RM550 - Safe to use permanently in passive cooling mode?

Hi folks!

 

I've just had an RM550 fail on me, after only 18 months[1]. :(

 

I've just been installing and testing the replacement RM550. The max I can draw is 191W[2], i.e. 35% of 550W, so less than the 40% minimum required for the PSU fan to ever turn on. I've verified this, the PSU fan really never moves.

 

The computer stays powered at the mains most of the time (so that the computer can be woken by LAN for game streaming in other rooms - computer is in a bedroom but so quiet it doesn't wake anyone up.)

 

Question: Is it okay for the PSU always to be running in passive mode like this?

 

(For the curious: an i5-4460 + 16Gb RAM + MSI Gaming GTX 960 2Gb.)

 

Warm regards from wet grey Derby, UK,

Julie

x

 

 

Footnotes

1. Short across mains, blowing fuses along the way - I think this is an intended failure mode in certain situations, i.e. MOVs - just to add that this is a fairly recent build flat with decent mains and the sub station less than 100meters away.

2. Maximum measured power usage at the mains plug whilst running benchmarks and burners maxing both GPU load and CPU is 208W. I understand the PSU is about 92% efficient at this level, and therefore the max the computer itself is pulling is therefore no more than 191W.

All current Corsair PSUs are designed to operate with a 0 RPM fan speed under low loads and should be fine. My AX1500i is 24 months old and the fan does not spin 99.99% of the time.