h115i RGB Platinum loud pump noise when booted up at Extreme.

I have been using h115i RGB Platinum for about 1 year. I have been setting every components (2 Fans and pump) to "Balanced".

Recently I have set the pump to Extreme but still leave 2 fans in Balanced, and the pump is still very silent.

 

This setting worked for 2-3 days without problem. However, when I booted up my PC this morning and heard a very loud grinding sound (like a fan constantly hits something). I tried to locate the problem by setting the fans to Zero RPM and Extreme, but the noise did not get louder or more silent. When I set the pump to "Balanced", the grinding noise completely go away so I think it's the pump noise.

 

What is weird is that when I revert the pump setting to "Extreme", the noise did not come back (at least for 1-2 minutes), but when I turn off and turn on my PC again, the noise came back until I set the pump to Balanced and back to Extreme. I checked the RPM of the pump and the software appears to change the pump speed properly.

 

I've searched the forum and it doesn't seem that anyone is having the same issue. This is very weird ;( Do you have any suggestion? (I have also contacted the support about this but I figured I should ask here too in case anyone used to have the same problem)

 

Thanks in advance!

Just an update, I tried more things.

 

I looked at pump speed when the PC booted up with the loud grinding noise, the pump speed seems to be around 26xx rpm, but when I set it to balanced and back to extreme, the pump runs at 28xx without any noise

 

It seems to me like the pump didn't get initialized / didn't power on properly, because after changing speed back and forth there are no more grinding sound issues anymore.

 

P.S. This does not happen when I used the Balanced profile. (I've always set it on Balanced, maybe I've had the issue since the beginning.)

Actual mechanical grinding noises coming from the pump need to be assessed. The pump should never do that. This is not a brand new unit, so it does reflect some change in status. I think you need to wait for support to respond.

Thanks! I will try that.

 

As for Balanced profile, I noticed some grinding noise around a sec when my PC boots up, then disappear. I think this is the same sound it contantly made when it's on Extreme.

 

I remembered hearing this noise for a long time (maybe ever since I bought it?), but the noise suddenly stop after a second so I did not think it's a defect. (I think that's when Balanced mode kicked in)

Pumps shouldn't grind - period. However, It's not uncommon for a pump to resonate in a noticeable at way at a specific RPM. The frequency produced causing vibrations on the MB or mount and it becomes very obvious. It's possible to have that point in between two of the fixed presets on the pump and you pass through it when changing speeds. If it stays on at a particular speed setting, that is a larger problem. This is not grinding, but vibrations.

 

Another possibility is the pump is not responding to the electrical signal properly. Toggling to another speed and then back gives it another chance. However, this is not normal behavior either. In my experience, that kind of issue tend to expand over time and one day it does it on all the speeds. Either way, I do see it as a problem to be addressed.

Thanks a lot. I'll contact my shop for RMA then :)