Ok Mudspikers, I’m back for help again. So, a couple week ago my PC case started to hum. I noticed it would stop for a minute or two if I tapped the case or applied pressure to the front or side, but the problem begin anew. I suspected the culprits were either the fans, loose cables, or possibly part of the case. I did some research and was presented with a plethora of possible causes but scant solutions. Anyway, I took off the front and that seems to have solved the problem. It is glass, toolless that simply pops on or off.
So my question is what can I use as a buffer to eliminate the hum, which is most likely caused by vibration? Soundproofing material seems to only come in sheets and is rather expensive (from what I’ve come across). I’m looking for easy-to-apply alternative solutions. I have some ideas swirling around in my head but want to hear from others before jumping into the deep end.
Check if your fans are well screwed. In time screws might come loose. Applying some pressure on different parts of the case could make it easier to find the culprit, but one approach would be to open up the build and check every screw. Sometimes cases that have separate grills or frames for fans/radiators to be mounted also could have screws come loose. If you triple checked that the case is well screwed on, it’s probably one of the fans gone bad. If you are sure everything is well seated and tight and it is definitely vibration, buy some rubber washers, there are tons of dampening washers for PC fans around. If you really need to replace the fans and can spend a little extra, go noctua. They will outlast your PC by 3 upgrade cycles and run quieter than anything else.
could be fan bearing, ( i used to have one that hummed until you gave the case a tap, then it stopped) or as stated above it may just be a loose fan mounting… I also seem to recall that power supplies can hum if they are on the way out
All these things- check your fan bearings and screws, as well as any bushings they may have. Ditto for your CPU cooler. Also check any HDDs for fit or any signs of vibration.
Finally if none of that works, maybe consider teaching your computer the words?
Thanks all for the responses. I’ve checked the PSU, fans, cables, screws, etc. All fans are running quietly, with no hum from PSU, and tight screws, but my cables are a bit loose. I know I could tighten them more but I had a bad experience years ago with tight cables (long story).
Anyway, since removing the front cover, I’ve not had any humming. My kit is as quiet as the first day I built it. So, my next challenge is finding a solution to kill the vibrations. I have some felt, self-stick chair pads that I will try. My theory is that the material and thickness will create a cushion and tighten the seal thus negating the vibrations. I’ll report back on my results. Wish me luck.
Another possibility that may or may not apply is to see if you can manually control the fan speeds. If you speed some up and slow some down, depending where they are, it could mitigate the hum if it’s some sort of resonance.
Well, it turns out that the front cover is the source of my hum and my attempted solutions have all failed. I’m thinking about two solutions. The first is applying tape to the side after I reattach the front cover. My second is applying some clear silicone along the edges or lock tabs of the cover and then reattaching it after the silicone dries. I’m hoping the tape works because I won’t have to mess around with silicone.
Living without the front cover is not an option because we have a cat and I do not want to deal with frequently dusting out my case. Interesting aside: the experience has left me hearing ghost hums every time I sit by my desk. Arrrrgh!
You need to find the source of the hum, which is likely vibration, and dampen it using vibration dampening seals/connectors.
if the glass is vibrating in it’s housing, then you need to get some thing in there to dampen it (elec tape, rubber sealer, etc).
if the entire frame is making the noise when connected, then somewhere in the tool less design has to be dampened, or a rubber seal/gasket needs to be made so when attached, the front panel has no play to vibrate, and the rubber seal/gasket will absorb any low level harmonic vibrations from fans.
leave the front off and lean something light and metal on the front, or just feel it,
do you feel any vibrations?
also, any fans connected to the front, disconnect them attach front, if hum continues it’s not any fan bearings dying.
My old case was similar, large metal frame w/ glass attached with plastic 2 pc rivets, but no vibration dampening, when the fan attached to the same panel started to have bearing problems the panel started humming on and off like a breathing pattern,
took the fan out, and the same breathing vibration pattern was felt with fan in hand.
I had the tray that I mounted the rad and it’s fans to come somewhat loose and I was getting vibration noises. After practically reassembling the whole PC I fixed that, so I had still a little buit of noise, and as I was already hands on, I set myself to work on the fan curves for even more silence. While II was feeling satisfied it still had some room for improvement, and at the time, in the middle of lockdown, I desperately needed a project. So, on a whim I replaced the NZXT fans for Noctuas. Those were 2 30 dollar 140mm black fans, I might add. Now it’s as loud as a new macbook air, one of the best spent 60 bucks in the build.
