Corsair 850HX buzzing

[dustin_ds3000]

i got my system in the open [without case] on my desk. when i open Crysis warhead the buzzing starts at the flash screens and gets lower at the menu. its not loud, you have to be within 2 feet of the psu to hear it. i know its not the fan. it sounds like air leaking out of a Balloon. it doesn't happen when im playing a game or at idle. im not using a UPS but im using a power strip. can the buzzing any cause damage.

 

[Ritwik7]

A buzzing sound could indicate some electrical damage on the PSU. Which brand is it and how long have you been using it?

 

[dustin_ds3000]

the brand is Corsair and the model is 850HX. i have only had it a few months

 

[Ritwik7]

Oops! Sorry, didn't realise it was written at the top. Corsair is usually very reliable. Try cleaning the dust out of it. Although I'm not sure of what the problem exactly is it's best if you could simply get an RMA.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

i wish i could RMA but i use my pc for online college classes, if it starts to happen more often then i will have to RMA the PSU.

 

[Ritwik7]

Just came up with something while looking this up on Google:

•Passive PFC inductors in some power supplies. This buzzing sound is generated by low frequency viberation of magnetized cores of the Passive PFC inductor and has a low frequency.

•The switching stage circuit of the PSU. Because the switching frequency is usually above 50KHz in design, this noise is usually beyond hearing limits of human kind (20Hz~20kHz). However if a lower frequency viberation is generated in the feedback loop, you may hear it from the viberation of coils, tenuous but sharp sound.

•DC-DC VRMs are used on both Mobos and Video cards. Usually the viberation of inductors (or capacitors) can't be heard because of the ultra-high frequency(>100kHz I think), but if there's lower frequency resonance (<20kHz) for some reason, the lower frequency components can be heard.


•If there's no load on one of the PSU's output (12V, 5V, 3.3V, 5Vsb), the PSU is working abnormally and can emmit buzzing sound. Enhance uses a 20Ohm resistor as the load on 5Vsb output and calls it "standby noise filter". Clever design.

Not that I understand too much of it.

 

[dustin_ds3000]

enabling vsync has stopped the noise, i will keep testing and if i start hearing it again i will post back