Question Are anti-vibration pads essential for Noctua NF-A14 fans?

[Deleted member 2720853]

Just installed my three Noctua NF-A14 fans, one in the rear as an exhaust, two in the front as intakes.

I was absolutely frustrated trying to install it and I skipped the anti-vibration grommets altogether because they just wouldn't stick. Also, why is the fan cable so short?

I tried running the fans at full RPM and it didn't vibrate badly at all, not enough that I would care about it.

Are these grommets essential? Hope not, I really don't want to take them off and put them back on again.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Okay I decided to just take out the fans and place the rubber mounts and installed them. The vibration is gone but I still hear that slight humming sound.

@Phaaze88 is this what you were talking about? Any way to stop it?

 

[Phaaze88]

Okay I decided to just take out the fans and place the rubber mounts and installed them. The vibration is gone but I still hear that slight humming sound.

Is this what you were talking about? Any way to stop it?

It might be.

That's the 'music of the motor' though, so nothing you can do about it.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

It might be.

That's the 'music of the motor' though, so nothing you can do about it.

Well I did something about it, returning these fans and using my Pure Wings which seem to be quieter.

 

[Phaaze88]

Well I did something about it, returning these fans and using my Pure Wings which seem to be quieter.

LOL!
Welp, they're still great fans, but the 'music' they produce isn't for everyone.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Why are my regular fans making the same noise now? Was it because I removed the top fan? I'm confused.

 

[Phaaze88]

¯\(ツ)/¯
You put the be quiet fans back in the same positions, right?

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Yeah. I think they always made this noise but now I'm focusing on it because of troubleshooting it this entire day. Hopefully I'll forget about it within a few days.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Okay nevermind, only one fan is acting up. I remounted it, tightened the screws, even changed to a different header, it's still humming.

Only thing different is that the top fan is now removed, I only have a rear exhaust and two front intakes. Should I try placing it back?

Good god. I'm out of ideas.

 

[Phaaze88]

Try swapping fans around?

 

[dorsai]

Is this with or without the case closed up ? In my experience most low level noise isn't an issue once the case is closed...

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Is this with or without the case closed up ? In my experience most low level noise isn't an issue once the case is closed...

It's fully closed and I still hear low humming.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Try swapping fans around?

I did, same result.

 

[Phaaze88]

Well dang, for it to up and do it out of the blue like that... the only other thing I could think of at the moment is you may have put too much pressure on the impeller or something while handling it.

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Guess I'll have to get used to it...

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

When I took out all my old fans, including the top fan, and put the Noctua ones in (1 rear exhaust 2 front intake), it hummed. I took the Noctua ones out, put the old ones back in, at first 1 rear exhaust 2 front intake, and it was still humming. I put the top one back in, still humming. I swapped the fans around, still humming.

I give up.