Antec Kuhler Pump Noise

[rainwilds]

Hi all,

Does anyone else have the Antec Kuhler 620 or 920?

I have one and the pump is making a substantial noise like a fridge. The stats show that it always, even in Silent mode, runs at full speed. Not sure if that is normal or not. I had the impression that the pumps would be relatively quite.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[mcnumpty23]

seems like you are not the only one have a look on youtube--heres 2 examples but they are not the only ones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzAmhlYXQmA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzxfyXu3kvM&feature=related

my corsair h50 pump is very quiet--if it made that kind of noise i would rma it immediately

 

[Lex_Sinistre]

Hi all,

Does anyone else have the Antec Kuhler 620 or 920?

I have one and the pump is making a substantial noise like a fridge. The stats show that it always, even in Silent mode, runs at full speed. Not sure if that is normal or not. I had the impression that the pumps would be relatively quite.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

I got one, and it stop rattling after about 5 hours use... something to do with air bubles I am told. Not sure i believe that air bubbles story but any way mine has well settled down. I can' thear it over the top of my Graphics cards fans when just doin humdrum stuff like surfing and using word and such. As to Pump speed.. well my Dash board shows my pump speed varying. But i do not trust the dash board because it only registers fan speed when I am burning the CPU out in Prime. In every other case it says my fan speed is Zero....i can hear them spinning and I can see them spinning... umm one of us is wrong and I am saying it is the dashboard.

regards
Lex

 

[rainwilds]

I got one, and it stop rattling after about 5 hours use... something to do with air bubles I am told. Not sure i believe that air bubbles story but any way mine has well settled down. I can' thear it over the top of my Graphics cards fans when just doin humdrum stuff like surfing and using word and such. As to Pump speed.. well my Dash board shows my pump speed varying. But i do not trust the dash board because it only registers fan speed when I am burning the CPU out in Prime. In every other case it says my fan speed is Zero....i can hear them spinning and I can see them spinning... umm one of us is wrong and I am saying it is the dashboard.

regards
Lex

Thanks for the reply Lex. I have contacted Antec support but they have been very slow with their responses. They have not yet mentioned bubbles but I've heard about that problem from others too. It was interesting that for the first 30min of life the pump made no real noise. Since though it has been bad. Really want to sort this out before I OC.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been moved from the section CPU & Components to section Overclocking by Mousemonkey

 

[95EscortDriver]

I got one, and it stop rattling after about 5 hours use... something to do with air bubles I am told. Not sure i believe that air bubbles story but any way mine has well settled down. I can' thear it over the top of my Graphics cards fans when just doin humdrum stuff like surfing and using word and such. As to Pump speed.. well my Dash board shows my pump speed varying. But i do not trust the dash board because it only registers fan speed when I am burning the CPU out in Prime. In every other case it says my fan speed is Zero....i can hear them spinning and I can see them spinning... umm one of us is wrong and I am saying it is the dashboard.

regards
Lex

I just installed one of these things, and actually commented on the 1st video's post, (waiting approval for the post), but here is what I wrote.
well what did you expect? the inlet and outlet holes are upside-down. There is a minor amount of air in these things to allow for heat contraction. When you set it in upside-down, you did not let the pump get primed, and it was simply dry spinning. Ever put a new pump on a fish tank? Before the water gets primed to the pump, it makes the same noise. You should have known it was upside-down, for god's sake the Antec Logo was upside-down. /facepalm

This, I found to be true in mine. At first I started it up, and there was a good deal of rattling. Thinking that they did leave room for air, (since this is a closed system, unlike a car that has a reservoir to remove air and adjust for air pockets) I turned the computer back off, laid it down, and started it up that way to prime the pump. after the noise stopped, I turned it back off, set the computer back upright, and started it again and everything was fine.

