D5 pump noise level.

[jimthenagual]

Is this amount of noise normal for a D5 pump?
https://youtu.be/k0P5mEGJ82s

 

[techgeek]

What RPM is it running at when it's like this? Is it at max? Pumps can be quite noisy when run full out. The other thing I noticed is that you have a lot of small bubbles lining your res. Did you just get this up and running? It's possible that you still have a small amount of air chasing around in your loop. Air leads to the pump cavitating and this will certainly make the pump seem noisy.

If you just assembled this loop, did you thoroughly flush out the radiator and other parts (pump included) before assembling your loop? It's not uncommon for brand new radiators to have a bunch of metal particles left inside from manufacturing. These particles if they migrate into the pump can cause it to be noisy and more importantly cause the pump to be damaged. This step is one of the most important steps in assembling a new system. It isn't uncommon to still flush out particles from the radiator on the first maintenance flush after assembling a new system.

 

[jimthenagual]

Thanks for the response. This is a brand new build. My first custom water loop. I did wash out the radiators pretty good but none of the other parts.

I'm not sure what r pm it's running at. I have to figure out why I'm getting a cpu fan error. I'm using the built in fan controller that came with the evolv atx case. Haven't really had time to dig in and figure that out yet, but it's next on the list.

 

[techgeek]

What pump / res model is that? Does it support PWM or DC control via the motherboard fan header?

 

[jimthenagual]

Xs-PC photon 170 with a D5 pump, and I believe it does. It has a connector for the opt cpu fan header.

 

[techgeek]

So at the moment you are just running it via the jumpered ATX connector? With as much air as I see there, you may find that the noise drops off somewhat when the bubbles in your loop disappear.

I looked up the pump / res and found one on XSPC's site that shows it with a 3 pin fan connector for tach output and a 4 pin molex for power and the pump speed is controlled via a dial switch at the bottom of the pump. I also found one on YouTube that is a PWM controlled model. According to the video he upgraded to the PWM model, but the product manual he shows in his video is the same as the one I found online. Here is the link:

XSPC Photon 170 D5 / MCP655 PWM Res/Pump Combo

If yours has the switch, you might need to dial back the speed to get the noise under control if the noise doesn't subside somewhat with time. It also means that you'll only be able to monitor the tach signal, the only control for speed will the the switch at the bottom.

By the way, very nice clean looking system.

 

[techgeek]

So did the noise subside after circulating for awhile? Or did you have to dial the pump speed back?

Just out of curiosity did the pump you have have the switch on the bottom? Or was it like the guy in the video I linked to that had his upgraded to a PWM controlled pump? This is just for my interest, though other users that come with similar issues might benefit from clarification.

 

[jimthenagual]

The noise is still too much. The noise of air bubbles is gone now, but the vibration noise of the pump is more than I was expecting. It's set to 2 on the dial.

 

[techgeek]

Is the pump / res screwed right to the chassis? I wonder if you put some rubber padding under it so that the vibration doesn't amplify through your chassis. I've seen this work with other (bigger) mechanical systems. Although I've seen it work in the reverse as well.

 

[mikesinner]

I just installed a D5 pump and when at full speed it runs at around 4800 rpm and is really quite noisy, with all the fans being silent.
Compared to your pump though, mine has a whiny noise. Yours sounds heavy, like it is resonating the whole case.

The previous pump was a cheap Chinese one, but despite running at around 4000 RPM, I could not hear it! This D5 pump is connected with a PWM connector, so now it's running in between 2500 and 3200 RPM. I can still hear it spinning up every now and then, which is just annoying.
For such an expensive pump that seems to receive allround praise for performance, I am honestly a bit disappointed that it is beat by a cheap Chinese pump in terms of silence! Really weird.
I do have it mounted with double rubber mounts. One set of mounts holding it to the spacer plate and one set of rubber mounts holding it to the chassis. I haven't tried playing a game with this pump connected yet, because I literally just installed it (I did let all the air get through first), but if it gets noisy while playing games, I think I will just put the old Chinese pump back in place, however silly that might seem. =/

Anyway, how is your PC doing now? Still a bit on the noisy side, or did you manage to silence it somewhat?