PSU - Corsair HX620 whine / screech / whistle

[Skott62]

I have used a couple of these units and never had a noise like that.

[Sapnuojantis]

Turn on global VSync, disable speedstep and C1E in BIOS. Disable any power saving options in OS.

[Melinon]

It's the coils that squeel when the PSU is taxed. It happens mostly when you have a high fps (1000+) game or benchmark running. Try putting vsync on, it helps. Otherwise changing psu/graphics card might help, or putting some resin to those coils to stop the resonating, but that's not the easiest or the safest way.

[Jspeterson]

I solved this problem by replacing my modular PSU with a non-modular Corsair TX650 650W. It has absolutely no whine whatsoever. Even at 2000 fps in ATITool. It seems like all modular PSU:s has this flaw. But all non-modular PSU:s lack it. So if you are noise conscious and want to avoid the whine I recommend a non-modular PSU.

[ballebanan]

@Jspeterson

My HX620 doesn't make that kind of noise. It's not a problem with modular Corsairs, this problem is completely random and can happen to any PSU, modular or non-modular.

[warren304]

you need to disable c1e and eist in advanced cpu features in the bios,or just try disabling c1e and use balanced power saving profile in win7 or minimum hardware setting in windows xp power saving options

[Sh0ski]

i believe its ur video card... cuzz my video card does the same thing............

[Splooshiba]

i think the screech is from the transformer. normal transformers have a slight hum, but this is a switched mode power supply, so the transformer squeals instead, because it is running at a higher frequency.

[jasjeetsuri]

To fix it, return the Corsair, get the Seasonic 620w Modular. Seasonic supply Corsair and are little cheaper then Corsair.

[Lunas2525]

@jasjeetsuri correction seasonic used to supply corsair some of the new ones are supplied by someone else...

[TheLordstrider]

same PSU same problem is there a way to shut off this sound in any way :S?

[tsubodzuka]

Christ the 620HX coming in tomorrow better not make this noise or I'm going to be pissed. Got it coupled with a 5870 so I'm hoping no stupid screeching noises.

[joelc87]

Yeah my Thermaltake TR2 RX 750w does the same thing. I've got an Asus Maximus III Extrememe motherboard with an Nvidia 470 GTX. Idle: nothing, as soon as I fire up the graphics card in anything PSU starts making noises.

[Zenodilodon]

I have this issue on mine, and they are right the Crysis screen does it too, some people speculated it could be the solid state capacitors having a piezoelectric effect that makes an audible sound. I am not sure what the sound is 100% but I do know I don't like that stupid whining noise lol.

[ipullstuffapart]

this happens with my coolermaster 650 when i test the nvidia screensaver, as soon as it closes it stops, although when it runs the saver per normal nothing happens

[Coerlin]

Just discovered this noise with my Atrix 650W PSU + BFG GTS 250 OC graphics card. Bummer, it became noticable when I was in an area of Fallout 3 with many items I'd been dumping. Now thinking of powering the 250 with a secondary PSU (Xilence 420).

[Richardmchugh123]

did you get a fix?

i have the same problem and have just ordered a new power supply so hope that comes soon and doesn't make that really annoying noise

[corb01772]

Great video man. I have a similar video up on YouTube demonstrating the exact same noise. I could only fix it by ditching the Corsair. None of the "solutions" on Corsair's forums helped me.

[surferstapleton]

@corb01772 rma it?

[Squirrelsteam]

This is typically coil whine. One of the secondary side choke coil's will vibrate at a audible frequency if not properly held in place. It is no problem, just annoying.

The reason why it changes with the direction of the cube on furmark is because when the gpu reaches a different part of the cube it requires more power and therefore the psu puts out more power. The more amperage moving through the coil the more it will whine.

[CheatEnginer]

THANKS MAN! Knowing this issue isn´t dangerous to my system helps me alot. I can live with the sound, if i have to.

