Question unusual glass blowing hum sound from new PC

[kulharin]

I just received a new PC and haven't had any issues with it save an odd sound I've never experienced before.

It's a low pitch subtle hum/moan/wail. Almost like someone is blowing softly over a glass bottle. it doesn't seem to be case or CPU fans and I am having a difficult time trying to diagnose where it's coming from, but it's pretty constant.

Any ideas?

 

[hedwar2011]

When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:

If Pre-Built:
Make:
Model:

Fill out as much info as you can, even if it's pre-built.

 

[punkncat]

I think the first thing I would try in that situation would be to go into the BIOS section where you can adjust fan speed. Turn all the fans down really low or to "silent mode" (according to your BIOS) and then each fan at a time, turn them up to 100 or "performance mode" and see if the sound replicates.

 

[kulharin]

I did try that in the bios, turning fans off and to max. no change.

This is the build

https://www.newegg.ca/skytech-st-azure2-0691-b-ne/p/N82E16883289338?Item=N82E16883289338

The mother board as an Asus 660M-A. PSU is a Focus

 

[punkncat]

It could be the pump.

Have you tried to drop a side panel to see if the noise gets louder or stops entirely?

 

[hedwar2011]

There isn't any cracks or pin holes in the tempered glass areas is it?

You might have to take a piece of colored paper and stick behind it and look at it real close. Your description of air blowing softly over a glass bottle makes me wonder if there is air escaping somewhere.

 

[kulharin]

apparently it does stop if I prevent the two upper/front fans on the roof of the case from spinning... stopping one of them doesn't prevent it. but stopping both of them does?

This is it. https://cdn.livechat-files.com/api/file/lc/att/10008685/695811a99068654f59b00b23f4b9de2f/image.png

so it seems to be the two front fans where the hoses connect, or something going on involving the air flow with em.

 

[helper800]

This seems potentially like coil whine, or pump noises. You can make a cone out of paper with a small hole on one end and a large hole on the other. Place the small hole in your ear and point the larger open hole towards different parts of the PC while it is making the noise. It will be very obviously louder when pointing the large opening at the source of the noise.

apparently it does stop if I prevent the two upper/front fans on the roof of the case from spinning... stopping one of them doesn't prevent it. but stopping both of them does?

This is it. https://cdn.livechat-files.com/api/file/lc/att/10008685/695811a99068654f59b00b23f4b9de2f/image.png

so it seems to be the two front fans where the hoses connect, or something going on involving the air flow with em.

In light of this new information I can say with experience that its either reverberation from the fans operating or harmonic resonance with the air, fan blades, and case. A couple things you can try doing is placing rubber between the fans where they touch, placing rubber where the fans touch the case where they are installed with the screws, and trying some ducting to see if it is the particular airflow around the case geometry.

 

[kulharin]

I did try sliding it all the way forward and all the way back but the difference was negligible. At lower fan speeds I get the glass blow hum, at higher speeds is more a whistle.

Was able to mitigate it somewhat by adjust idle fan level curve but it’s super fickle.

 

[kulharin]

This is frustrating. Yah, sliding the unit back and forth didn't fix anything. tried a peace of rubber foam. Moved some wiring. the air flow harmonics just seem insanely sensitives for the CPU cooling fans than anything other then a few % settings either gives it a higher pitched whistle, or a lower pitch hum... maybe the cooling unit is just not well suited to the Azure case?

Should I try requesting a different cooling unit?

There is no "break in period" for new computer fans/cooling is there?

 

[helper800]

This is frustrating. Yah, sliding the unit back and forth didn't fix anything. tried a peace of rubber foam. Moved some wiring. the air flow harmonics just seem insanely sensitives for the CPU cooling fans than anything other then a few % settings either gives it a higher pitched whistle, or a lower pitch hum... maybe the cooling unit is just not well suited to the Azure case?

Should I try requesting a different cooling unit?

There is no "break in period" for new computer fans/cooling is there?

It is most likely the fan blade design in conjunction with the radiator design causing the resonance issues.

Remove the fans causing it and turn the pc on and carefully access whether the fans do have the issue not attached to the radiator. If the fans do it either installed or not, I would say its just bad fan blade design. If its only when installed onto the radiator, then it may just be that those fans cause that issue with that particular radiator.

 

[kulharin]

I am not sure how to remove one fan, as all 3 fans are wired together.

Should I request different fans or entirely different AIO cooling unit with radiator and fans?

Thx