cooler and repair it, thereby prolonging his life for a short while. But the game is not worth the candle. In addition, you can buy a new fan inexpensively, and it will be more productive than its predecessor.
No grease on cooler
Besides the cooler’s wear, the reason the power supply fan may make noise is the lack of lubrication. A special bearing is installed in the cooler to ensure its rotation. It is oiled. While there is grease inside the fan, it rotates quietly. But as soon as the grease runs out or is used up, the cooler immediately begins to buzz and make noise.
In this case, you can fix the problem by lubricating the fan, but here's how to do it, consider below.
The first thing to do is to disassemble the PSU case and pull out the fan from there. There is one side on the cooler, on which a round sticker is glued - you need to unstick it. Under the sticker, the user will find a blank. Depending on the type of fan, it can be made in the form of a round rubber insert or in the form of a lid with latches. In any case, no matter what the plug is, it must be removed.
When the plug is removed, it is necessary to take oil and drip 2-3 drops inward. Oil can be used as usual for lubrication, and machine, preferably synthetic. Also, instead of oil, you can take WD-40 or silicone grease.
As soon as the fan is lubricated, put the plug in place, glue the sticker and collect everything as it was.
Fan breakdown
Well, the last reason why the power supply is noisy - the cooler is broken. We have already considered that PSU noise can be caused by fan wear or lack of lubrication in it. But it is also worth mentioning that coolers tend to break. Yes, yes, such a simple thing as a cooler can also break. As a rule, the cause of the breakdown is a lack of fan care or a manufacturing defect. For example, a poor-quality bearing was installed, which broke after some time.
The only thing that will help in this situation is replacing the faulty fan with a new one.