Power supply issue: Need advice!

[NotoriousJTC]

Here's the deal. I need by PC to be quiet. But i also need it to be fast. Over the past few years I've painstakingly combined the two elements to create a satisfactory working environment for myself.


Now, recently as a few days ago i bought and installed a BFG Geforce 6800 OC into my rig... All was well until i noticed a high pitch/high frequency sound begin to emit from the PSU region... After some trouble shooting i have been able to determine that the moment the WindowsXP "welcome" screen loads upon a fresh bootup (or reboot) the high pitched/high frequency sound begins, and doesn't let up. It's not a particularly loud noise, but loud and high enough to pierce through every other fan i have and become very, very irritating. This noise never appeared with my old ASUS Geforce4 4400 Ti...


The 6800 does use a lot more power (as evidenced by the 4 pin molex needed), but in no way should my True380 not be able to handle it. My system isn't extreme by any means either (2 HDDs, 2 CD-Rom, 1 sound card, 1 NIC, 1 floppy, 1 video card, 1 ASUS A7V333 mobo)... All appears to be working fine as well. My great fear is that this high pitched noise is just a by-product of the new stress being placed on my PSU as a result of the new video card, and if this is infact the case, and the sound is unavoidable, then i may consider switching to a higher wattage unit, or another brand, or a combination of both.


What do you guys think? Input would be appreaciated.

 

[Thoreau]

You sure it's coming from the PSU and not something else? I actually get an annoying whine/high-pitched noise during certain parts of system startup as well and I have traced it back to one of the two monitors attached to the system. It only seems to happen during startup and I assume it has something to do with the refresh rate/resolution that is fed out during that process. Maybe the monitor just doesn't like it (ViewSonic, not sure of exact model (crt.)) If you haven't already poked around to know for sure that it's the PSU, try starting your system with your monitor(s) turned off and see if the noise keeps coming back. =)

If it is indeed the PSU, then i'm stumped and will make way for the PSU-elite among the forums.

 

[NotoriousJTC]

Originally posted by: Thoreau
You sure it's coming from the PSU and not something else? I actually get an annoying whine/high-pitched noise during certain parts of system startup as well and I have traced it back to one of the two monitors attached to the system. It only seems to happen during startup and I assume it has something to do with the refresh rate/resolution that is fed out during that process. Maybe the monitor just doesn't like it (ViewSonic, not sure of exact model (crt.)) If you haven't already poked around to know for sure that it's the PSU, try starting your system with your monitor(s) turned off and see if the noise keeps coming back. =)

If it is indeed the PSU, then i'm stumped and will make way for the PSU-elite among the forums.

I'm 99.9% sure that it is coming from inside the PSU somewhere... When i put my ear up against the exhaust fan it's pretty clear that it's there... Moving my head up and down the side of my case, the sound gets fainter the at bottom, and louder up top, and loudest right at the PSU...

Also, like i said in the topic, the high pitched sound begins right at the time the WindowsXP welcome screen starts, and stays on. Since the welcome screen is the first visual that requires the video cards usage, im guessing that the power the card is drawing is causing the sound from the PSU... Before the welcome screen, everything sounds normal.


I will however give the monitor suggestion a try, it can't hurt. Thanks.

Update: Nope, didn't help.

 

[NotoriousJTC]

The main issue i have here is the noise, and also why it only appears after the Windows welcome screen, and not at any point in POST. The high pitch noise also is only present when my Geforce 6800 is in, the other 2 video cards i tested with (GF4 4400 Ti, and a crappy AGP VGA card) didn't produce this sound... My guess is still the extreme power compsumtion from the 6800 is stressing some component in the Antec in some way. Something in the PSU block might be damaged or misaligned or dislogded... But i see no cause for that. I also am concerned that the sound will carry over to any other PSU i buy to replace this one.


The ZALMAN ZM400B-APS 400W POWER SUPPLY looks like a strong candidate for replacement at the moment, should i need to go this route.

 

[MDE]

There's no way that PSU couldn't handle that card and a KT333 based system unless you have an obscene amount of hard drives in there (6 or more). Try putting the card into another system and see if it still makes that noise. There's a small barrel-shaped speaker on the card right by the power connector, try putting your finger over that to see if that squelches the sound at all. Also, another long shot is your monitor (assuming it's a CRT). Check to make sure that it's running at the correct refresh rate and resolution, and try turning it off when the sound starts. If none of these steps work then call up Antec for an RMA.

 

[NotoriousJTC]

Originally posted by: MDE
There's no way that PSU couldn't handle that card and a KT333 based system unless you have an obscene amount of hard drives in there (6 or more). Try putting the card into another system and see if it still makes that noise. There's a small barrel-shaped speaker on the card right by the power connector, try putting your finger over that to see if that squelches the sound at all. Also, another long shot is your monitor (assuming it's a CRT). Check to make sure that it's running at the correct refresh rate and resolution, and try turning it off when the sound starts. If none of these steps work then call up Antec for an RMA.

I'm sure the PSU can handle everything as well, infact everything is running fine... For whatever reason this stupid *ss high frequency sound had developed and unless i revert back to a weaker video card, then i may have to RMA or get a new PSU entirely... The RMA is actually more of an inconvenience at this point.


Earlier today i removed the PSU from the case and ran it sitting outside, still hooked up to the PC, so i could examine it in greater detail... im about %99.999 sure that the sound is coming from inside the PSU somewhere. The only thing preventing me from being %100 sure is that i cannot isolate the unit far away enough from the PC and everything else to make sure...

 

[Deleted member 139972]

Get a Vantec Stealth power suppy. They're kickass.

 

[Jeffyboy]

Yeah...stick yer finger in the fan for a moment to stop it..see if the whine goes away

Jeff

 

[nvbtye]

xryujc

 

[imported_Kiwi]

First, before rushing out to buy a replacement psu, get a monitoring utility such as MBM5, to see what voltages the psu is providing. If any of those are below spec, then look for an RMA, assuming the psu is within warranty. Otherwise, consider that there are a vast assortment of potential harmonic sounds in any of our PC's containing more than the two basic fans, one in a psu and one on the cpu.

The vibrations from the fan on the new video card may be affecting the psu's fans. You can obtain both rubber and silicone case fan (and psu) isolator gaskets, and you can alter the entire system's overall harmonic signature. The latter is done by placing either a rubber mat or a scrap of carpeting as an isolator between the case and the table it's on. This is a simple, inexpensive option (you can get enough scrap carpet for this purpose from the dumpster behind a carpet store - but ask inside, they may have some closer to hand you can have).