Occasional faint staticky/clicking noise from PSU

[vanisheddecoy]

I have researched this online, but have been getting rather varied answers overall so I figured that I'd just ask here. I have an HX580W Corsair power supply which I got about 6 months ago. Occasionally, it will make sort of a faint staticky, clicking noise that you can't quite hear unless you put your head rather close to the unit. It doesn't appear to be doing this in any specific situation. From what I've noticed, it's just random. Anyway, I've been ignoring it for a while now, but I've just recently heard by someone that such a thing could be quite a bad sign. Has anyone had a similar experience? I can't imagine that it has to do with the components that it's powering since I only have a single GTX 580.

EDIT: After futher investigation, I just found out that my television's and psu's AC power cords had been switched. I apparently mixed the cords on accident. I'm wondering if that had anything to do with it and how Battlefield 3 had never quite gotten the performance that was expected from my hardware. I'm really hoping that this hasn't caused any lasting effects. :/

 

[rolli59]

The power cords should not have any affect, they simply carry the same power from the wall!
This clicking noise that you are worried about normally would not be there what ever is causing it, I suggest you contact Corsair support with your worries.

 

[clutchc]

Staticky? As in electric arcing statiky? Turn off the lights when it happens again and look through the grill and see if there is any arcing. Sparking.

 

[mazchazo]

I believe the noise you are referring to is coil whine. Does it sound like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FdCKZ8qaUU (the sound starts on 0:15)

If it is, it's not much of a problem, unless it happens a lot.

My 750w seasonic psu does it each time I load a game and when windows loads. Many high end psu's have this happen to them.

I learned to live with it because it's too much of a hassle to get rid of it just for a small noise. If you RMA your psu, you get another psu with the problem after 6 months, and you keep RMAing. It's a power supply common problem, I wouldn't look at it as a serious problem unless it happens too many times.

See if you see sparks from your power supply though, if you do, RMA that power supply ASAP! If not,it's fine don't worry about it. Learn to live with it because it happens a lot with power supplies. You have a 580 watt power supply, so you may RMA it and get rid of the sound for good. 750w+ power supplies are notorious for this sound.

 

[vanisheddecoy]

Best answer selected by vanisheddecoy.