 

[rainwilds]

I just installed one of these things, and actually commented on the 1st video's post, (waiting approval for the post), but here is what I wrote.
well what did you expect? the inlet and outlet holes are upside-down. There is a minor amount of air in these things to allow for heat contraction. When you set it in upside-down, you did not let the pump get primed, and it was simply dry spinning. Ever put a new pump on a fish tank? Before the water gets primed to the pump, it makes the same noise. You should have known it was upside-down, for god's sake the Antec Logo was upside-down. /facepalm

This, I found to be true in mine. At first I started it up, and there was a good deal of rattling. Thinking that they did leave room for air, (since this is a closed system, unlike a car that has a reservoir to remove air and adjust for air pockets) I turned the computer back off, laid it down, and started it up that way to prime the pump. after the noise stopped, I turned it back off, set the computer back upright, and started it again and everything was fine.

Interesting. When you say you "laid it down" do you mean that the Antec logo was facing ground-up with the motherboard flat on the ground? I tried this just then and noticed whilst doing it that the noise is much less, and different. Turning it back up-right and the noise is still there. It certainly does sound like a fish-tank without water in the pump. I was just about to send it back under warranty but will wait to get your thoughts.

 

[95EscortDriver]

this is what I mean, lay your computer, case and all flat on the ground where your motherboard is completely parallel to the floor, and you can see inside the case. This will allow gravity to feed the liquid into the pump. *Note* whenever you move the computer, give it a few minutes to let the liquid settle a little. Now, this works best if you have the radiator on the back fan slot, not the exhaust fan slot up top.

Now, if you have the pump setup where the Antec logo looks upside down when looking at it, take it off, put it right side up. Basically, what your doing with it upside dow is creating a spot where if air does get in there, it gets trapped, like a in-line sand filter on a pool. The hoses should be lower than the pump. I'm guessing that is why Antec put the logo on the pump, to be able to tell what is up and down.

Also, if the radiator is higher than the pump, this may take longer to bleed the system, and may be difficult not to let any air get back into the pump. This is why I concidered putting the radiator on my top Exhaust fan slot, not the back. But in the end, I put it on the rear.

 

[rainwilds]

this is what I mean, lay your computer, case and all flat on the ground where your motherboard is completely parallel to the floor, and you can see inside the case. This will allow gravity to feed the liquid into the pump. *Note* whenever you move the computer, give it a few minutes to let the liquid settle a little. Now, this works best if you have the radiator on the back fan slot, not the exhaust fan slot up top.

Now, if you have the pump setup where the Antec logo looks upside down when looking at it, take it off, put it right side up. Basically, what your doing with it upside dow is creating a spot where if air does get in there, it gets trapped, like a in-line sand filter on a pool. The hoses should be lower than the pump. I'm guessing that is why Antec put the logo on the pump, to be able to tell what is up and down.

Also, if the radiator is higher than the pump, this may take longer to bleed the system, and may be difficult not to let any air get back into the pump. This is why I concidered putting the radiator on my top Exhaust fan slot, not the back. But in the end, I put it on the rear.

Thanks for the detailed response. I will try that sometime this week. Any chance you could send a photo of your rig?

 

[95EscortDriver]

Actually, I'm currently working out minor issues in my rig, as I have just got it fully operational. Having issues with heat mainly, due to improper airflow. The wiring is also all over the place, and temorary lighting in place.

As you can see, there are things that need upgraded/ replaced. One of the 2 HDD was old and recently quit. Also, trying to find a proper place to route the hoses for this thing is being a real PITA. Another thing, my window needs to be waxed and/or replaced with clear glass instead of that tinted stuff.

 

[Lex_Sinistre]

@escort driver... don't mean to sound dumb.. but perhps I can't help it becos I am.. anyways it seems to me hunch wise that your top fan is sucking air directly out of the pathe that your radiator fans would be drawing air from.. thereby decreasing the airflow over your radiator and consequently lessening the efficiency of the radiator set up.

What do you reckon???

 

[rainwilds]

Actually, I'm currently working out minor issues in my rig, as I have just got it fully operational. Having issues with heat mainly, due to improper airflow. The wiring is also all over the place, and temorary lighting in place.

As you can see, there are things that need upgraded/ replaced. One of the 2 HDD was old and recently quit. Also, trying to find a proper place to route the hoses for this thing is being a real PITA. Another thing, my window needs to be waxed and/or replaced with clear glass instead of that tinted stuff.

The Kuhler looks mighty fine in your black case.

