Power Supply Clicking: Learn How To Solve Clicking Sound Issues in PSU

The power supply clicking can suddenly make clicking sounds that can concern the user. If this occurs, checking the power supply unit is a good area to start from as mostly all such clicking sounds are associated with this region.

From a simple issue to a complex fix, we should always be careful when this clicking takes place.

Let’s discuss the causes and fixes in this guide. 

Why Does Power Supply Line Clicking Happen? 

There are several reasons why clicking is creating issues for the system. Let’s see them one by one below. 

– Connection Faults 

To warn us about a certain issue within the system, the supply makes clicking sounds. A major reason for this noise may be a faulty connection. A faulty connection can damage the entire system due to voltage differences, something we will discuss below as well. The supply finds this connection risk and limits it to prevent damage to the other components. 

– Installation Issues 

Just as a connection fault can cause problems such as supply line clicking sounds, not installing the supply components can also cause similar issues. 

Whether we have purchased a system that came or built the system ourselves, this problem can arise either way. 

– Cable Issues

Inside the case, the cables can get loose over time or some of the screws holding them might lose their strength. 

However, if the PC is not pre-made and we have customized it, wiring issues are likely to occur. 

– Over Usage Issues

Over usage of a supply can also make clicking due to excessive pressure on the system components. Using the system for heavy processes, gaming, streaming, or anything of a complex process may hold a great strain on the system. 

– Faulty Fans or Filters 

The clicking is not always coming from the PSU as it can be the fan or the filter that is the source of this sound. Reasons for this behavior include a broken fan or needs cleaning. 

Additionally, checking for the filters to see if they are clogged or need cleaning can also solve this problem. 

– Voltage Regulator Issues 

Every PSU has a voltage regulator that evenly distributes the voltage as needed. It also tracks and ensures the protection of the supply unit and other parts of the CPU from any electrical delays or malfunctions. From time to time, power can be cut off and replaced by this regulator to prevent surges. 

– PSU Failures 

Death Knell is a term used for the extreme cases when the PSU will make clicking sounds before it dies out. This is a way of showing the user that there is no way back to revive the system. 

– Additional Reasons for Supply Line Clicking 

• Cooling System
• Optical Drive
• Hard Drive
• Speakers 

How To Fix Power Supply Line Clicking Connection Faults 

The supply unit or the PSU is the major contributor to the internal parts of a system so checking that the connection is not faulty is crucial. To do that, we can do the following to avoid a faulty connection.

• Properly check if the cables are plugged into the PSU and its connected component. 
• Remember that a motherboard power cable has 24 pins and yet another eight-pinned cable would be used for the Central Processing Unit (CPU) separately as well. 
• Any GPUs being used will need their own cables, a six or eight-pin PCIe connector in general. 
• A SATA power cable will be used for the storage drives from the PSU. Do note that CPU liquid coolers and optical drives also make use of the SATA power cables.

How To Fix Installation Issues 

To see if the supply is installed properly, check these steps: 

• Open the case to check the installation. 
• If confused, there would be a user manual for this case, be sure to keep that close to avoid making further mistakes. 
• Check all the screws in the case, make sure every mounting in the PSU is tight and there are no loose or missing screws in the unit. 
• If there are any screws that are loose, tighten them as they may be the reason for this clicking sound. 
• If there are missing screws, be sure to give a thorough look to find the screws and put them back firmly. Just make sure no screws are left idle within the case. 

Ensuring that the supply line is tightly screwed is very important as installation problems can cause limited performance or at worse a fire. Thus, we should be very careful to avoid such a situation. 

How To Fix Cable Issues 

To fix this issue, we need to do the following: 

• Open the case and check if there are any loose wires lying anywhere in the PSU. 
• There might be a wire that has lost its grip and the fan is causing it to hit other parts of the unit, causing a noise. 
• Worse, one of the cables can be blocking a fan. 
• Just disconnect the supply line from the wall outlet and securely fasten the wires back into their respective places. 

