Loud "clack" sound when turning off new PSU

[Mark Kaine]

PSU: Bequiet Straight Power 11 650w 

 

 

So everything seems to work fine, except when I turn off the PC (ie shut down) *clack*

 

Every time. Rather loud. Sounds mechanical, not electrical, even though that's hard to say exactly. 

 

Old PSU (Bequiet Pure Power 10) didn't do that, it was actually... silent. 

 

So is this normal or somehow a sign of a dying PSU? Kinda tempted to RMA the longer I think about it - but then I just don't know why it does that and if it's "normal"? 

 

 

 

PS: I don't think it's that, tho it could be...?  because A it's not doing that when turning the PC on, and B, it's not a "click" sound at all more like if someone throws a book on a table or something 

 

Quote

Most of our power supply units (PSUs) have an inrush current bypass relay that makes a *click* noise when the PC turns on and off. This is considered normal and not a defect.

 

[--SID--]

It's a relay and it's normal. My SP 11 450w does the same.

[Mark Kaine]

1 minute ago, --SID-- said:

It's a relay and it's normal. My SP 11 450w does the same.

it does sound like a relay yeah. so is yours doing this when turning on and off, or just off? 

 

Because mine does it only when turning off apparently. 

[Ankerson]

5 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

PSU: Bequiet Straight Power 11 650w 

 

 

So everything seems to work fine, except when I turn off the PC (ie shut down) *clack*

 

Every time. Rather loud. Sounds mechanical, not electrical, even though that's hard to say exactly. 

 

Old PSU (Bequiet Pure Power 10) didn't do that, it was actually... silent. 

 

So is this normal or somehow a sign of a dying PSU? Kinda tempted to RMA the longer I think about it - but then I just don't know why it does that and if it's "normal"? 

 

 

 

PS: I don't think it's that, tho it could be...?  because A it's not doing that when turning the PC on, and B, it's not a "click" sound at all more like if someone throws a book on a table or something 

 

 

 

And why are you turning off the PSU?

[--SID--]

Only when I close the system in Windows. I never turn off the switch on the back of the psu or pull it out of the wallsocket.

[Mark Kaine]

12 minutes ago, --SID-- said:

Only when I close the system in Windows. I never turn off the switch on the back of the psu or pull it out of the wallsocket.

yeah that's what I do, just shut down from windows. OK thanks I'm just going to guess it's the inrush current thing... 

 

now that I think about it my old psu did this but it was basically almost inaudible...

[Spotty]

11 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

Old PSU (Bequiet Pure Power 10) didn't do that, it was actually... silent. 

 

11 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

now that I think about it my old psu did this but it was basically almost inaudible...

The pure power 10 does not have a bypass relay for the NTC thermistor, which is what provides the protection against inrush current. That's why you didn't hear the click of a relay on your old unit. Cheaper power supplies typically don't have the relay.

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, Spotty said:

That's why you didn't hear the click of a relay on your old unit. Cheaper power supplies typically don't have the relay.

Well it did make some very faint click sounds sometimes but that probably was just from cooling down or whatever, it's definitely a completely different sound - but yes that makes sense (I also couldn't really find info about my old psu, only for the pure power 11)

 

I was just a bit scared because it's really kinda loud - they should have a "don't panic" section in their manuals for stuff like this.

 

I'm also still a bit shocked about the Seasonic PRIME GX I ordered recently tbh, which upon plugging it in immediately gave up the ghost with a pretty similar sound (was more like a fuse tho) and I thought "not again..." when I heard this relay sound, but yes everything seems to be working fine! Coulda swear it makes a similar sound when turning it on too btw, just not quite as loud.