Thanks for the photos. It looks similar to my setup with the radiator in the rear exhaust. I noticed you also zip-tied the pump hoses, might do the same.

Will let you know how I go with getting rid of the air bubbles. Looks like your rig is coming along well.

 

[95EscortDriver]

@escort driver... don't mean to sound dumb.. but perhps I can't help it becos I am.. anyways it seems to me hunch wise that your top fan is sucking air directly out of the pathe that your radiator fans would be drawing air from.. thereby decreasing the airflow over your radiator and consequently lessening the efficiency of the radiator set up.

What do you reckon???

I was actually thinking the sme thing... had made up my mind to flip the fan around so it would blow downward, and also rig up the unused 5" Drive slots to house Some sort of Fan setup to draw air inward. My setup definately lacks air in the area of my CPU, Due to the only Intake fan being behind the HDD slots. Granted, they are slotted for air to pass through, but the air is going over 32C HDD's. Figured I'd rig some sort of Mesh to go in the 5"drive slot, though I'm unsure how right this sec.

 

[95EscortDriver]

just tried flipping the top Exhaust fan around to blow down onto the processor area and sure enough, temps are down everywhere except 1 place. The NorthBridge is now up to 47C-52C range... going to try unplugging my Window Intake fan, since there is a chance it may be trapping the heat on the NB

 

[Lex_Sinistre]

just tried flipping the top Exhaust fan around to blow down onto the processor area and sure enough, temps are down everywhere except 1 place. The NorthBridge is now up to 47C-52C range... going to try unplugging my Window Intake fan, since there is a chance it may be trapping the heat on the NB

Is that under load or at idle.. it is high for an idle temp.. way high.. but it would be acceptable for anything 4.5ghz or more??

 

[95EscortDriver]

thats from idle to running a Game called Vindictus with the Hex core and NB completely stock in my computer. Granted, with my motherboard, I did have to underclock the RAM because I bit off more than I can chew with PC3 1600, whereas my motherboard will only run PC3 1333 stock. I think I have the RAM set at 1400, and the HT at 2400, so it is bumped up a little. But the FSB is stock also.

 

[Sab_08]

Hi all,

Does anyone else have the Antec Kuhler 620 or 920?

I have one and the pump is making a substantial noise like a fridge. The stats show that it always, even in Silent mode, runs at full speed. Not sure if that is normal or not. I had the impression that the pumps would be relatively quite.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

There are 2 reasons for a noisy pomp:
1. As mentioned above the air bubbles (no need to dwell on that subject, guys above pretty nailed it)

2. Fan Smart Control (or something like that).
Basically you connected your pumps power to the CPU fan socket and that thing is designed to give various voltage to the CPU fan to regulate how fast it is working. When your CPU is cold (relatively) your motherboard feeds insufficient voltage to the pump.
To solve this go to bios settings (spam Delete key after you turn your PC on).
When in BIOS look for PC Health, once there disable Smart Fan Control.
Your BIOS set-up might be different so just have a look around for similar options.

 

[95EscortDriver]

Sab_08
2. Fan Smart Control (or something like that).
Basically you connected your pumps power to the CPU fan socket and that thing is designed to give various voltage to the CPU fan to regulate how fast it is working. When your CPU is cold (relatively) your motherboard feeds insufficient voltage to the pump.
To solve this go to bios settings (spam Delete key after you turn your PC on).
When in BIOS look for PC Health, once there disable Smart Fan Control.
Your BIOS set-up might be different so just have a look around for similar options.

or for us that have AMD Computers, turn of Cool &Quiet. In doing so, it also turns off the PWM Function of the CPU header. This in turn turns the 4-Pin PWN CPU header into a standard 3-pin header.

FYI, contacted Antec asking if there were newer drivers and asked if the pump speeds should be running at 3K RPM's this is what I got:
Comment: Hi -----,

The drivers seem to be installed fine. Those pump speeds are normal, as the average reading is 3000RPM. The most recent drivers are available on our website, and they are Version 1. You can download them here: http://www.antec.com/download/KUHLER%20H2O%20920%20Drivers_v1.zip

Thank you,
Antec Support

Basically, we are stuck with the same Asetek drivers they've had since `09