When a PSU is too loud...

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 09-22-2005, 04:45 PM

What can you do? I got this Thermaltake Silent PurePower, but this thing is far from silent. It's 4x louder then all my other components combined! It's not rattling or anything. The noise is strictly airflow apparently. If I just cover the vent with my hand, it's half as quiet.

I opened up the PSU. The fans are wired very tightly. It would be real tough to fit a couple 20 ohm resistors inside this box without things being an electrical hazard. But I still think it could survive on a lower fan speed, because the air being pushed out isnt hot or anything.

**twajetmech** · 09-24-2005, 11:18 AM

Based on what you said about the psu, seems as though the only things you can do is either live with the psu or replace it. You could unsolder the fan and replace it with a quieter fan, though I would only reccomend that if your up to the task. If you need a new psu there are plenty around that offer fan speed control

Compumaniac12 · 09-24-2005, 12:46 PM

you could put a peice of cardboard or something over the vent so that the noise goes away from you... might take away 1/4

**twajetmech** · 09-24-2005, 12:49 PM

All that will do is lessen airflow and the life of the psu...A good Antec with fan control would be the best way to go

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 09-25-2005, 03:44 PM

Yeah I know, but I just bought this thing. And I kind of consider my computer now completed, unless something breaks and needs replacement. I'll live with it I guess. I just don't like Thermaltake putting the word "Silent" on a product that is louder then the half dozen number of PSU's I have tried in the past, all of which were cheapies.

**kodi** · 09-25-2005, 05:59 PM

Can you remove the Grill,this can cause a lot of noise, only remove it if there are NO small children and pets around

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 09-25-2005, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodi

Can you remove the Grill,this can cause a lot of noise, only remove it if there are NO small children and pets around

Well the grill is sleek and thin, with no rough edges. I don't think it would have much air friction. Here's exactly what it looks like:

**kodi** · 09-25-2005, 09:57 PM

Give it a try it might suprise you just how much noise is created by the air passing through the grill.

**Fr4665** · 10-14-2005, 05:28 PM

yeah fan grills even on cpu coolers make alot of noise as it breaks the air like a flute end stupid comp parts designers ^^

ampshock · 10-21-2005, 06:38 AM

I have a antec true power 2.0 480w.
It makes so little noise it is unbeliveable!
If you want a powersupply that is so slient that you think you are deaf get the antec phantom.

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 10-29-2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampshock

I have a antec true power 2.0 480w.
It makes so little noise it is unbeliveable!
If you want a powersupply that is so slient that you think you are deaf get the antec phantom.

This is interesting. I was looking at those and thinking "They must be expensive for a reason."
Would this be just as quiet?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103928
Do you think 430w is a stable ammount for my specs? Check my profile for my specs. I'll be jumping to an athlon64 setup soon, but those run at a lower voltage right?

**oldmn** · 10-29-2005, 09:50 AM

Some time it is better to get a bigger PSU than what you need. It does not have to work as hard and therefore less heat and less coolings needed and the fans run slower and quieter.

Plus gives you some room for updrades.

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 10-29-2005, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmn

Some time it is better to get a bigger PSU than what you need. It does not have to work as hard and therefore less heat and less coolings needed and the fans run slower and quieter.

Plus gives you some room for updrades.

Yeah but the 480w is $20 more. Is there anyway for me to even measure the total ammount of watts that my system is currently using? I'd like to see how close I am to my PSU's limit.
Also these truepower 2's have way too many jacks I can't use, and only 2 strands of the regular molex jacks. I dunno if that is enough for me. I have 6 devices that use the 4pin molex jacks. 2 120mm fans, 2 s-ata's, a radeon, and a dvd-rw.

**oldmn** · 10-29-2005, 10:33 AM

Try this PSU calculater

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 10-29-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmn

Try this PSU calculater

You have ALL the good links, don't ya?

According to that, it says I only need 297 watts max. Or like 318 when I get the athlon64 setup. Odd how AMD64 uses a lower voltage but more amps.

So anyways, I should be safe buying that truepower 2.0 430 watt for 70 bucks. I really cant afford anymore then that anyways. And I am ganna have to sell my Thermaltake PSU on ebay to try and cut my loses. I mean, I love this PSU. It's powerful as hell, with great construction, and very thick wires, but it is quite noisy. That TruePower 2.0 series only helps prove my point that 120mm fans are the solution to all of life's problems.

jisc123 · 10-29-2005, 03:50 PM

If noise is a concern, Enermax or Antec are great options, but its rather unfortunate that youll have to sell your current psu.

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 11-28-2005, 02:07 AM

Ok the Antec TruePower 2.0 is still a tad bit out of my budget, but I have been looking at these alternatives with 120mm fans:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182011
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182018

They're basically identicle, except one is ATX and the other is ATX2.0. I don't exactly know what that means. The ATX2.0 one has "dual 12 volt lines". Not sure how they would help me either, or if it would only complicate things.

