Heavy motherboard coil whine.

[Hungalas]

I'm getting quite frustrated, as I can't figure this out.

 

About a month or so, I got a new motherboard, an Asus Rog Strix B550-f Gaming (not wifi), and ever since I've been hearing this super annoying sound, which sounds like coil whine. Gotten worse in the past few days. I'm not really sure what I can do to try and get rid of it. I've tried resetting CMOS, running my usual settings (DOCP to 3000 mhz cl15, PBO on), tried all the power plans, Bios version is the latest one, 1602 5/1/2021. All the armory crate stuff is on default, as are the power settings in the BIOS. I don't know enough about it to know which ones to touch, any help is appreciated. The noise is there when the PC is at idle, even worse when playing games, although it's the idle that bothers me, don't really care if it's there when I'm gaming.

 

This same exact build, with an Asrock B450 Steel Legend had absolutely no coil whine whatsoever, so I'm fairly certain it's the motherboard. I live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so returning it will probably be quite a hassle, so I'd like to try what I can first.

 

Specs:

 

Asus Rog Strix B550-f Gaming

Ryzen 5 3600

5700xt with an Alphacool Eiswolf 240 GPX pro - using 2 separate pcie power cables (with a Cablemod extension kit)

G.Skill Ripjaws V 2x8gb 3000mhz CL15

Corsair RM750x

Intel 660p 500gb

Samsung 860evo 500gb

WD Blue 1tb

6x Arctic BioniX P120

 

https://vocaroo.com/1j7CpC0Y2mpb - Taken from outside the case, right next to the rear exhaust fan. Ignore clock in the background.

 

If you need any other information whatsoever, I'm more than happy to provide. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Edit#1 : https://vocaroo.com/1ls34j2VTKj9

New recording with every single fan in the system turned off. I noticed a maybe 5-10% reduction in the noise. Recorded from right next to the 24pin power cable.

 

Edit#2: It wasn't the motherboard, it was the pump.

[Applefreak]

4 minutes ago, Hungalas said:

I'm getting quite frustrated, as I can't figure this out.

 

About a month or so, I got a new motherboard, an Asus Rog Strix B550-f Gaming (not wifi), and ever since I've been hearing this super annoying sound, which sounds like coil whine. Gotten worse in the past few days. I'm not really sure what I can do to try and get rid of it. I've tried resetting CMOS, running my usual settings (DOCP to 3000 mhz cl15, PBO on), tried all the power plans, Bios version is the latest one, 1602 5/1/2021. All the armory crate stuff is on default, as are the power settings in the BIOS. I don't know enough about it to know which ones to touch, any help is appreciated. The noise is there when the PC is at idle, even worse when playing games, although it's the idle that bothers me, don't really care if it's there when I'm gaming.

 

This same exact build, with an Asrock B450 Steel Legend had absolutely no coil whine whatsoever, so I'm fairly certain it's the motherboard. I live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so returning it will probably be quite a hassle, so I'd like to try what I can first.

 

Specs:

 

Asus Rog Strix B550-f Gaming

Ryzen 5 3600

5700xt with an Alphacool Eiswolf 240 GPX pro - using 2 separate pcie power cables (with a Cablemod extension kit)

G.Skill Ripjaws V 2x8gb 3000mhz CL15

Corsair RM750x

Intel 660p 500gb

Samsung 860evo 500gb

WD Blue 1tb

6x Arctic BioniX P120

 

https://vocaroo.com/1j7CpC0Y2mpb - Taken from outside the case, right next to the rear exhaust fan. Ignore clock in the background.

 

If you need any other information whatsoever, I'm more than happy to provide. Thanks in advance for any help.

Sounds like either a bad pump or fan bearing to me.

[Hungalas]

23 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Sounds like either a bad pump or fan bearing to me.

It's definitely not the fans, and the pump, possible but I doubt it. I will upload a new recording with all the fans turned off. Sadly I do not have a different GPU to test it out with. Will try turning off the pump and doing a quick boot.

[Hungalas]

20 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Sounds like either a bad pump or fan bearing to me.

New sound recording uploaded.

[Applefreak]

7 minutes ago, Hungalas said:

New sound recording uploaded.

Try disconnecting the pump for a moment and see if the sound goes away. 

