Corsair CX-500 experiences a brief surge in fan activity.
Corsair CX-500 experiences a brief surge in fan activity.
I have Corsair CX-500 power supply which works fine (voltages are OK according to BIOS and there no problems with stability even when gaming. However the fan seems to briefly ramp from time to time after some gaming and continues to do so atleast for some time after I end gaming, today it seems to have gotten worse. It only ramps up for a second when it does. When I was troubleshooting I turned the PC sideways and that seemed to cause rattling noise which was not present in normal position. My question is, is this sort of behaviour common fault with this PSU or is it just that fan is old? I see that new similar fan costs around 8-9€ total (with shipping etc) but if there is common fault with temperature sensor in this model then new fan probably wont solver anything. Again, voltages are normal and the PC does not crash, the PSU fan spins all the time, just with rpm going up briefly. ...and PC specs: Ryzen 5600x, 2 x 8gb ram sticks, GTX 1060, one NVME SSD, one regular HDD, optical drive
It seems your system is operating efficiently, but increased power consumption suggests the PSU may be aging. The fan bearings are showing signs of wear, causing higher noise levels. Lubricating them could extend their life, though this only delays the inevitable. The best approach is to replace the fan entirely. Before swapping parts, clean the unit thoroughly—ideally remove the PSU and use an air compressor to clear debris. Be cautious when handling components; some parts can be hazardous even when disconnected. When replacing, measure your fan accurately since manufacturers often specify exact dimensions, and ensure it matches standard sizes.
I had this PSU just once and there was no dust. But I don’t have grease on hand. The fan in this unit isn’t soldered, so I checked the model—it’s a Yate Loon D12SM-12. I kept using it because, according to what I understand (though maybe incorrect), older components consumed more power. My system ran an i5 4670K, had a GTX 1060, the same optical drive, and a regular HDD but a standard SSD instead of NVMe. I’ve attached a photo I took; I think I had clearer shots before. Here’s also a short video.
The setup initially had an i5 4670K and a Radeon HD 7870. Both components likely exceeded the current specs. It was assembled by a PC store using a 500W power supply. The system operated with this configuration for several years before being upgraded to a GTX 1060, then later to a Ryzen 5600x. It functioned smoothly for about one and a half years until I noticed the fan noise. No stability issues were reported at that time.
The replacement fan appears to match the model code and has a slightly longer cord, which may now come into contact with several parts on the PSU motherboard. Corsair seems to have added extra plastic tubing over the cord in the previous model for extra insulation, a feature absent in the new fan.