I also need to know if the ATX2.0 comes with that 4PIN connector that goes into my motherboard. This ATX2.0 has a 24pin main power connector for the mobo, where the last 4 pins can be broken away, so the normal style 20pin connector is revealed. Are those 4 pins that break away also the 4pin connector that I plug into my mobo?

**please** · 11-28-2005, 07:19 AM

@ FunkyPoopMonkey
I highly recommend that you not get either of those PSUs. They are not of quality make and will only let you down when you need it the most...or give you a lifetime of mystery problems.

As your sharp eye noticed, the newer ATX 2.0 standard includes the extra +12V line and 24-pin power connector to supply the newer more power hungry CPUs and video cards. The snap-off 4-pin connector is in addition to the existing 4-pin connector. If you don't use the snap-off 4-pin connector, just tuck it away safely.

My new favorite PSU to recommend is the Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 500W. At ~$76 delivered, it is the cheapest quality PSU I've seen. You may find it cheaper if you search a bit. This particular PSU is also very quiet with its unique two-fan system where the inner fan blows full time and the outer fan only comes on when things get hot...mine comes on very rarely....way cool

Keep us posted with your progress

Tumbleweed36 · 11-28-2005, 07:35 AM

Hi,

Possible alternate solution. Want a new case and a great power supply that is quiet. Take a look at the Antec Sonata II that has an Antec 450 PS that is very quiet and a wonderful case with front connections. This will set you back about 100 bucks, plus shipping and NewEgg.com and ZipZoomFly.com have been running specials on them. Might be worth a look. I am running by Athlon 3700+ San Diego in this case right now and it runs very good with plenty of power.

~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ · 11-28-2005, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by please

@ FunkyPoopMonkey
I highly recommend that you not get either of those PSUs. They are not of quality make and will only let you down when you need it the most...or give you a lifetime of mystery problems.

As your sharp eye noticed, the newer ATX 2.0 standard includes the extra +12V line and 24-pin power connector to supply the newer more power hungry CPUs and video cards. The snap-off 4-pin connector is in addition to the existing 4-pin connector. If you don't use the snap-off 4-pin connector, just tuck it away safely.

My new favorite PSU to recommend is the Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 500W. At ~$76 delivered, it is the cheapest quality PSU I've seen. You may find it cheaper if you search a bit. This particular PSU is also very quiet with its unique two-fan system where the inner fan blows full time and the outer fan only comes on when things get hot...mine comes on very rarely....way cool

Dang ok. But I don't have that kind of money to spare. Was there something wrong with this $60 one? Because this is already out of my budget:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817103927
I don't need 500 watts. We found out my system only uses 300 at it's peak. Also I was told to go with a 120mm fan because they are actually quiet. You say go with that dual fan one, where the back fan only comes on when things are hot, but I know my luck. It would be on ALL the time, and be just as noisy as my thermaltake one.

09-22-2005, 04:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ Register user Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 91 OS: Windows XP SP2	When a PSU is too loud... What can you do? I got this Thermaltake Silent PurePower, but this thing is far from silent. It's 4x louder then all my other components combined! It's not rattling or anything. The noise is strictly airflow apparently. If I just cover the vent with my hand, it's half as quiet. I opened up the PSU. The fans are wired very tightly. It would be real tough to fit a couple 20 ohm resistors inside this box without things being an electrical hazard. But I still think it could survive on a lower fan speed, because the air being pushed out isnt hot or anything.

09-24-2005, 11:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
twajetmech I helped the forums. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: LGA, NYC Posts: 2,388 OS: XP-Pro Sp2 & XP-Pro Sp2 Tablet Edition, Vista Ultimate My System	Based on what you said about the psu, seems as though the only things you can do is either live with the psu or replace it. You could unsolder the fan and replace it with a quieter fan, though I would only reccomend that if your up to the task. If you need a new psu there are plenty around that offer fan speed control __________________ PSU Selection/Info // Bench test // Thermal Paste // Memory Selection // Bios Beep Codes // CPU-Z// Posting System Specs

09-24-2005, 12:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
twajetmech I helped the forums. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: LGA, NYC Posts: 2,388 OS: XP-Pro Sp2 & XP-Pro Sp2 Tablet Edition, Vista Ultimate My System	All that will do is lessen airflow and the life of the psu...A good Antec with fan control would be the best way to go __________________ PSU Selection/Info // Bench test // Thermal Paste // Memory Selection // Bios Beep Codes // CPU-Z// Posting System Specs

09-25-2005, 05:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
kodi Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 7,397 OS: Windows 7-Ultimate 64 Bit My System	Can you remove the Grill,this can cause a lot of noise, only remove it if there are NO small children and pets around __________________ Brian

09-25-2005, 09:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
kodi Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 7,397 OS: Windows 7-Ultimate 64 Bit My System	Give it a try it might suprise you just how much noise is created by the air passing through the grill. __________________ Brian

09-24-2005, 12:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
Compumaniac12 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 209 OS: XP home sp1	you could put a peice of cardboard or something over the vent so that the noise goes away from you... might take away 1/4

09-25-2005, 03:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ Register user Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 91 OS: Windows XP SP2	Yeah I know, but I just bought this thing. And I kind of consider my computer now completed, unless something breaks and needs replacement. I'll live with it I guess. I just don't like Thermaltake putting the word "Silent" on a product that is louder then the half dozen number of PSU's I have tried in the past, all of which were cheapies.

