PSU 100% fan.

xbenjiiman · 27 Jan 2012 at 01:25

About a year ago I bought the following: Cooler Master Elite 430 Windowed Case - Black (with 500w Elite Power PSU) from OcUK.

The PSU is actually a Coolermaster Extreme Power 500w.

Just recently the fan has been jumping up to 100% for about a minute every 10 minutes. I've touched the PSU and there doesn't seem to be any signs of overheating. Can anyone help? Thanks.

Edit: The fan is facing down under the case.

stulid · 27 Jan 2012 at 01:27

Check it for dust build up? if it looks dirty try blowing a can of compressed air through it.

xbenjiiman · 27 Jan 2012 at 01:42

stulid said:
Check it for dust build up? if it looks dirty try blowing a can of compressed air through it.

Thanks for the fast reply. There was no dust that I could see, but sprayed it anyway and it's still doing it. Will turning the PSU around so the fan is facing up help?

stulid · 27 Jan 2012 at 01:45

Is the case on carpet?

If so that can be blocking the PSU fan if its trying to draw air in through a case vent/filter in the base.

Or of course it could genuinely be a faulty PSU and needs a RMA.

Tealc · 27 Jan 2012 at 02:04

Sounds faulty to me as surely heat would build up first and the fan along with it. If it's ramping to 100% in a short space of time it sounds like the thermistor, or alternate device, has a possible loose connection and goes open circuit causing the circuit to think that it's scorching hot. The 10 minute thing could just be the time it takes for the area to heat back up again and make the loose connection. Sounds almost possible.

RMA time by the sound of it. A blocked fan vent would cause a gradual rise in fan speed you'd imagine.

xbenjiiman · 27 Jan 2012 at 19:55

stulid said:
Is the case on carpet?

If so that can be blocking the PSU fan if its trying to draw air in through a case vent/filter in the base.

Or of course it could genuinely be a faulty PSU and needs a RMA.

The case is under my computer desk, on top of some wood. I've turned the PSU around and the problem seems to have stopped. I guess it was just airflow, thanks anyway.

stulid · 27 Jan 2012 at 19:57

Out of interest, does your case have any vents in the floor directly under the PSU, or is there even a small 1cm gap between the PSU and the floor? to allow air into the PSU in the facing down position.

xbenjiiman · 27 Jan 2012 at 22:20

stulid said:
Out of interest, does your case have any vents in the floor directly under the PSU, or is there even a small 1cm gap between the PSU and the floor? to allow air into the PSU in the facing down position.

There are vents for the psu on the bottom of the case, yes. There's about a 2cm gap between the wood and the case.

stulid · 27 Jan 2012 at 22:21

xbenjiiman said:
There are vents for the psu on the bottom of the case, yes. There's about a 2cm gap between the wood and the case.

Weird, but atleast you have a fix

Philtor · 28 Jan 2012 at 01:03

xbenjiiman said:
Thanks for the fast reply. There was no dust that I could see, but sprayed it anyway and it's still doing it. Will turning the PSU around so the fan is facing up help?

That is very dangerous! I might add.