Do Barracuda IV's cause PSU coil whine? mine does

al bundy · Post by **al bundy** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 2:31 am

al bundy wrote:
TerryW wrote:...The high frequency "noise" is possibly originating from the PSU when a higher current demand is required.

Recommendations:

1. Try a ferrite core around the red +5VDC wire to the HDD. You will need to wrap at least 3 windings through the core...
TerryW, by "at least 3 windings", do you mean just make sure that only the red 5V wire (and no others) makes three simple loopings through the center of the ferrite ring (i.e. so that Doomer's picture link above shows an example of 6 windings)? Are more loopings even better, and is there a "best" way to make the wire secure (so it won't become loose around the ferrite ring)?

elamb wrote:...I called a professional electronics store, and they only had the snap on variety of ferrites as well. I will have to look in the phone book for another supplier...
Eric, at the www.mcmaster.com site, find part #8495K57 (their widest diameter toroid ring ferrites, $4.18 each)... is this what you're looking for?

Just wondering, I'm still really curious to know the explanations to these questions, if anybody is willing please to answer them?

Also, why ferrite-wrap the 5V line going into the harddrive? I might be mistaken, but isn't it the 12V line that is used by the harddrive?

SZ · Post by SZ » Tue Jun 03, 2003 7:43 am

>but isn't it the 12V line that is used by the harddrive
IDE HDD power socket has both 12V and 5V

Post by **NeilBlanchard** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:01 am

Hello:

I have a 40GB Cuda IV in my Athlon 700, and there is no coil whine -- or any other issues in the Enlight 350watt PS.

al bundy · Post by **al bundy** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 10:37 am

SZ wrote:>but isn't it the 12V line that is used by the harddrive
IDE HDD power socket has both 12V and 5V

So then, shouldn't both the 12V and 5V be wrapped around the ferrite ring, instead of just the 5V?

Bat · Post by **Bat** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:16 pm

I'd wouldn't use the same ring for both. If you do, you've made a transformer, and a change in the current flowing through one wire will cause an induced voltage (a "potential difference" between points on the wire before and after the windings) in the other wire.

Mezi · Post by **Mezi** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:47 pm

Bat wrote:I'd wouldn't use the same ring for both. If you do, you've made a transformer, and a change in the current flowing through one wire will cause an induced voltage (a "potential difference" between points on the wire before and after the windings) in the other wire.

I tried it once and the house fuse went out.

Luckily no evident damage to the system.

Will the wrapping of the 12 v line to another ring make any difference?

elamb · Post by **elamb** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 9:15 pm

My whine problem was greatly reduced when I replaced the Silencer PSU with the Fortron 120mm/300 watt. Interestingly, the Fortron is about a third the price of the silencer, a little quieter, and has 25 more watts. Before I bought the Fortron I picked up a couple of ferite rings at allelectronics.com for about $1 each, but I never had a chance to experiment with them. You might find it easier to place the ferite ring on an ATX power extension cable and then plug it in between the PSU and HD. I don't believe this would hurt anything.

al bundy · Post by **al bundy** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 10:02 pm

elamb wrote:...You might find it easier to place the ferite ring on an ATX power extension cable and then plug it in between the PSU and HD. I don't believe this would hurt anything.

On this Antec PSU that whines with a BIV hard drive, I used two ferrite rings (McMaster-Carr part part #8495K57) on an ATX power extension cable. Used 5 windings on the 12V line with one ring, and 5 windings on the 5V line using the other ring.

Whine is gone! I don't know if there are better ferrite rings to use, but these did the trick.

