Corsair GS600 power supply whining/rattling

[Stigfest]

Hey everyone! I've been having a problem with my Corsair GS600 power supply for a little while now. I've noticed that it'll start to whine/rattle sometimes when I'm using my computer. It's a scrapped power supply from an old build, but it's only a year old so I wouldn't think it would be from age. I did however get an incredible amount of usage out of it, such as gaming for immense amounts of time, and also leaving my computer on for days on end. I'm not exactly sure what's going on, so I thought I was ask you guys since Linus keeps saying there's always somebody ready to help over on the forums. Thanks in advance!

[blknight88]

Is it more of a whine or a rattle or both?

 

If it's a whine it could be coil whine.

If it's a rattle it could be the fan going bad or if the fan has loosened itself a little from its housing.

Try tightening the screws on it if its a rattle sound and see if that helps.

[Stigfest]

Thanks for the quick reply! I think it might be a little bit of both, but mostly a rattle that gets transferred to the case. I seem to think this because when I put pressure on the back of the power supply or the side of the case, the whine/rattle appears to stop. Not sure if this is the issue, but I'll try tightening the screws then and see if it fixes the issue.

[Glenwing]

That must be a fan issue, the fan is the only moving part in a power supply.

[Quaker]

It's most likely the fan in the power supply. The bearings could be bad, or it could be hitting against a piece of debris that's fallen into it.

 

You'll need to remove the power supply from the case (and unplug the AC) to check it. Open the power supply up (usually 4 screws) and blow any dust and debris out of it. Spin the fan by hand to see if it hits anything and rotates freely.

If the fan is bad, you may need to take the power supply to some techy friend or shop to replace it, as most often, the fan wiring is soldered in place.