Problem with Fan Noise (clicking, vibration)

[Sileet]

Hey all.

The problem I'm having lies in a Water Cooling kit called: WaterChill Xternal.

3dgame man did a review of it here: http://www.3dgameman.com/content/view/1649/36/

Anyway. This unit has 4 fans and every single fan makes this audible and annoying clicking noise.

The units fan speed is controlled by a software package provided by Asetek. If I set the fan speed to 20%, the clicking is very audible. If I change the fan speed to 100% then I can’t hear the clicking because the damn fans spin so loudly.

So I thought I’d just use my Sflex 800rpm fan instead but the fan makes the same clicking noise, even at 20% all the way to 100%. Note: this fan makes zero noise when I hook it direct into my motherboard.

I've already replaced the PCB board which the four fans connect to with a brand new one from Asetek and it still happens. What is causing this noise? argh.

my cheap analog multimeter shows about 11-12 DC-V at 100% and it slowly reduces as I drop the speed in the software. This is operating correctly yea?

[wwenze]

Question: You mentioned that the fan still spin @ 20%, what is the voltage of the fan @ that point?

[DonQ]

You can find the reason why the fans click in the Recommended Fans section of SPCR.

Every 80mm fan (Nexus, Panaflo, Global Win, Arctic Cooling) I tried with my m-cubed t-balancer, which uses PWM to control the fan speed (I bet yours does, too), clicked horribly at slow speeds. Their Attenuator solved the problem for me.

http://www.t-balancer.com/english/index.htm

[Sileet]

not sure on voltage at 20%, Trying to remember I think it was 5-6V.

I'll have to try this Attenuator, sounds like it might do the trick.

btw, is there a way to confirm that it is indeed doing PWM to control fan speed?

[DonQ]

not sure on voltage at 20%, Trying to remember I think it was 5-6V.

I'll have to try this Attenuator, sounds like it might do the trick.

btw, is there a way to confirm that it is indeed doing PWM to control fan speed?

I don't know how to confirm if it's PWM. You might want to email Asetek. On the other hand... if you don't need to run your current fans at full speed then maybe you could simply try different fans that will spin slower and be quieter at higher (near 12v) voltages where I found none of the fans clicked! Dang, I blew so much money just trying different fans!

Here's what I would do:
Find out about how much CFM the fans are. You may be able to find the model right on the fan(s). Google it. Or ask Asetek.

Then find out about what percentage of the CFM you really need. Rough estimate is good.

Then find out what may be the quietest fans at that CFM. I checked out the Asetek's website and I saw the word Adda in there. Adda hey also make the fan in my Neo HE430, which I know clicks too much at very slow speed. I don't think I can put an Attenuator in it either, but it worked for me.

[Bluefront]

I guess the easiest way to determine PWM........hook your fan to a Fanmate, plugged directly into the MB. It uses analog voltage. If you turn it down to a slow speed and the clicking goes away, you were using a PWM controller.

Check out the M-Cubed miniNG.....it's a fan controller that uses PWM or Analog voltage control, either an automatic or manual control. That attenuator might also work for you, not as well as the miniNG however.