Thanks to everyone who helped with this.

energy · Post by **energy** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 3:36 pm

but isn't it the 12V line that is used by the harddrive

12v is used by HDD motor
5v by logic circuits

ewat · Post by **ewat** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:41 pm

wow! i swear ive got this problem with my sata maxtor 120gig

i put my ear next to the psup and its just this high pitched annoying whien (i always just attributed it to the whine of the hd)...

and ive gota 350watt enermax =| (which i hear isnt very popular?) with 2nd fan taken out and 80mm pabst inside (water cool so no need for the extra fannage)

are these psus well known for the whine!? any suggestions on brands of replacemtns if the ferrite fails =\? (sorry havn't had time to check other threads)...in australia there really isnt much to select from in terms of branded psu's

will keep you guys posted on

freddo · Post by **freddo** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 11:34 am

Bypassing the 5V and 12V lines right at the molex that is connected to the hard drive with large elco capacitors is the solution. This completely cured the buzzing from my Aopen FSP-350 (aka Fortron) caused by a barracuda IV. I used a 3300uF/16V cap for the 12V line, and a 2200uF/10V for 5V.

RTT · Post by **RTT** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:35 pm

I apparently just developed the same Barracuda IV whine problem. Everything was O.K. until my DVD-ROM drive died and had to be replaced. Looks like the old one was filtering the line for the hard drive, but with the replacement (or no drive at all) the hdd causes the PSU to make an awful noise.

I'd like to try the ferrite trick but I don't understand how you get the thing on there. Do I have to cut the +5V wire, wind it, and then resolder? Are more loops always better? What does an ATX extention cable have to do with anything, I thought the ATX connector goes to the motherboard?

Thanks.

lenny · Post by **lenny** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 1:48 pm

RTT wrote:I'd like to try the ferrite trick but I don't understand how you get the thing on there. Do I have to cut the +5V wire, wind it, and then resolder? Are more loops always better? What does an ATX extention cable have to do with anything, I thought the ATX connector goes to the motherboard?

I think they mean the 4 pin molex.

You don't need to cut and resolder, though that would also work of course. An easier way of doing this is to remove the pin from the plastic (nylon) housing, wind the wire around the ferrite core, then insert it back.

To remove it from the housing, use a small (jeweler's) screwdriver, or something similar, and push the tabs in. There are two tabs on opposite sides of the pin that locks the pin in the nylon housing. Once the tabs are pushed in, you can pull the pin out.

There are also special tools that you can get at Radio Shack (among other places) that does the job for you.

You may need to bend the tabs out a bit before re-inserting. A needlenose plier or same screwdriver will do.

Search for cable sleeving in the threads for more information on how to remove molex pins from the housing, in case my description is less than crystal clear.

Rory B. · Post by **Rory B.** » Sun Feb 15, 2004 1:03 pm

If your ferrite cores are making noises, find a little container and then put the ferrite core inside, and then take some silicone caulk and start filling up the container. The silicone caulk will damp out the high frequencies.

Are more turns better?

MysticX23 · Post by **MysticX23** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 1:55 am

Thinking I could almost have a silent setup, I went for the Seagate IV. But now, I know for sure its the psu whinning and not the fans causing possibly more noise than my old hd. However, I stilll want to keep the Seagate cuz its deadsilent. I'm willing to try this "ferrite ring" setup. But I've got a series of newb questions still after reading this thread:

1. Which one of the 4 pin molex lines is the 5V that I have to wrap around? (Red?)

2. Any specific type of ferrite ring I should get? (Big/Small?)

3. How many loops? And where along the 5V line, if it matters at all (nearer to PSU or nearer to HD)

4. Can I get this at my local radio shack/ace/home depot?

This noise is realli annoying me cuz it sounds like a 28CFM fan runnnig. FOr some reason, it wasn't there when I first installed my barracuda, but started to after I suspended my barrracuda (which works WONDERS! =D).

This noise is realli annoying me cuz it sounds like a 28CFM fan runnnig. FOr some reason, it wasn't there when I first installed my barracuda, but started to after I suspended my barrracuda (which works WONDERS! =D).

Do Barracuda IV's cause PSU coil whine? mine does

no problems with mine

great...i now have this psu whine problem.