H60 / H80 / H100 “Buzzing” or “Grinding"

RAM GUY · #1 05-23-2012, 01:02 PM

Corsair is aware that some number customers are experiencing a “grinding” or “buzzing” noise when using some of our Hydro Series coolers (specifically H60, H80, and H100). This does not affect every unit and has been very difficult to track down. After extensive lab testing, we’ve been able to re-create the issue on a small number of units in certain situations. We are working on a root cause analysis and will have a solution shortly.

In the meantime, rest assured we are aware of the issue and will post a solution here. Corsair is dedicated to ensuring the highest possible customer satisfaction, and we appreciate your patience with this problem. As mentioned, now that we have recreated the issue in a lab environment, we can work on a fix and provide it to you once it’s been verified ready for production.

Please post in this thread if you have had your Cooler replaced and still have the noise and I will send you instructions to get the unit replaced.

EDIT: 07/02/2012 Released from Cooling Product Manager:

Quote:

“Corsair has now tracked down and fixed a rare and hard to reproduce issue on some of our Hydro series coolers, specifically the H60, H80, and H100 when used in combination with certain power supplies in certain circumstances. The failure will present itself as a buzz or hum, similar to a hard drive seek noise, and may disappear and reappear at random times. This issue affects a very small number of units, and typically is more prevalent on power supplies that provide higher than +12.2V on the +12V rail, which explains why some users have experienced multiple units with the same issue – they’re plugging them into the same power supply.

Regardless, this has since been corrected and we are now shipping units that do not experience the issue. If you’ve got a noisy H100, H80, or H60 unit, and the noise is coming from the pump (not the fans), we’d like to offer you a RMA. Please Contact us by using the link on the left and request an RMA to start a replacement with a known good unit.

Thank you, and we appreciate your patience as we corrected this issue. “

overheatedmud · #2 07-01-2012, 02:42 PM

Have you guys fixed the problem? I got my H80 replaced once by newegg and still had the noise and didn't bother doing it again because I wanted to be sure that I would get a working unit. So if I RMA it with corsair will there be a chance it will still have a noise?

Bajawah · #3 07-02-2012, 12:04 AM

I am on my second one RMA'd from you guys and it is louder than the first one.

Jas1222 · #4 07-02-2012, 03:30 AM

(Cross posting from the other thread)

I've had my H100 replaced a month ago for the noise but it is still making the noise (although quieter than before)

maRss · #5 07-02-2012, 04:45 AM

Here I am, gone RMA a couple of weeks ago and new unit still grinding.

awaiting instructions...

Insomnia · #6 07-02-2012, 04:48 AM

Hi,

As for me also, this is the second time that I had to replace my unit because of the noise problem. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you in advance!

Greetings,

Insomnia

doublemac · #7 07-02-2012, 05:33 AM

Hi,
I have replaced and reinstalled the H100 but the noise is still there.
Peace
/Mac

JayWill · #8 07-02-2012, 11:55 AM

So does this only apply to people who have already done at least one RMA and received a defective unit in the exchange? When I bought my H100, Corsair was out of stock on them with an ETA for late May. Then not long later, Corsair George got involved and the problem was identified. So I have been holding off on submitting even my first RMA until we received word that units were in house that had been screened for the issue. I resolved my noise issue by lowering voltage with a fan controller in the meantime, but I certainly would like a unit running at full potential.

So, should I just submit a standard RMA, and will that assure me that the replacement unit will have been manufactured under the tighter screening process?

rene mauricio · #9 07-05-2012, 08:25 PM

I just received my replacement H60 (Rma: #4760352) last Friday after the misunderstanding with the fan. On Sunday I installed the new unit and have been racking my head all week long as to why this thing sounds like a large aquarium pump duck tapped to the side of my head.

I tried everything I know to isolate the noise. At first I thought it was the fan but then using a different one did not solve anything. Today I tried moving my head around inside the case to see if it was just the sound of wind passing through the radiator or the pump. My heart sunk when I figured out it was undoubtedly the pump.

I have had nothing but problems with the H50 and H60 since I got it, which is a damn shame because all of my other Corsair products have been phenomenal and will continue to purchase nothing but Corsair brand RAM, SSDs, PSUs and soon (I hope) Chassis.

Every time I have to mail my unit in it ends up costing me about $7 USD and frankly I do not know what to do anymore. Should I mail it back again - only to possibly get a worse unit back? I just... I just do not know what to do :(

rene mauricio · #10 07-06-2012, 08:06 PM

I got an RMA response in the mail but I do not think it was because I followed the steps in the first post, I think it came from the RMA I put in via the support page.

Should I call them up and do an an advanced RMA or should I wait for someone else to contact me? If I place an advanced RMA, is it going to come with a prepaid label or am I going to have to, once again, pay out of pocket to have the defective unit shipped?