How To Fix Over Usage Overclocking 

When the computer begins to overheat due to a lot of processes, fans will spin faster to provide extra cooling and if done for longer hours, this will tire the PSU. To fix this issue, we can do the following: 

• If there are too many cables connected to the computer, we can remove them to aid the supply and its processes in a swift run. These extra cables can be fans, units, or lights. 
• We should also refrain from using too many commands at once to avoid overclocking, a cost that will eventually affect the system. If done, we need to be careful on how to use it properly.
• The components of the unit should have overclocking ability when needed along with the cooling systems that must be installed to ensure the overclocking is risk-free. 
• Mostly, the overclocking feature will bring the clicking sound. If this happens, we should turn the system back to standard settings to avoid any strain on the system. 

Even after overclocking, if the system still does not stop making the clicking sound, this means some parts of the system are totally damaged. Open the case and check or go to your nearby service center if needed. 

How To Fix Faulty Fans or Filters 

Do the following if your fan or filter seems to cause a clicking sound: 

• Open the case and see the amount of dirt on the fan and the filter. 
• Clean them and see if the clicking sound is still audible. 
• If this does not work, check the fan and filter and see if they are not broken. Remember that the fan might be clogged.
• If the fan is broken, there is no fix. We just need to replace it. 
• In case of a clogged filter, we just need to use small brushes and air to clean it. Dirt on filters causes lower power and extra heating. 
• To avoid such issues in the future, make sure the PSU has enough breathing space in the area it is placed. 

How To Fix Voltage Regulator Issues

This sudden loss and revival of power cause power surges that are lethal for the PSU as the supply can get damaged as well as the components connected with the PSU. To prevent this, carry out these measures: 

• When we hear a clicking sound due to a voltage regulator, we must note the power supply will turn off and on. 
• Immediately, turn off the PC and wait for some time. The length of time depends on the voltage inflow. When the voltage is stable, turn on the system. 
• Make sure these voltage on and offs (spikes) are not consistent as that will only affect the regular in the long run. 
• To avoid that, we can either change the voltage regulator or get it fixed. 

How To Fix PSU Failures 

When the death knell happens, we just need to change the power unit to avoid any other issues or impacts on the components related to the PSU. One tip would be to spend more on the power units as this department is the grid station to all the other components for operations and carrying an excessive load. 

Adding more cooling systems, extra fans, and lighting next time can also help elongate the shelf life of a supply unit and avoid clicking noise. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

So far, we have mentioned some of the ways to prevent supply line clicking. Here are some questions asked by users that might help us further. 

1. Is There a Formula for Buying Power Supply Units? 

Not really but a thumbs rule would be to calculate the power of our PC and see a PSU that can provide it with that amount easily without needing to overclock. We can do that by finding the wattage of each component. Newegg power calculator or Outervision power calculator are great tools to help in this regard. 

2. Should I Use Extra Fans in My PSU Unit? 

You definitely can. Using extra fans besides the standard PSU fan helps cool down the components much faster, providing a lesser overclocking need that in the long run impacts the overall performance of a system. 

3. How To Clean My Fans and Filters Properly To Prevent Clicking Sound? 

Generally using brushes and compressed air should work. If the dirt is heavy, use isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs. If you can, buy new ones as these parts are normally affordable. 

4. Can I Still Use My PSU if There Is a Clicking Sound Coming From My Optical Drive? 

Yes you can. A damaged optical drive is not a great concern as the PSU can operate without its help as well. However, do get a replacement to make sure there are no complications in the future. 

5. Why Do My Speakers Make a Clicking Sound? 

It is a normal thing and you should not be worried at all. A brief noise when the PC turns on or off is due to an electrical discharge. However, if the clicks are constant, there is a chance a device may be damaged. Be sure to check the cables and see if they are not loose. If it doesn’t help, replace them. 

Concluding The Remarks on PSU Clicking Noise

The power unit sits at the bottom of a PC case and extracts all the power from the wall to the system.

Till now, we mentioned the following ways to fix clicking in PSUs: 

• PSU clicking can be a result of the components within the PSU or its related parts.
• Whether pre-assembled or custom-made, PSU clicking can occur due to minor faults or because of the death knell, the last irreversible stage of a PSU.
• Lastly, we also discussed some of the ways to keep filters, fans, speakers, and PSU clean to prevent such clicking and elongate shelf life.

After reading this article, you should be well aware of the causes of power unit noise and ways to fix this issue. To find more solutions, visit our blogs corner. Thank you for reading!