[SOLVED] Fans rattling

[buckshot187]

So I have a gigabyte 1660ti OC facing downwards at the middle of the case, its fans rattle very noticeably at certain speeds when the computer case is standing straight (vertically), at 100% fans don't make noise but there's a vibration sensation throughout the desk

the rattle goes away when I lay the case horizontally on its side or set specific fan speeds which is inconvenient. Any tips on how to fix it?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Did you buy this card new? Have you had the cooler removed from the card?

If you bought it new and have not removed the cooler for any reason, then I'd contact Gigabyte regarding an RMA as that is unacceptable and is not normal for any graphics card.

Also, I'd make SURE that the card is fully seated in the slot, that the lock at the end of the slot is engaged in the cutout on the graphics card PC board and that the bottom of the I/O bracket at the other end of the card is not only correctly seated in the slot below the I/O panel but that all required fasteners that attach the card to the back panel are installed and tight. If they are, then there is a problem with the cooler not being firmly attached to the PCB of the graphics card or the fans are not securely attached to the cooler framework. Or one of the fans is broken somewhere causing a balance issue.

 

[buckshot187]

Did you buy this card new? Have you had the cooler removed from the card?

If you bought it new and have not removed the cooler for any reason, then I'd contact Gigabyte regarding an RMA as that is unacceptable and is not normal for any graphics card.

Also, I'd make SURE that the card is fully seated in the slot, that the lock at the end of the slot is engaged in the cutout on the graphics card PC board and that the bottom of the I/O bracket at the other end of the card is not only correctly seated in the slot below the I/O panel but that all required fasteners that attach the card to the back panel are installed and tight. If they are, then there is a problem with the cooler not being firmly attached to the PCB of the graphics card or the fans are not securely attached to the cooler framework. Or one of the fans is broken somewhere causing a balance issue.

Yes the card is fairly new, a month old
I'll do some investigation on it and get back to you

Fans also seem pretty lose, since I tap the desk and I can actually hear the GPU fans rattle

 

[buckshot187]

-

Ok so I checked around and spun the fans individually checking if there's any obstruction, it seems that one of the GPU fans looks pretty loose and wobbles around, making the rattling sound aswell, but the other fan is completely fine.

Should I start from the screws, then to motor oil, then if it doesn't work an Aftermarket GPU fan? cus RMA is a long process - and since there's a semi working solution for the rattling (case laying on its side), it seems to me that this is fixable by hand

 

[Darkbreeze]

Except that it makes no sense to not RMA a component that is under warranty when it begins to fail.

So, yes, maybe it "works" better when you lay it on it's side, for now, but what about when it doesn't? Are you still going to be within warranty then? Does the vibration, shaking and rattling also kill of some other part of your graphics card, because we already know from years of experience that vibration can be deadly to components like capacitors, batteries and other electronics. You can literally shake an electronic to death, slowly, but certainly. Not to mention what happens if, say, that shake and vibration are due to a bad bearing on the fan and faulty bearing create significant extra heat which could play out multiple different ways including contributing to thermal issues on your card or the fan motor itself eventually (Or even in the near future) overheating and catching on fire.

If you are prepared to purchase a new fan or cooler now, then that's your call. If you are able to disassemble the cooler to double check that the problem isn't simply a loose fastener, then that's a good first step and maybe resolves the issue. Otherwise, much as it might be inconvenient, getting an RMA started is the only thing that makes any sense, ever, when a component that is still under warranty begins to show signs of problems because, the alternative is that maybe YOU end up without a graphics card AND without any avenue for replacement especially if it snowballs into a larger problem and the decide that you neglected to contact them before it got to the point where the card was a total loss. They certainly won't replace any other hardware in your system if your graphics card causes something to else to fail because it has a motor failure that creates a bigger problem.

IDK, maybe your problem isn't that severe, but for me, ANY component that is under warranty and isn't working 100% the way it's supposed to needs to be returned for a replacement before it can create a bigger problem, and it will, almost every time. Even if that bigger problem is simply an unexpected loss of the use of your system for an extended period since you failed to get the RMA process under way.

 

[buckshot187]

I hear you, well. It's only one single fan that's making the problems. I'll see to it
RMA is just a long process and there's still a chance it'd come back faulty from what I read around

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, good luck either way. If there's anything I can do to help just let me know.