Weird noise when connecting PS5's external HDD to extension cord

[Windows_10_User]

Overnight, I take the PS5's 3.5" external HDD's power cord from the external HDD just to be sure because the external HDD's power supply makes an annoying whistling noise when the external HDD's power cord is connected and I'm worried about a fire starting.

I've changed the external HDD's power strip and directly connect the external HDD into the wall socket and into another socket from the same wall and I still have this problem. Does that mean the external HDD may stop working, or even worse, may it mess up all my devices connected to the power strip or/and may it even start a fire? I bought this external HDD two years ago and I've had this problem since then.

I find it odd that if I connect it to the laptop's power strip which is connected to a socket on another wall, I don't have this problem.

 

[Windows_10_User]

Could be bad ground/earth on that outlet or dirty power. The power strip may also have surge and noise protection that filters out dirty power. By dirty power I mean that it is susceptible to voltage ripple, where the voltage can go above or below the standard. It's actually quite common in older power grids.

What do you mean by ground and earth? Also, can a fire start or the external HDD become faulty?

 

[fringle]

What do you mean by ground, earth and dirty power? Also, can I have a fire or the external HDD become messed up?

I updated the previous post to include what I meant by dirty power. Dirty power is power that can suffer voltage/frequency variations. Not likely to cause any sort of fires or anything but anything is possible so don't take my word for it. It's quite common on older houses. If the surge protector or power strip has a built in circuit that levels this out that it's not likely to damage anything but if no surge protector is connected then it is possible it could damage sensitive electronics that don't like abnormal voltage and frequency changes.

The only way to check it for sure would be to get a voltmeter and stick it in the socket and see what kind of readings you get. If you don't know what you're doing though I'd recommend getting a professional to take a look at it and see if they can help clean up the issue.

Here's a youtube video that may be able to explain it a bit better:

 

[Windows_10_User]

I updated the previous post to include what I meant by dirty power. Dirty power is power that can suffer voltage/frequency variations. Not likely to cause any sort of fires or anything but anything is possible so don't take my word for it. It's quite common on older houses. If the surge protector or power strip has a built in circuit that levels this out that it's not likely to damage anything but if no surge protector is connected then it is possible it could damage sensitive electronics that don't like abnormal voltage and frequency changes.

The only way to check it for sure would be to get a voltmeter and stick it in the socket and see what kind of readings you get. If you don't know what you're doing though I'd recommend getting a professional to take a look at it and see if they can help clean up the issue.

Here's a youtube video that may be able to explain it a bit better:

But I just recall I connected the external HDD to another socket in the same wall and I still have this noise but not if I connect it to the laptop's socket which is in another wall. Maybe the two sockets in the same wall are faulty unlike the other one in a different wall.

 

[fringle]

But I just recalled I changed the wall socket (and extension cords) in the same wall the devices are connected to and I still have this noise but not if I connect the external HDD to the wall socket the laptop is connected to which is in another wall. Maybe the two wall sockets in the same wall are messed up.

It's possible that the two you tried were on the same circuit. You'd know if you flipped the breaker for one off and the other also went off at the same time.

 

[Windows_10_User]

I know I said I wasn't going to reply to anymore of your threads but I don't hold grudges as they serve no purpose. The squeal from using the Korean adapter was most likely due to a frequency mismatch. Korean infrastructure being 60hz and the European requirement being 50hz. So unless the adapter has the 50/60hz specification written on it, it's not meant to work with the European power infrastructure.
If it does have the 50/60hz specification written on it, it's possible that the squeal you are hearing is due to the frequency conversion taking place within the transformer of the adapter.

But shouldn't other devices connected to the same power strip of the external HDD's power supply also make this whistling noise?

 

[godreborn]

Yeah, whistling is most likely related to power. I had a gba charger that did the same thing.

 

[Windows_10_User]

Yeah, whistling is most likely related to power. I had a gba charger that did the same thing.

What do you mean by being related to power? Is it fine or may problems arise? Why doesn't it make it if connected to a socket in another wall? May they be in the same circuit?

EDIT: It seems the PS5's external HDD is making a second noise even with the PS5 turned off and I have to click its power strip's switch or take its power cord to stop it as well.

EDIT 2: I might take the PS5's external HDD's power cord from the external HDD's power input from now on to stop these noises even if playing PS4 games on the PS5 will take longer since it will take some time to recognize the external HDD to load the PS4 games on it or to recognize the external HDD to install new PS4 games to it.