[edit]

Err... I just got 4 more emails. One of them with a different RMA number stating that a new unit is on its way and a prepaid label was emailed to me. I guess I will address that RMA number instead of the other one. I hope this gets sorted out soon and that the next unit is every bit as flawless as the rest of my Corsair items as I do hate to have to hassle them with my problems :-(

scoobydooby · #11 07-06-2012, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rene mauricio

I got an RMA response in the mail but I do not think it was because I followed the steps in the first post, I think it came from the RMA I put in via the support page.

Should I call them up and do an an advanced RMA or should I wait for someone else to contact me? If I place an advanced RMA, is it going to come with a prepaid label or am I going to have to, once again, pay out of pocket to have the defective unit shipped?

[edit]

Err... I just got 4 more emails. One of them with a different RMA number stating that a new unit is on its way and a prepaid label was emailed to me. I guess I will address that RMA number instead of the other one. I hope this gets sorted out soon and that the next unit is every bit as flawless as the rest of my Corsair items as I do hate to have to hassle them with my problems :-(

Thanks for the update on your situation Rene..

I'm wondering if I should then submit another RMA through emailing RMA or if I should hold off until I hear a response in this thread?
I too would like to recieve a prepaid label as I'm obviously not too interested in paying yet again for shipping a third faulty unit..

rene mauricio · #12 07-13-2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoobydooby

I'm wondering if I should then submit another RMA through emailing RMA or if I should hold off until I hear a response in this thread?

I did three things.

Emailed the address provided in the first post
Used the Corsair RMA website
Posted on this topic

Of the three only the first will get you an advance RMA with a prepaid label. As mentioned in the first post:

Quote:

We will contact you to start a replacement with a known good unit

If you contact Corsair via the website RMA process you may get a borked unit. How do I know? RAM GUY made that post on May 23rd and I got my loud-as-heck unit sometime in July. If I had seen this post sooner I would not have had that problem. This makes me think that the people behind the "known good units" are not the same as the standard RMA department. This, of course, is pure speculation. No doubt everyone who is having an issue is better off emailing Removed directly for assistance.

My unit arrived early this week and it is as quiet as can be. It is also between 3C and 5C cooler than the last unit was across the board. This new unit fully lives up to the expectations I have become accustomed to from Corsair. :D I just hope that this unit lasts me a long time and that no further complications arise any time soon.

That is not to say that my experience with the H60 as a whole is all peaches and cream. While I was unplugging my old unit and fan (to send back to Corsair) i came across something very, VERY odd and concerning.

Click Image to Enlarge

The other day while I was playing Diablo I noticed that the crunching sound would some times go away for a minute, then return for an hour or so. Sometimes it sounded like the liquid was not fully topped off as you could hear it swishing around. When the swish would go away that is when the grinding would start.

When I pulled off the fan I noticed beads of (what looked like) water forming around it. I touched on of them and the liquid was oily, not at all like water. In a fever pitch I inspected all my other components to see if anything else had gotten wet. Thankfully nothing was and that oily... stuff was only on the fan. Prior to boxing it up and shipping it out I left it out because I wanted to clean it up. The next day I remembered what it was I was going to do and noticed that the "water" was still there. It had not evaporated! I looked at the radiator and wondered if the reason why I heard what I did was because the unit was simply not filled up and therefore running dry. Perhaps it was at some point and it was leaking? That would explain the drops found on the fan I suppose.

Anyway, bottom line is that the new unit is working better than I could have asked for and no damage was done to my new PC. The beads of oily liquid do bother me as can only hope the same does not occur with my current unit further down the line.

In case anyone is wondering; No I do not live in a damp area. In fact I live in a hot as hell area that is known to be bone dry During the Summer. No I did not spill anything over my PC. No I have no other liquid cooling devices in my PC. Yes I have a dehumidifier and yes I have one built into my (ASRock) motherboard.

/boggle

Wired · #13 07-13-2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rene mauricio

If you contact Corsair via the website RMA process you may get a borked unit. How do I know? RAM GUY made that post on May 23rd and I got my loud-as-heck unit sometime in July.

FYI he updated it on July 3rd with the procedure; it wasn't in that post before that.

Quote:

When I pulled off the fan I noticed beads of (what looked like) water forming around it. I touched on of them and the liquid was oily, not at all like water.

That's because it's oil from the fan bearings.

knightfall · #14 07-07-2012, 10:33 PM

My H80 is giving the infamous grinding/rattling noise. Where I am living, it will cost me like 80$ to RMA it to Taiwan. What should I do ???

Jas1222 · #15 07-08-2012, 10:23 AM

Yet to recieve a reply for the e-mail i've sent.