power supply making a weird noise

i have a Antec 500 watt power supply which has been working fine for almost a year now but since yesterday it started making a loud noise, it sounds like the fan is hitting something or some sound like that, i cleaned the dust twice by using a vacuum cleaner but the sound didnt go away. its really loud and annoying, can anybody tell me whats wrong with it and how to fix it plz.

thanks in advance.

 

I would guess it's a fan

If it is a single fan unit you can insert a a NON METALLIC rod like a toothpick or coffee stir stick to stop the fan and see if that's the noise. If it's a dual fan you can do the same on the interior fan.

If it isn't the fan and it isn't mechanical, you should be looking for a replacement power supply ASAP.

BTW, are you SURE it's coming from the power supply and not a case exhaust fan?

 

Before you change any fans like the above post recommended, check all your fans. More than once I replaced the wrong fan. The video card fans when they go bad are the loudest most annoying fans.

The 80mm fans are extremely reliable, I once replaced the fan on the power supply(most use 80mm type with some of the more expensive PS using 120mm) , and that didn't fix the noise problem (wrong fan).

You name brand power supply is fairly new, highly unlikely the fan would go bad so soon. triple check your fans before you replace anything.

 

i tried to stop the fan and when the tooth pick touched it the noise stopped so then i let it go, i didn't stop it completely but then after a min or so it started again so i did the same thing, after doing it about 2 more times the noise stopped and it has been about 2 hours and there is no noise i think the fan was hitting something before. thanks guys for the help

 

i think im gonna have to change the fan

 

If it's within your means, here's what I would suggest.

1)Get a new power supply.

2)Install the new power supply.

3)Replace the fans in the old power supply and keep it for a spare.

It can be difficult to find plug in replacements for power suupply fans as sometime they are odd sizes or have odd connectors. You don't want to find this out after you have de-instlled the PS and don't have a replacement at 6PM on Sunday evening after the computer stores have closed.

 

O okay

 

Yeah it's a fan bearing fault. I agree 100% with dailun's suggestions.

 

I had the same thing happen to me and after a little investigating I found out that one of the blades on the fan had broken off, so I just replaced the fan and now it sounds good as new.

 

aight Thanks!