Issues with controlling my computer cooling

[ullert]

Im sorry that this post is so big, but i have had sooooo many issues over the last months with these cooling related problems that i just felt the need to put them all in one post..

Hi i have an issue finding a good way to controll my computerfans and/or waterpump, i have been trying multiple solutions without much luck. i have 3x140mm fans (two of those are for my radiator and one is in the back) 2x120mm fans + 1x90mm fan in the front. My watercooler is a cooler master nepton 280L. and my chassis is a haf stacker 935.

Now my issue is that my system is way too noisy now, i can still hear it through my headphones playing music at half volume. I started off using Asus ai suite 2 to controll my fans and for viewing system information.

Now i uninstalled that software because i have had lots of issues with it aswell as most people just doesnt recommend using it(for overclocking at least... ) I also tried speedfan, which i have seen most people recommending as far as fan controlling software goes. But fanspeed only seems to let me controll my 1 fan in the back It allows me to controll 3 fans, but the second one looks like its my pump(which doesnt change speed if i try and do so), and the third one isnt connected or something...

And without any software my fans constantly run at probably 60-70% speed. I have even looked in the bios, but with no luck... its basicly making me crazy as i cant even play games without noticing the humming from the fans...


While this software did indeed lower the rpm of the fans in my case significantly, it still did not cut it.

Now, when i had ai suite 2 installed i was able to shut down most of my fans by putting the computer in energy saving mode, i still thought it was pretty noisy for when im trying to do homework. I think its the pump thats so noisy, is it possible to lower the rpm of the pump or will such an action damage the pump over time?

I was actually able to controll the pump rpm like the first few months i had my computer but for some reason i just wasnt able anymore after a while...
I asked the cooler master forum if this was an issue, and the response was that it was supposed to be running at max speed. Now when i have got to use my computer for almost a year now im constantly finding it troublesome that the pump is making so much noise. So is there anything i can do?


Now just to sum up, i will calrify that my temps are not an issue(25 degree cpu at stock idle, and gpu at 40-70 degrees overclocked) Its like the speed of the fans aren`t even controllable its just stuck at constant speed fluctuating at random times for a few seconds, it doesnt increase fan speeds or anything when it gets hotter for instance...

 

[geofelt]

What cpu and gpu are you trying to cool?
What case are you using?

Noise comes from fans running at high rpm.
Under 600 rpm, they are inaudible.
Under 1100 rpm, they are quiet.
Over 1500 rpm, they are noisy.

For most, two 140mm intake fans running at 1000rpm is enough to cool any reasonable pc.
Liquid cooling is no help, they depend on faster fans for the radiators. A simple air cooler is usually just as effective and quieter.

 

[ullert]

What cpu and gpu are you trying to cool?
What case are you using?

Noise comes from fans running at high rpm.
Under 600 rpm, they are inaudible.
Under 1100 rpm, they are quiet.
Over 1500 rpm, they are noisy.

For most, two 140mm intake fans running at 1000rpm is enough to cool any reasonable pc.
Liquid cooling is no help, they depend on faster fans for the radiators. A simple air cooler is usually just as effective and quieter.

My cpu is a intel core i7 4820k at stock speed, and my gpu is a evga gtx 780 sc edition.

My case is a Haf stacker 935.

I am dependent on the liquid cooler because i dont want to spend more money on my machine for now, so is there anything i can do to reduce noise level fram that?

 

[geofelt]

My suggestion is to use a fan speed reduction cable or control.
I like the zalman fanmate which is cheap and gives you a continuouis spectru of adjustment so you can get the exact combination of speed vs. noise that you want. You will need one for each fan.
Here is a link:
http://www.directron.com/fanmate2.html?gsear=1

Your case has filtered inputs. I would relocate the two 140mm fans as intakes.
They are quieter, and that is important in the front of the case where you are closer to the sound.
More intake than exhaust gives you a positive pressure situation that filters dust and keeps your case cleaner.

Since your cpu is not overclocked, it hardly needs a cooler at all. If you can sell your $130 liquid cooler, you could effectively replace it with a $30 tower type air cooler with a 120 or 140mm fan.
You probably don't want to do that but you could use a fanmate to reduce the speed of the radiator fans to something acceptable.
Pump noise will always be with you. I think it is better to mount a liquid cooler to exhaust radiator air out of the case.