10-14-2005, 05:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
Fr4665 aka mr.fraggs Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA or Germany Posts: 2,965 OS: Win XP,Vista,Android My System	yeah fan grills even on cpu coolers make alot of noise as it breaks the air like a flute end stupid comp parts designers ^^ __________________ I don't subscribe to threads please PM me if i miss a reply. ------- Everest SensorView Pro DriverCleaner how to fix your game

10-21-2005, 06:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
ampshock Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5 OS: Windows XP Pro	I have a antec true power 2.0 480w. It makes so little noise it is unbeliveable! If you want a powersupply that is so slient that you think you are deaf get the antec phantom.

10-29-2005, 09:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
oldmn TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gig Harbor Wa Posts: 2,150 OS: XP Pro SP3 X 3 My System	Some time it is better to get a bigger PSU than what you need. It does not have to work as hard and therefore less heat and less coolings needed and the fans run slower and quieter. Plus gives you some room for updrades. __________________ AVG \| MEMTEST86 \| Zone Alarm \| XXCLONE \| Adaware \| Beyond Compare \| Everest If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Sorry no PM's for problems.[/center]

10-29-2005, 10:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
oldmn TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gig Harbor Wa Posts: 2,150 OS: XP Pro SP3 X 3 My System	Try this PSU calculater __________________ AVG \| MEMTEST86 \| Zone Alarm \| XXCLONE \| Adaware \| Beyond Compare \| Everest If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Sorry no PM's for problems.[/center]

10-29-2005, 03:50 PM	#16 (permalink)
jisc123 Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 55 OS: WinXP	If noise is a concern, Enermax or Antec are great options, but its rather unfortunate that youll have to sell your current psu.

11-28-2005, 02:07 AM	#17 (permalink)
~~FunkyPoopMonkey~~ Register user Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 91 OS: Windows XP SP2	Ok the Antec TruePower 2.0 is still a tad bit out of my budget, but I have been looking at these alternatives with 120mm fans: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182011 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817182018 They're basically identicle, except one is ATX and the other is ATX2.0. I don't exactly know what that means. The ATX2.0 one has "dual 12 volt lines". Not sure how they would help me either, or if it would only complicate things. I also need to know if the ATX2.0 comes with that 4PIN connector that goes into my motherboard. This ATX2.0 has a 24pin main power connector for the mobo, where the last 4 pins can be broken away, so the normal style 20pin connector is revealed. Are those 4 pins that break away also the 4pin connector that I plug into my mobo?

11-28-2005, 07:19 AM	#18 (permalink)
please Tech Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,185 OS: WinXP SP2	@ FunkyPoopMonkey I highly recommend that you not get either of those PSUs. They are not of quality make and will only let you down when you need it the most...or give you a lifetime of mystery problems. As your sharp eye noticed, the newer ATX 2.0 standard includes the extra +12V line and 24-pin power connector to supply the newer more power hungry CPUs and video cards. The snap-off 4-pin connector is in addition to the existing 4-pin connector. If you don't use the snap-off 4-pin connector, just tuck it away safely. My new favorite PSU to recommend is the Antec SmartPower 2.0 SP-500 500W. At ~$76 delivered, it is the cheapest quality PSU I've seen. You may find it cheaper if you search a bit. This particular PSU is also very quiet with its unique two-fan system where the inner fan blows full time and the outer fan only comes on when things get hot...mine comes on very rarely....way cool Keep us posted with your progress __________________ P4P800E-D:~:P4 3.0C@3.75GHz:~:Zal7000AlCu:~:OCZ4001024ELDCPER2-K@250MHz 2.5-3-3-7 WinXP SP2>2X160GB Samsung SATA ICH5R RAID1:~:2x80GB Samsung SATA Promise RAID0 ATI A-I-W X800XT~SB Audigy2 ZS~2X BenQ1620~Antec SLK3700AMB~Antec SmartPower2.0 500W

11-28-2005, 07:35 AM	#19 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,647 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Possible alternate solution. Want a new case and a great power supply that is quiet. Take a look at the Antec Sonata II that has an Antec 450 PS that is very quiet and a wonderful case with front connections. This will set you back about 100 bucks, plus shipping and NewEgg.com and ZipZoomFly.com have been running specials on them. Might be worth a look. I am running by Athlon 3700+ San Diego in this case right now and it runs very good with plenty of power. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.