Really weird problem

If it's coming through the mainspring then the click and regular space could indicate something is charging, then discharging = suspect the horrible wall wart power supplies - it could be a failed capacitor charging and then arcing over and putting a spike onto the mains - that permeates through the property.

The only way here is to switch every single charger/PSU off and reconnect one by one. You need to be methodical.
 
brilliant. i think i've got it.
i tried unplugging my MacBook with the interface plugged in, no clicking, plugged the mac in, clicking started immediately. unplugged it, went away; plugged it in - came back again.
so that's the power then?
right, so what do i do? get an electrician in to make sure everything's earthed right and maybe try a decent mains conditioner?

thanks, everybody, for the help. this was really causing me a lot of stress and worry but i'm starting to feel better about it all now.
 
The only way here is to switch every single charger/PSU off and reconnect one by one. You need to be methodical.

cheers man.
can you explain this a bit more please? other than how to wire a plug i don't know much about electrics/electronics. what's a charger/psu?

would it also be worth contacting the electricity supplier and reporting it? like, could it be a tree or something touching the power line somewhere?
 
Nowadays, we have HUNDREDs of these devices - iPhone chargers, android chargers, the power supplies that power or audio gear, the routers, the hubs, the hard drives - you know the things - we plug them in and often leave them in the socket for ever. They fail regularly. Capacitors are devices that store electricity - current flows into them, then if the supply is removed it flows back out. Some are tiny, some are huge, but some can charge up to hundreds of Volts, but then maybe it only takes a bit of bad design, or maybe one lead not trimmed off neatly to create a place where a tiny spark flashes over - the capacitor then charges up again and it cracks again? This short spike of electricity travels down the mains airing to susceptible kit.

So - go around the building switching off every single socket with a power supply in it. Then listen for the noise. Silent? Plug a few back in, still silent? Add more. At some point you'll find the bit of kit that is causing the problem. Get a new one!
 
No clicking in your other devices (guitar amp, etc) when the Mac is on battery power? If so, then the Mac power supply may be the problem.
 
nice one. cheers. i'll try all this tomorrow.
the MacBook is about the only thing plugged in in our house so it really could be that. we're really careful unplugging things when they're not in use so it should be a simple process...

great. thanks again people. really appreciate all the help.
 
alright guys?
i had food poisoning at the weekend so i didn't get around to trying anything. i'm gonna get on it today and will hopefully pinpoint it. we strongly suspect it's an electric fence.
i'll let you know how it goes.

thanks.
 
alright guys?
i had food poisoning at the weekend so i didn't get around to trying anything. i'm gonna get on it today and will hopefully pinpoint it. we strongly suspect it's an electric fence.
i'll let you know how it goes.

thanks.

AhHa! That would account for the regular pulse. I dare say most are 'electronic' these days but the older ones had a weight that described part of a circle and was 'kicked' by a solenoid. Been '''ing AGES since I saw one but I think that just hooked up to a car's ignition coil? From an RFI point of view...NASTY!

Dave.
 
alright peep holes.
i finally got to the bottom of this.
it is the farmers electric fence. got an electrician coming next week to sort it out.
really relieved. the reason it's taken me so long to check it is i was so worried it wasn't gonna be the fence, so i kinda didn't wanna know. and i'm a busy guy...
thanks for everybody's help.
 
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