First Build Complete - Excessive Pump Noise

[jackofaiitrades]

Hey all, thank you for reading this.

I just completed my first WC build.

System:
i7 2600k
2x GTX 580
16gb cheap ram
2x 256gb SSD in raid0
1x 2tb hd

WC:
1x RX360
1x RX240
1x XSPC Dual 5.25 bay Res
1x Swiftech MCP655-B
1x Raystorm CPU block
1x XSPC Full GPU block
7/16" ID Tubing
1/2" ID fittings

Screenshot:
http://www.screencast.com/t/UTZ0GAW9w4Br

The performance is pretty good. CPU and GPUs around 30c at low load, upwards of 50 at high load.

The problem is the noise. The pump makes a sort of whiny humming noise that is clearly audible. I would hesitate to call it 'loud', but it's definitely noticeable as soon as you walk in the room. I also don't think it always did this - when I was testing it for leaks there were times when I couldn't tell if it was even on.

As far as I can remember, I've made two changes to the loop since that initial testing to move the location of the fill/drain tube. Originally it was located at a T fitting inserted in the tube that connects the two GPU block. I took out the T fitting, and attached the fill/drain tube directly to one of the open connections on the video card.

I know the tubing from GPU to GPU is gratuitous, but there's really no other way of connecting them since the dimensions of the cards are so different. (they've got different blocks).

Anyways, I really would appreciate any advice. As far as I can tell, there are several possibilities.
1) The pump is struggling with the loop so it's over-exerting in some manner
2) The pump is housed poorly in the res and is causing some sort of vibrations. (I don't think this is the case, I've tried exerting light pressure on the pump and it doesn't change the noise at all)
3) The pump has just gone bad prematurely.

Also - I have confirmed that it is pump/loop related (as opposed to PSU, GPU etc) by hooking the pump up to another computer's PSU while the WC computer is off. The sound is still exactly the same.

 

[Rustyy117]

Hi,

Bay res's are notorious for being loud because of vibrations, some people put small pieces of foam in-between the 5.25" bays and the res to help silence it.

Your loop looks ok, a D5 should handle that no problem.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

So I guess it would be pretty easy to test if that's the problem right? I can just slide the res/pump into the case and just hold it myself while it's running - if it still makes the noise then it's something else. If it doesn't, find some way of padding it for vibrations. Wouldn't even need to drain the loop.

Now that I think of it, one other change I made was putting a fan/temp controller immediately below the reservoir in the 5.25" bays. This might have changed the support / pressures on the reservoir and could account for the new noise.

 

[Rustyy117]

So I guess it would be pretty easy to test if that's the problem right? I can just slide the res/pump into the case and just hold it myself while it's running - if it still makes the noise then it's something else. If it doesn't, find some way of padding it for vibrations. Wouldn't even need to drain the loop.

Now that I think of it, one other change I made was putting a fan/temp controller immediately below the reservoir in the 5.25" bays. This might have changed the support / pressures on the reservoir and could account for the new noise.

Yep, that sounds like a good little experiment you can do to find out.

Obviously just be careful

Let us know how you get on.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

I went and checked it out over lunch, and I'm pretty sure it's not a matter of vibrations.

I wasn't able to hold the reservoir like I planned, the front of the res is too big to allow me to push it further into the chassis. However, it didn't feel like the res was vibrating at all, and no amount of pressure (in any direction) on the res or the pump had any effect at all on the volume, pitch, or sound of the buzzing.

I guess when I get home I can do some incremental testing:
1) Just the pump (no res) with a couple feet of tubing.
2) Pump attached to res with a couple feet of tubing.
3) Potentially add in other components one by one.

The combination of test 1 and test 2 should be pretty telling. If it still makes the noise with test 1, then clearly something is going on with the pump. If it doesn't make the noise with test 1, but it does with test 2, then I need to work on the attachment. If it doesnt make the noise with either test 1 or test 2, then the problem is potentially elsewhere in my loop.

 

[Rustyy117]

Hmm ok, well I'm interested to know how your further testing goes. I'd be surprised if the culprit wasn't the res as I've found bay res's to be noisy and so have many other people.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

Well, I skipped a step and went directly to (2). The noise was still there. I found that the sound could be easily muffled and decided to go that route.

With the muffler, the pump is basically inaudible. System is super quiet now, all I can hear is my other system .

Thanks for the responses fatal.

 

[Rustyy117]

Well, I skipped a step and went directly to (2). The noise was still there. I found that the sound could be easily muffled and decided to go that route.

With the muffler, the pump is basically inaudible. System is super quiet now, all I can hear is my other system .

Thanks for the responses fatal.

Excellent! Good to read you got it sorted

 

[Lutfij]

Although time consuming, I'd have suggested removing bay res(w/ pump attached) out of the entire system and have a short piece of tubing connected to the in and out ports of the pump/res unit.

The culprit(to me) seems like an air pocket located just above your pump. It could've been dislocated from one of your cards FC blocks...

I'd also like to point out that the MPC655-B is a top performing pump and shouldn't be doing what you just mentioned. If warranty period is yet at hand, may want to get it swapped.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

Although time consuming, I'd have suggested removing bay res(w/ pump attached) out of the entire system and have a short piece of tubing connected to the in and out ports of the pump/res unit.

The culprit(to me) seems like an air pocket located just above your pump. It could've been dislocated from one of your cards FC blocks...

I'd also like to point out that the MPC655-B is a top performing pump and shouldn't be doing what you just mentioned. If warranty period is yet at hand, may want to get it swapped.

I did remove the bay res /pump and used a 3ft piece of tubing to connect the in/out ports. The sound was still very clear.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by an air pocket located just above my pump?

 

[Lutfij]

The inner construct of the bay res means that the pump is fed the fluid and it pumps it through the loop. There may be a pocket of air within the res or in any one part of the loop, a few small bubbles may also be the cause of this humm.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

Best answer selected by jackofaiitrades.

 

[jackofaiitrades]

So just posting back.

I finally tried mounting the pump internally with a separate res. Looks like you were right all along omgitzfatal, I can barely hear it with my ear up against the case.

I got a fair amount of water on my system while making the change though, so I haven't powered it on yet. Going to wait a couple days make sure it's all dry.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[rubix_1011]

This topic has been closed by Rubix_1011