You don't need any exhaust fans. Yhe intakes will send air through your case which will exit where it may.
A single 120mm exhaust will be ok.
What you don't want is to have the exhaust airflow overpower your intake. That will draw in unfiltered air and defeat the intake filtering.

Another possible source of noise is the graphics card. There is evga software that can adjust the graphics fan profile.

If you need to identify the source of sound, put a paper tube to your ear and place it near each source.

I would hope that your psu is of sufficient amperage that the fan is not a factor.

 

[ullert]

My suggestion is to use a fan speed reduction cable or control.
I like the zalman fanmate which is cheap and gives you a continuouis spectru of adjustment so you can get the exact combination of speed vs. noise that you want. You will need one for each fan.
Here is a link:
http://www.directron.com/fanmate2.html?gsear=1

Your case has filtered inputs. I would relocate the two 140mm fans as intakes.
They are quieter, and that is important in the front of the case where you are closer to the sound.
More intake than exhaust gives you a positive pressure situation that filters dust and keeps your case cleaner.

Since your cpu is not overclocked, it hardly needs a cooler at all. If you can sell your $130 liquid cooler, you could effectively replace it with a $30 tower type air cooler with a 120 or 140mm fan.
You probably don't want to do that but you could use a fanmate to reduce the speed of the radiator fans to something acceptable.
Pump noise will always be with you. I think it is better to mount a liquid cooler to exhaust radiator air out of the case.


You don't need any exhaust fans. Yhe intakes will send air through your case which will exit where it may.
A single 120mm exhaust will be ok.
What you don't want is to have the exhaust airflow overpower your intake. That will draw in unfiltered air and defeat the intake filtering.

Another possible source of noise is the graphics card. There is evga software that can adjust the graphics fan profile.

If you need to identify the source of sound, put a paper tube to your ear and place it near each source.

I would hope that your psu is of sufficient amperage that the fan is not a factor.

Thanks for all the tips! Im aboslutely certain its not my gpu fan making the noise as i have indeed installed evga`s Precision X(gpu software). Thanks for the paper tube trick though i didnt know about that

I have a big issue with the fans for my radiator though, i cant fit the radiator in place with the dust filter(Because the screws are too short, and actually they almost are too short now aswell...), so i have to have those as outputs sadly, and the output in the back is not filtered either, but if i place the fan i have in the back in top of the case (which is filtered) i can use that as a intake. or should i keep the one in the back?

 

[geofelt]

The basic principle is that you want a single intake source behind a filter if you want to keep your case clean.
Having the radiator draw in air from the interior of the case and exhausting it out the top is the right thing to do.
It need not be filtered because your front intakes will do that part of the job.

If the supplied screws are not long enough, take a sample to home depot and buy one with the same thread, but longer.

Dump the 92mm fan. They don't do much and are likely to be the noisiest fan of all.

 

[ullert]

The basic principle is that you want a single intake source behind a filter if you want to keep your case clean.
Having the radiator draw in air from the interior of the case and exhausting it out the top is the right thing to do.
It need not be filtered because your front intakes will do that part of the job.

If the supplied screws are not long enough, take a sample to home depot and buy one with the same thread, but longer.

Dump the 92mm fan. They don't do much and are likely to be the noisiest fan of all.

I have a limiter on the 90mm, so thats actually quiet, i will end up replacing it later though XP Now i live in Norway, so idont exactly know where to go with the screw... I will look into it so i can get some longer ones if possible, Thanks!

Now as for controlling my fans, i dont really like the idea about buying additional "limiters" or whatever to lower the fan rpm because i still wouldnt be able to fully controll the fans... I have been thinking about buying an external fan controller, do you think that it is worth it, and can i controll the pump with that or is that a bad idea?

 

[geofelt]

Most parts these days are metric.
Try a hardware store or perhaps go to a local auto repair shop.
Take a sample of the screw with you.

 

[ullert]

Most parts these days are metric.
Try a hardware store or perhaps go to a local auto repair shop.
Take a sample of the screw with you.

I will!