[Hungalas]

8 minutes ago, Applefreak said:

Try disconnecting the pump for a moment and see if the sound goes away. 

That's exactly what I did, and you were right. It is the pump. Sigh, that's even worse. It was actually bought for me as a present in Germany, and getting it RMAd is going to be a pain. Thank you so much for the help though.

[Skiiwee29]

1 minute ago, Hungalas said:

That's exactly what I did, and you were right. It is the pump. Sigh, that's even worse. It was actually bought for me as a present in Germany, and getting it RMAd is going to be a pain. Thank you so much for the help though.

out of curiosity, how is your pump/rad oriented. Can you give us a screenshot of the inside so we can see?

[Hungalas]

16 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

out of curiosity, how is your pump/rad oriented. Can you give us a screenshot of the inside so we can see?

Tubes down, rad in front, as was recommended on Alphacool forums by an Alphacool representative to me... I would've put it on the top, but it could not fit because of the CPU cooler. Case is Bequiet Pure Base 500dx.

[Skiiwee29]

mmmk, thats the correct orientation. Try moving the machine around. It could be an air bubble trapped in the pump that is making the noise as well. Try and shake it and jar loose that bubble if thats what it is. 

[Hungalas]

1 minute ago, Skiiwee29 said:

mmmk, thats the correct orientation. Try moving the machine around. It could be an air bubble trapped in the pump that is making the noise as well. Try and shake it and jar loose that bubble if thats what it is. 

I plan to try that first, should I turn off the PC, or with it on, so the pump can still move air and liquid?

[Skiiwee29]

2 minutes ago, Hungalas said:

I plan to try that first, should I turn off the PC, or with it on, so the pump can still move air and liquid?

Either way is fine. I would shut it down first and do it that way then if that doesnt, try with it on moving it around so the pump can move the air. 

[Hungalas]

13 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

Either way is fine. I would shut it down first and do it that way then if that doesnt, try with it on moving it around so the pump can move the air. 

Okay, so moving it around didn't do much. However, when I tilt the PC back a lot, I mean the rear exhaust is basically up against the table, the sound goes away. Afterwards, when I put it back to normal, it almost immediately comes back. Starts kind of quiet, but gradually gets louder again. Does this mean it's an air bubble or the pump?

[Skiiwee29]

9 minutes ago, Hungalas said:

Okay, so moving it around didn't do much. However, when I tilt the PC back a lot, I mean the rear exhaust is basically up against the table, the sound goes away. Afterwards, when I put it back to normal, it almost immediately comes back. Starts kind of quiet, but gradually gets louder again. Does this mean it's an air bubble or the pump?

Seems likely to me, yes. 

[Hungalas]

3 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

Seems likely to me, yes. 

I'm sorry, don't quite understand you. You think it's the pump?

[Skiiwee29]

5 minutes ago, Hungalas said:

I'm sorry, don't quite understand you. You think it's the pump?

No, not the pump, but an air bubble getting in there

[Hungalas]

2 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

No, not the pump, but an air bubble getting in there

I don't know how to get rid of it though. Should I take the GPU and the radiator out completely, spin it around a bit?

[Skiiwee29]

8 hours ago, Hungalas said:

I don't know how to get rid of it though. Should I take the GPU and the radiator out completely, spin it around a bit?

would be a good step to do as well. Can you possibly mount the radiator up top and test as well?

[Hungalas]

11 minutes ago, Skiiwee29 said:

would be a good step to do as well. Can you possibly mount the radiator up top and test as well?

I tried when I was assembling the PC, just wouldn't fit between the cooler and the fans. I will try again once I take it all out. Better aesthetically too, so I would prefer it. Don't really have the time or nerves right now, will try tomorrow most likely, and will let you know. Thank you for all the help.

[Hungalas]

15 hours ago, Skiiwee29 said:

would be a good step to do as well. Can you possibly mount the radiator up top and test as well?

I tried moving it around, shaking it for a solid 15 minutes, and it still persists. I tried mounting it on the top, but there just isn't enough space. If the rad was a centimeter, or even half a centimeter narrower, i'd be able to fit it, but this way it just hits the CPU cooler. I don't think it's an air bubble anymore, it would've gone out if it were. It's either the pump going bad, or maybe due to whatever reason, too much of the liquid has evaporated. Either way, I have to contact Alphacool in Germany. Thank you so much for all your help!