[jakedude182]

You have your psu up the wrong way for the fan

[Jspeterson]

Sorry to spam this thread. What is your MB? My exact setup is:

Antec Sonata Elite

ASUS P5QL Pro

Intel Core 2 Duo E7400

Corsair XMS2 4096MB DDR2 PC2-6400 800MHz (5-5-5-18) (2x2048MB)

HIS Radeon HD 5770

Caviar Black 1TB

Samsung Intern SATA DVD±RW 22x

Default BIOS settings and clock speeds

[moomee237]

thats a pretty big card for that power supply

[moomee237]

@moomee237 what I ment is prosuming at 80% efficent thats power supply is only going to be able to put out 496 watts and that GPU at max load takes up 236 W so if you do the math at max load thats only 260W for all of the rest of your system and for example if you have a Q6600 they take up 100 watts so that leaves you with only 160 watts to draw from for every thing else. SO is it just because you dont have enough power for your system?

[moomee237]

@moomee237 wait sorry One more thing i forgot to add on the mother board... a average G35 will take 135 watts so it the end if you maxxed every thing out that leaves you with 30 watts for CD drive and hard drives and others

[Jspeterson]

One curiosity that I noticed is that the cycle of the noise seems to be related to the 3D cube position. It seems to reach the loud peak when the flat side is facing the screen directly. I may be wrong. But I started and stopped it several times and it seems like the highest noise is always at that point.

[Jspeterson]

I have a similar noise in my Fractal Design Newton R2 650W (modular). It only occurs in rare instanced though. Mostly when the GPU load is 100% in ATITool, Furmark or 3DMark. But also, strangely, in the UT2003 menus when the GPU load is only 30%.

[Soopytwist]

Cheap capacitors. I've been advised to try not using a surge protected power socket or UPS. Not sure if that'll help, haven't tried it myself (My FSP 800W Everest makes a squealing noise in some games mostly in loading intros and menus).

[ECXVegetto]

coil noise.

you can also turn the psu with the cooler inside the case so that it could brethe some air

[e4g1e1]

It saw the cable mangement and it screemed.

[76Shredder76]

i have this exact same noise. only when i play crysis though.... is it in fact the psu? or is it the gpu???

[torentmonkey]

replace the gfx card with a 4870 ..it won't do the same ... the gpu feeds to the psu a lot of "junk" making it squeal but the psu won't break

[joshua12345676]

im sorry but your wrong

[torentmonkey]

this thing is from the gpu... just try another onae from a friend and ull see

[joshua12345676]

my gpu does squeal, but ive seen numerous videos of peoples corsair psus squealing.

[felixkillercat]

i had a similar problem with my vx450, the fan was way too loud.

so i just switched the original fan for a quiet coolermaster fan.

i could be that the fan tries to spin faster and that it touches the plastic plate inside the psu

[palmitoloko1995]

Is this noise from the corsair HX620??

or he's from your graphics card??

vlwzxx..

[h2h2h2h2]

By the way, I think this is "squeeling" problem is related to all NVIDIA cards. I've had different brands of PSU's (Corsair, OCZ, Seasonic) all had squeeling noises. The one thing in common was that I had a high-end video card at the time. 8800GTX a couple of years ago, GTX 280 last year, and now with the Corsair I have a GTX 295 and XFX 9800GT (for physX), and they ALL squeeled under heavy GPU load. People who have ATI video cards don't seem to be reporting this problem.

[pcangeldust]

I just go a 4850 today replacing a 8800GT because I just could not take the noise anymore. But you are wrong the ati card does this too, but its atleast quieter than my 8800GT. However in both case my corsair tx 650W is much noiser. I thinking of rmaing it but both my corsair tx 650w does this annoying squeeling sounds.

[JuicYouS]

i just replaced my (brand new) hx650w with an OCZ Stealthxtream 700w. now its nice n quiet under full load and seems to be moving 2-3 times more air that the corsair!! seems to an issue with power hungry cards (latest gen cards). some are saying this whining is normal but i dont think so.

(i have a q9550 clocked@3.5ghz+gtx275 clocked @ gtx285 speeds)

[h2h2h2h2]

Sounds like you have gerbles, hamsters in your power supply ;)

[zores2]

I don't have any kind of squeal of my Corsair TX750. I only have a 8600 GTS though. Not sure if card psu combos replicate the problem.

