"WANTED THREAD" PSU makes popping type sound.

Shanemeister93

Shanemeister93

Shanemeister93

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27 Sep 2012
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Telford, United Kingdom
When I turn my computer on at the wall after I have been away from my computer for a while my PSU makes a popping type sound yet it works as normal during the time I am using the computer. What could this be? As I have always wondered what was the cause. It is a 500w coolermaster PSU. Any Ideas?
 
Is it a continuous popping? Have you timed it? Only asking because my Corsair Ax1200i makes a popping sound approximately every 12-13 seconds when on desktop, it's the fan self testing at low loads.
 
Its quite normal. Switch mode power supplies have capacitors in them, if they are switched on when the capacitors are drained (ie the equipment has been downpowered for more than a few mins) and the voltage is not at the zero point of the cycle, then a large current will flow to charge these capacitors back up, the pop you hear is a small arc across the switch of the socket as the gap becomes small enough for the air to ionise and the current starts to flow.

It can be worse with a worn socket outlet, or if you dont switch it in a clean swift motion (ie. balence it mid way, but thats either dilberate or a worn socket outlet)

If one computer makes a popping sound then imagine what 30 together do, if a computer lab in a school or college experiences a power outage then when its restored, the combined power supplies all trying to charge up can often trip the circuit breaker for the room, this is then followed by the caretaking staff flicking it back on and being startled when there is a rather loud pop as it opens again. Of course, if you go round and unplug all the computers, reset the breaker and put them on one by one its fine
 
Adam_151 said:
Its quite normal. Switch mode power supplies have capacitors in them, if they are switched on when the capacitors are drained (ie the equipment has been downpowered for more than a few mins) and the voltage is not at the zero point of the cycle, then a large current will flow to charge these capacitors back up, the pop you hear is a small arc across the switch of the socket as the gap becomes small enough for the air to ionise and the current starts to flow.

It can be worse with a worn socket outlet, or if you dont switch it in a clean swift motion (ie. balence it mid way, but thats either dilberate or a worn socket outlet)

If one computer makes a popping sound then imagine what 30 together do, if a computer lab in a school or college experiences a power outage then when its restored, the combined power supplies all trying to charge up can often trip the circuit breaker for the room, this is then followed by the caretaking staff flicking it back on and being startled when there is a rather loud pop as it opens again. Of course, if you go round and unplug all the computers, reset the breaker and put them on one by one its fine
Click to expand...

So its because the power supply is fully drained at time of switching on.
Never new that :D thank you
 
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