New GS700. Noise from fan motor whilst slowing down.

Hello,

 

I've got a noise problem with a new GS700. I thought it was a mechanical noise, something to do with a bearing so rather than RMA it which is inconvenient (lack of computer) and costly to send, I opened it up and put a tiny bit of oil on the bearing, invalidating my warranty in the process.

 

Now I realise it isn't actually a hardware noise, but more of a noise caused by the fan motor whilst it slows down. My hunch is that the electronic pulses sent to the motor to control its speed are either not timed correctly or the motor just wont run at slower speeds, so the coil in the motor vibrates somehow.

 

Here is a recording of how the noise sounds: Corsair GS700_PSU_Fan_Noise.mp

 

Any suggestions? I can't seem to disable the fan speed control (keeping it at a higher speed as a workaround), and this is super frustrating as it happens every 10 - 20 seconds as the fan comes on and goes off.

There was an issue identified with the GS series and the fan controllers. Corsair would have replaced it for you, but unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done now.

Thanks for the heads up about that. Do you have any more information about the issue? Maybe I can solve it myself. Even if it means disabling the thermostat so that the fan stays on.

 

Replacing a PSU is such a pain. Without a spare you're left without a computer for what might be weeks and the cost of sending something as heavy as a PSU around is far from pennies. It's no wonder that people like myself would rather try and save hassle for themselves and Corsair by attempting to fix it. In this case I believe the warranty policy shouldn't be so black and white - if my PSU has this issue and it has been identified as a known design flaw which was there from the start then Corsair should replace the PSU regardless of seal condition.

 

That rant not aimed at you - a small part of me hopes that a Corsair rep might read it, understand, empathise and, in favour of building a positive brand image for Corsair, offer to help :)

 

Someone else with the same problem:

Thanks for the heads up about that. Do you have any more information about the issue? Maybe I can solve it myself. Even if it means disabling the thermostat so that the fan stays on.

Unfortunatly ,no. You would be voiding your warranty anyway once you open the case up. Better to just return it or RMA it with Corsair.

 

They wouldn't fix it , just send you a brand new unit. If that unit is less than 30 days old I would call their CSdept and let them know. Advanced replacements are available and in most situations will cover shipping on items less than 30 days old.

 

if my PSU has this issue and it has been identified as a known design flaw which was there from the start then Corsair should replace the PSU regardless of seal condition.

Once the seal is broken it's no telling what someone has done to the inside of the PSU. User damage is not covered either, so, that is why that the way it is. Not only that a PSU can store some pretty high voltages that can hurt someone if they don't know what they are touching or doing.

 

I'm not saying you don't have the know how to diagnose and fix it, just an explanation of why they wont accept a broken seal. Not only that the new PSU don't use the same kind of "thermostat" as older PSU's and I'm pretty sure the parts would not be easily attainable.