Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

[dqniel]

Hi everybody. I stumbled upon this place while searching for solutions to a "squealing" issue my Silverstone PSU has. It's a little over three years old now and has been loaded 24/7 for much of that time, and recently it has started squealing both while in use and while in standby, albeit at different pitches of squealing depending on whether it's loaded or in standby. After using the search function for an hour or so here I've been leaning toward thinking that the squeal could be emitted from the standby transformer, and that this could be caused by failing standby capacitors.

I've read that the internals of the Silverstone ST50EF-Plus are pretty good ( http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php...=Story&reid=13 ), but everything has its breaking point I suppose. My system is still stable under load and I have no issues other than the squealing, but I would like to know if this is able to be remedied by replacing some capacitors or other components on the PSU.

I'm a novice when it comes to understanding of soldering (I've done a few video card voltage mods and that's it) but I'm willing to learn and am looking for advice on how to troubleshoot and fix this. If anybody needs macro shots of the internals of my PSU I can take some and upload them. Thanks in advance!

[goodpsusearch]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

If it is not under warranty, open carefully the psu case and take some photos of it.

[c_hegge]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

It could be that the caps are going bad. I hate the way Jonnyguru gives a 9.5 to a PSU with cheapo teapo. When I write a review, I always knock 3 points off for not using japanese caps, so that PSU would have been given a 7 if I was reviewing it.

[mockingbird]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

The lousy caps do perform well initially, it is only when they die do you regret purchasing the PSU. Often times, I have noticed, in reviews, the lousy caps have better ripple suppression than the brand names... In fact there was one review where the guy replaced the cheapo caps with Panasonics and the ripple got worse.

Gabe also does it (hardwaresecrets) unfortunately. If they don't do what they're told, they stop getting review samples.

At JonnyGuru forums, some shill for Delta started a thread about how wonderful their factories were. When I posted a thorough write-up and various pictures indicating to the contrary, the post was deleted.

Also once I chastised one of the videocard makers as scumbags. Everyone laughed at me in the forums. A week later, that company went bust and declared that it would NOT honor the warranties.

Jonnyguru are scumbags.

[c_hegge]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

Jonnyguru are scumbags.

Agreed. I once mentioned why I hate Antec and the thread became World War 3 and Jonnyguru thinks I'm a troll.

[kaboom]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

In fact there was one review where the guy replaced the cheapo caps with Panasonics and the ripple got worse.

Jonnyguru are scumbags.

The Panasonics' ESR was different and the output filter(s) detuned.

The gullible sheep see the 'jonnyGOOFUPS' and their entire world stops- ooh it's an antec, or 'ruststone' in this case. Gotta buy, RIGHT NOW!

Just because it powers a 'puter doesn't mean the rules change...

That squeal can be caused by the 'unimportant' small caps in the PWM controller if all others are changed. I don't get this- when I've got one open, I change them all. 'The small caps aren't important.' Where the HELL did that come from?!

-Paul

[TheLaw]

Re: Silverstone ST50EF-Plus - Squeal

Can't a squeal also come from coils/inductors? Perhaps only under high load though?

Honestly, if you are good with a soldering iron, it's not going to do you much good to get a Silverstone replacement as you are just going to get junk caps...again. So if it's only a few caps, I'd just replace them. Usually those boards are a high enough quality for de/resoldering.