AX 1600i Occasional Click / Noise

The clicking is most likely the fan controller switching on and off. This is a firmware problem with the fan controller logic.

No. There is no firmware problem with the fan controller. Where did you even get that?

Hi,

 

@JonnyGuru (or another forum member) - perhaps you have insight on this. Loving the AX 1600i. Hopefully I have this one lasts well past the 10 year warranty; certainly has the build quality to do so.

 

1. I had / have an AX 860i that's about 7 years old. It cycles on / off in a similar manner with a click so that's normal. The 860i also while on in load / or at desktop does have a periodic clicking that happens but it's been running flawlessly for years and I've read this is normal.

 

- The AX 1600i I notice its overall even quieter (not even talking about the fan which doesn't spin until 640W as designed - part of why I got it, I'll never hit that even under full load while gaming). I have noticed after a gaming session and maybe it will vary by game but the one I've played since installing it there is like an occasional click / check it seems to do. I think it's normal and there are no signs (read: 0) of instability in the system. I don't have Corsair Link installed yet as this is a new build but could easily plug it in to check. This can happen in the desktop or while gaming. It seems to have a slightly different click from the on / off click that happens when coming out of Sleep. Almost like maybe metal is expanding slightly and its a heat thing? Maybe it's coming from my video card.

 

Please advise.

 

-Jeff

Same question as what Vegan had: Are you sure it's not the fan? If the fan has to turn on, there is going to be a very slight audible click. How loud is the click? Is your PC literally by your head as you use it?

Other than an inrush current relay, which clicks when the PC is turned on and off, and a relay the diverts +5VSB To +5V rail, the only click noise should be from the fan.

@JonnyGuru - I'm pretty sure it's not. I mean there wouldn't be a reason for it to turn on / off mid game only because it's in a Phanteks 600S case with good ventilation. Full load is never above 500 watts or even 550. It will happen while idle in the desktop, with just a web browser on. I can't pinpoint a frequency interval. It seems somewhat random. My understanding is the fan controller or fan won't engage in any capacity unless the unit's load goes past 640W. Otherwise, my understanding is that it runs silent / fanless mode and is passively cooled.

 

I had read reviews prior to purchase that stated EMI was a bit higher in select scenarios on this unit. I imagine that's with highly sensitive testing gear and only a couple of sites even mentioned it. I think Tom's Hardware was one. That site is hit and miss though. Could it be something on the same circuit in my apartment (it's got brand new electrical) that could be doing this? I mean no switch should be tripping in the PSU right? Or something inside the computer? Like another piece of hardware interfering? I have a Sata HDD that I have powered and using the same power cable (because there are multiple connectors on it) as the P600S case fan hub...My video card is a Geforce GTX 1080 TI SC2 from EVGA. It doesn't have fans spin up or shouldn't. Every time I've checked they are off when I'm browsing in the desktop. I know their newer 2000x cards use a fan that will make an audible click when they spin up even slightly. So perhaps one of the fans is catching case air from the intake and it's spinning up and then down every once in awhile?

 

Case is on the floor. One side panel is off as I recently did this build. I could plug in Corsair Link and look in iCue and log the fan to see if it is spinning up. Is there a reason the fan will spin up "just cause" like a brief self check" I can't hear it at all so if it is coming on / off periodically then it's at a very inaudible RPM. Audible RPM does happen when coming out of sleep which the 860i did as well. This fan is probably a bit more woosh for a bit longer than the 860i when powering on but I'm pretty certain that is normal.

 

Any way you recommend testing to ensure there's no issue? I mean a capacitor or other mechanical item inside wouldn't click periodically if it were failing or bad would it? The PSU did the power on self check (which I did before powering on and installing in my case or plugging anything into it and it worked as intended and did a slight fan spin up with a green light).

 

Does that help?

 

Also in your estimation should the over engineering and GN that's used in this unit make this thing last...dare I say 15 years no issue especially if I never run it past 33% load?

Wow.. long post.

I don't see why you couldn't get 15 years out of an AX1600i. Thing is built like a tank.

As for actually know if the fan is turning on: Install iCUE, start "logging" and log the fan RPM. Do a whole day of normal use and see if the CSV shows the fan ever turning on.

As for EMI: It's not "too high". Corsair has to send PSUs to many certifying bodies in order to sell in different markets and many of those tests look at EMI. The PSU is also certified by FCC.

Aris is a friend of mine and he does good reviews, but sometimes he's hyper critical because he's looking for things that nobody else is reporting on. So if he sees something that is "different", but still well "within the norm", he's going to call it out.