Jim23k Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Earlier this year I got a H100i V2 to cool my 7600k. First thing I did was to replace the fans with Corsair ML120 Pro as I wanted something quieter and more flexible. I'm really pleased with the fan noise levels now that I have set my custom curve based on coolant temp, however the pump made an annoying rattle sound when running it on the Quiet setting (~1900 rpm) in Corsair Link. Using the Performance setting (~ 2800 rpm) the rattle stopped. On the basis that I thought something may be wrong with the pump I got a replacement H100i V2 from the merchant. This one does the opposite - no rattle when the pump is on Quiet mode but the rattle now appears in Performance mode! Before I replace the item again I just want to ask - is there any such thing as a H100i that doesn't emit this noise at all? I don't have a problem with louder noise when things spin up faster as that's obviously to be expected, but it's the type of noise these pumps are making that I find highly irritating and spoils an otherwise whisper quiet PC. The best way I can describe the noise is it's like there's a mechanical hard drive reading/writing data (intermittent clicking). This noise comes directly from the pump housing and I can hear it clearly over the case and radiator fans. I may be more sensitive to noise that some people but the fact that this noise is present in both units I've had, albeit it at difference speeds suggests some QC issues. I have tried running the pumps on their side for several hours which makes no difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim23k Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 75 views and nobody can help? :[pouts: I think I'm going to order another replacement and if this exhibits the same noise then I'll give up and explore other AIO coolers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper69 Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 A rattling noise is never a good sign, so I would say yes, contact Corsair again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 If it is popping and clicking like a HDD, then I would return it. That is an incredibly irritating sound. However, be aware all AIO models with pump speeds near 3000 rpm are going to be audible, although it should be more of a dim hum. Popping and clicking suggests an inherent defect and that is a something that will probably bring other issues to bear eventually. You can certainly look elsewhere too, but make sure you read 3rd party reviews to find out the OEM. There are only a handful and you may be buying with the same hardware with a different badge, and less warranty coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 my H100i V2 pump is silent on both quite and performance profiles and I changed the fans out to gentle typhoons. Make sure you tighten everything tight enough sounds like the issue here as its very rare to keep having the same exact issue 2 times in a row IMHO on 2 different AIO's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper69 Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 My H110i GT makes a humming noise on Performance, but is silent on Quiet, it has never rattled. I also have a Cooler Master Nepton 240M, which I bought as my H110i GT wouldn't fit a case that I bought without checking. It's a very good cooler, but I actually (I can't believe I'm saying this) missed the control that Link gives, I didn't have an Asus motherboard at that time so I couldn't use Fan Xpert. Now that I have a 900D I can use the H110i GT again, but I keep the CoolerMaster as a backup. Looking on review websites that do comparisons, Corsair consistently do well, plus they have a 5 year warrantee and if the worst happens and the cooler leaks, they will look at compensation on a case by case basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim23k Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Thanks everyone for all the replies, it's great to hear that it's possible to have a smooth pump on both silent and performance mode. I'm totally cool with the pump being louder on performance providing it's a constant hum (which the first one was), however the 2 AIO's I've had have not had the exact same issues because one rattled only in Performance mode and the other only in Quiet mode. I wonder if both units have come from the same batch... I'll try a third one and report back here. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim23k Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Well the third unit came and this one is even worse than the others! In performance mode it literally sounds like a fridge with an inconsistent varying pitch buzz with the frequent click that you'd hear from a hard drive. Unbelievable that I can have 3 units ALL with different acoustic problems due to poor QC. Unit 1: Unacceptable rattling in Quiet Mode, smooth in Performance mode Unit 2: Unacceptable rattle in Performance Mode, smooth in Quiet mode Unit 3: Not perfect in Quiet mode (occasional rattles still heard) and horrendous in Performance mode I've tried positioning the case at all sorts of angles for hours on end + gently tapping the pump in case the noise is air bubbles in the pump but the noise is still there. Losing my mind here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Unfortunately, not unbelievable at all. I recently went through a similar process with a non-Corsair Asetek 120mm cooler. 3 units, 3 unique sound profiles. You would never even know they were the same model or brand. Frankly, I don't even know if Corsair sees these things after they come off the line or whether the OEM does all the packaging too. Regardless, it is not just a Corsair issue, but a general trend in this type of product. The few hardware makers roll them off the line as cheaply as possible with obvious consequences. I have been fairly critical of the current offering and I am more than willing to pay a little more for the the product, if they can improve the pump quality. However, that is not going to change until the companies with their name on the box start demanding a higher level of precision from the manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Safetytrousers Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 I had some oddness with the USB connection between my H100i v2 and the motherboard. At one point my pump rattled like crazy, but when I sorted the connection out it was silent under all conditions. Try resetting the CMOS, that's what sorted me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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