My Noctua NH-D14 is making a weird noise, sounds like an HDD doing its thing or a low rattle.

[Pavel Pokidaylo]

Title says it all. Please help! THanks!

 

[nukemaster]

Assuming the cooler is properly bolted down(It is easy and should be very solid thanks to the mounting bracket it uses).

Please try to disconnect the fans one at a time to see if the sound goes away.

If it does, check to ensure that fan is sitting the the rubber pads. If it is, the fan may have a defect. Remove the fan(with the system off) and then try to let it run while holding it and see if you feel vibrations.

If it feels like it is vibrating enough to shake the cooler, you may need to get a replacement fan from Noctua or the store you got the cooler from.

All fans have some vibration, but it should not be that much(and not enough to rattle the cooler).

 

[Bojangle12]

Just a shot in the dark, but it may have been designed to operate while standing vertically, and you could have it horizontally. I heard some fans do that.

You didn't specify which way it is in your post.

 

[Pavel Pokidaylo]

Thanks for replies guys. It's in a Corsair Carbide 500r case so I think it's vertical right? Anyway, I don't know anything about it, I had my guy at the computer store install it so I will ask him to take a look at it and relay what you said thanks

 

[nukemaster]

Noctua fans do not seem to have this issue.

I did kill(it started to slow down and get much louder) a sleeve bearing fan in about 2 years from this type on thing and then killed[loud grinding] a gelid fan in 5 months this way(sure wish they[gelid] replied to support questions).

At full speed they are not actually silent either(not that other fans are any quieter to the ear at the same speeds).

 

[Bojangle12]

At full speed they are not actually silent either(not that other fans are any quieter to the ear at the same speeds).

Wish i had read this before spending $30 on a Noctua F12 fan. It says its 22dBA that must be quieter than the fans that are 36dBA, right?

 

[Karadjgne]

Roughly, 22 db is a whisper, 36 db is quiet conversation,. Figure for every 10 db rise, the noise level doubles, so 36 db is over 2x as loud as 22 db.

There are several different bearing designs used in pc fans. The cheapest being single ball bearing, then sleeve and rifle, double ball, then the liquid styles. Of these, some will not last long if the fan is used horizontaly, namely rifle and sleeve, where the fan bearing does not end up riding on the center post, but instead rides on the point, where there is no part of the bearing or lubricant. The liquid styles like cougar and noctua use, and the 1x and 2x ball, don't have that restriction so are more reliable in a horizontal position.

 

[Bojangle12]

There are several different bearing designs used in pc fans. The cheapest being single ball bearing, then sleeve and rifle, double ball, then the liquid styles. Of these, some will not last long if the fan is used horizontaly, namely rifle and sleeve, where the fan bearing does not end up riding on the center post, but instead rides on the point, where there is no part of the bearing or lubricant. The liquid styles like cougar and noctua use, and the 1x and 2x ball, don't have that restriction so are more reliable in a horizontal position.

Thank you for pointing that out, because I use the fan horizontally!

 

[nukemaster]

I am almost sure sleeve is still cheaper than single ball(could be wrong).

Sleeve does not like horizontal for sure.

I have run Noctua fans horizontal for years(but not 24/7[gaming system is not always on] until recently[media pc is always on].) so far so good.

I have read quite a few user complaints about cougar fans horizontal making more noise.

 

[Bojangle12]

I have read quite a few user complaints about cougar fans horizontal making more noise.

Oh, that's one of the fans i bought! Whoops. Maybe ill change my hyper EVO to horizontal.

Can a Silverstone fan be horizontal? It's a fluid dynamic bearing.

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?scase=&pid=257&area=en

 

[nukemaster]

I would try the fan you have, if they are not too loud use them.

While the lifespan may be shorter, you should still get at least 2-3 years out of one(unless you are as unlucky as the Gelid fan I had.).

Not all FDB fans are made the same. FDB is still a sleeve variation, but designed to last much longer.

Since FDB bearings are used in hard drives, chances are when well made, they can last a long time in any orientation.

may be worth a read too.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/The-Truth-About-Fluid-Dynamic-Bearing-FDB-Fans/1807

 

[Pavel Pokidaylo]

These Noctua fans are silent, I don't hear them at all. But something in the cooler is making noise.

 

[nukemaster]

sure seems like vibration.

Have you had any luck trying the fans one at a time?

 

[Karadjgne]

The DX14 has some nylon type inserts at the corners of the heatsink where the 140mm fan sits. Is it possible 1 of these has slipped down or off and the vibration from the fan is causing the buzzing as it contacts the heatsink?