Ultra X-Connect PSU Buzzing

[TwYsTeD]

I recently bought one of these psu's and I get this loud buzzing everytime I launch a game or use dvd-shrink or something.

Could I have a defective psu? Certainly it can supply enough power...

 

[jonnyGURU]

Are sure the buzz is coming from the power supply? Did you have this PC up and running exactly the same way but with a different power supply prior to buying the X-Connect?

That just seems like a really weird problem. Not the buzzing. I've had motherboards buzz and hiss under load, but usually when I had a power supply buzz, they buzz all of the time.

IF the sound is DEFINITELY coming from the power supply, then I would say "Yes. It's defective." No power supply should buzz, load or no load.

 

[Hajime]

If it is the PSU buzzing, and only when under load, it is defective.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Actually, I just read up that an Ultra power supply does not have share circuit output, which means the power available on any given rail is not increased due to load. They always deliver maximum current to each rail, thus giving a sort of "power on demand" performance. Therefore, the power supply should not be sensitive to higher CPU load. If the power supply is buzzing, the power supply would either always be buzzing, or not based on the way Ultra makes those power supplies.

One thing the problem really COULD BE if the buzzing is coming from the power supply is the power supply fan. Theory: Say the fans are thermostatically controlled. Under load, the PC runs hotter, the fans kick in. If a fan is broken, chipped, has a wire hitting one of the blades, etc., then the result would be something that sounds like a buzz coming from the power supply. Not sure if Ultra fans are thermostatically controlled, but should be easy to find out.

Again, I would make sure the noise is coming from the power supply. Lay the case on it's side, remove the power supply, set it just outside the case and run the power cables into the case from the outside. Then listen for the noise closely.

 

[Hajime]

jonny: If you've got a broken/chipped/etc. fan in such a high-end PSU, wouldn't that qualify as defective? 😛

 

[jonnyGURU]

Oh. ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY! But my panic status would be significantly lower if it was just a fan. I mean.... Nothing good comes from buzzing electronics. 😉 Especially if you get that "electronic smell" with it. 🙂

I actually had an Antec with a fan blade that was cracked right out of the box. It broke off after it spun up to full RPM. I used it as an excuse to open it up and put a blue LED fan in it's place. 😀

 

[Hajime]

jonny: Heheheh 😉. True.

Still, even if it is a fan, that's not a good sign of the quality of the psu. A broken fan in a brand new PSU at that price? That's terrible.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Not good, no. But not testiment to quality. Fans break all of the time. I've opened up brand new processors with broken fan blades. Power supplies, cases... I see broken fans all of the time. Think about it. They're thin plastic. You can DROP a case or power supply or CPU box and nothing will happen to the solid state components, but you've got thin plastic on a spinning spindle. That puppy's going to break. Just like when people stick there fingers in CPU fans. POP! A blade breaks just like that. Can't say I know WHY people stick their fingers in CPU fans.... 🙂

 

[TwYsTeD]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
Are sure the buzz is coming from the power supply? Did you have this PC up and running exactly the same way but with a different power supply prior to buying the X-Connect?

That just seems like a really weird problem. Not the buzzing. I've had motherboards buzz and hiss under load, but usually when I had a power supply buzz, they buzz all of the time.

IF the sound is DEFINITELY coming from the power supply, then I would say "Yes. It's defective." No power supply should buzz, load or no load.

Yes, I'm sure its the power supply. If I cover up the fan vents on the psu, the noise is significantly lower.

 

[Hajime]

jonny: Hey! I've stuck my finger into a cpu fan before!

.....Okay, it was a total accident, and it involved someone knocking me off balance, but still. And the CPU fan didn't break, luckily 😉. But it gave my finger a nice cut...ouch. That hurt 😛.

 

[TwYsTeD]

Well I just tested, and it's not the fan in the psu :|

 

[Hajime]

If you are absolutely sure the buzzing is coming from the PSU, shut that thing down and RMA it asap.

As jonny said, buzzing in electronics is never good. I'd worry about losing my other components with that PSU powering them at this point.

 

[jonnyGURU]

Yeah. RMA it. It's a weird, isoltated incident, especially the way that power supply is supposedly engineered, but it's not a good thing no matter what. Don't wait for it to fry something. 😉

 

[TwYsTeD]

Been on hold for about 25 min now :roll:

 

[jonnyGURU]

Who'd you buy it from?

 

[B Lo]

I purchased the same model power supply back in December and am just now beginning to hear the near constant drone of buzzing from this power supply. I really feel that this brand makes poorly constructed products and will never buy from them again.