[mayers000]

why do you have a 750w with a 8600gts?

tons of hdd's?

[zores2]

when i bought it a while ago, it was to future proof my system

i now have a gtx 275

[koenie12345]

thats most likely caused by your videocard. it's a common issue and its nothing to worry about

[Habbibz91]

change the brand of your psu, i have the same issue, the manufact is replacing my psu with another brand see how it goes,

i heard that the antec signature eliminates the noise (to expensive atm)

might try it later if my new psu is squealing.

"apparently" its a normal noise..... i dont think so... mine nearly drove me so crazy i was about to throw it out the window then i remember how much i payed for it lol

Good luck!

[shadowPX]

enable Vsync

[mkamachi]

same problem , how did u fix it ?

[majiktheory]

I couldn't get it fixed, but I rma'd and got a slightly quieter squeal, so I just decided to keep it.

[521scotty125]

why are you using ati drivers for a nvidia card

[majiktheory]

I'm just showing you how the noise sounds with that ati tools program. The same noise comes when you are at the starting screen of Crysis Warhead, so it has nothing to do with ati drivers.

[521scotty125]

i doesnt do it on mine

ive got hd 4870 1gb

with corsair hx620

and it never makes that sound

and why are you using a nvidia card with ati drivers?

[Xay0rIsBack]

Because he's not. ATI Tool is an overclocking utility designed for BOTH ATI & nVidia cards.

[asus3571]

@majiktheory yea i get the same noise when starting crysis turns out its not the power supply its the gpu sometimes sounds can play tricks on ya makeing you think its comeing from somewhere its notits called coil whine most likely coming from a lkow grade compacitor witch the hx620 doesnt have there very high grade

[521scotty125]

is the gpu not the psu

[aXque]

yepp same thing here, seems normal :S

[Kaarel25]

There is a solution for this...

Try disabling C1E and EIST in you motherboard bios...

Its all in the corsair forums... check it out...

[majiktheory]

UPDATE: After the rma, i received the hx620, tried it out, seemed a tiny bit quieter. I was still not happy. I did the rma again and received another one. Same as my first one with the loud noise. So now i gave up and I'm on the second one I received through the rma. I don't think I can keep going and therefore I'm just going to stick this one out. To reduce the noise further i just placed the powersupply upsidedown so that the noise doesn't come out through the bottom of the tj09.

[narcoti]

this isnt the power supply its your gpu

[englishrule54]

No, it is the dishwasher in the kitchen.

[TheLordstrider]

@majiktheory so sad same here m8 :/ i gave up on it also and i just placed my pc away more from me and bought headphones that block outside sounds and all good now. still not a fix for the problem but made it bearable :)

[predator19091]

got the same prob with a cm 700watt and 280gtx

[xeno882]

Same problem here mate, I have a VX450.

[JoeMcLutz]

Hi!

I've got the same model of PSU and almost the same problem: in 90% of cases, when I boot up the system, PSU emits a high frequency whine ALL THE TIME it's turned on! :( Rarely it boots up without this whine and then goes ok... It is very annoying. Good luck to you and me as well.

[Kaarel25]

Id just repacle the fan...

[majiktheory]

The noise is independent of the fan. Even if you stop the fan the noise still continues. Its like some electrical component are buzzing. Nothing to do with the fan.

[Kaarel25]

Oh... okay. Good Luck with it.

[majiktheory]

Thanks

[englishrule54]

Switching coil.

[sebbetheo]

ok thanks a lot :D

[mav451]

Yeah I went through this back in December 2008. The problem is with what seems to be ALL Seasonic based models. There are accounts for:

520HX, 620HX (duh), TX650.

The TX750, otoh, is a Channel Well. I have it and it does not squeal.

*and as majik has already mentioned, it's probably a design problem so don't waste your time/money with RMAs.

[sebbetheo]

hey I'm having the exact same problem...

any answers yet?

[majiktheory]

well, i rma'ed the psu and got another one that has a slightly less annoying noise but nonetheless it is still present in the rma unit as well. I'll keep you updated if I find a fix. Thanks.