Buzzing Noise

[johnnyl168]

Hi all just recently I have purchased the ep45-ud3r mobo and have noticed a strange soft buzzing noise coming from around the memory slot area. It only starts buzzing when the memory is been stressed for example memtest or P95 blend. Its definitely not coming from any of my fans. Is this normal?

Thanks

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Are you sure it is not your GFX Card or PSU? Did you try different RAM or Moving the ram around?

[soldier]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Sounds more like your GFX. Fan coulf probably be touching the heatsink.

Try different memory modules.

[johnnyl168]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Thanks for the reply, my CPU and VGA are both water cooled and also the PSU is mounted on the bottom of the case. The noise buzzing noise is coming from the top half of the mobo. It sounds like it might be coming from a capacitor but physically cant see any bulged or leaking ones. I have tried every combination with the memory changed slots, running them in single channel but some problem. Unfortunately those are the only set of DDR2 memory I have. I have also set all my frequency back to stock but made no difference. Thanks

[johnnyl168]

[svcglobal]

Re: Buzzing Noise

That sound is coming from the ferrite chokes around the CPU. They are part of the voltage step/switching/phase controller of the CPU.

Some of the coil's copper wire turns vibrate at some resonating audible frequency due the high current square wave switching, it is generated by lack of the glue encapsulation that supposed should be there just to avoid that noise.

Usually the sound stops keeping the CPU at full throttle (C1E, C2E, etc...) but I saw that your already did that in BIOS. Probably under OC the noise can be reduced or even silenced, but, who knows?

So live with it or ask for a board replacement, unfortunately if that I wrote above is your case, there is noting that you can do.

[johnnyl168]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Thanks for the help, it sounded around the CPU area but I thought it was a cap instead =). Its strange tho I could ran P95 smallfft, wprime and cinebench10 without the buzz then when I try blend or any other program which stresses the memory I can hear the annoying sound. So should I get a replacement or will it run perfectly and safe? Thanks again

[svcglobal]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Your issue is only about noise, perfectly safe, nothing will explode soon so, if you can manage to live with that weird sound you can keep the board for sure.
Really there was not memory stress, what you got was 100% CPU current flowing by the ferrite chokes lowering its Q and stopping the vibration. So, less CPU current more annoying noise you hear.
Since you are on water the noise appear amplified, an hypothetical air cooler could hide the buzz.

[johnnyl168]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Thanks mate you have been a huge help. I have also read that heatpipes generally do makes that same noises, and that it is because of the evaporating liquid inside them that does it which is normal to. BTW how did you rule out a faulty capacitor issue? Thanks

[VorLonUK]

Re: Buzzing Noise

BTW how did you rule out a faulty capacitor issue?

I've never heard a modern day elecrolytic capacitor make a noise, except when the pressure plug pops - indicating there is a fault, ie the capacitor has gone short circuit. Other components such as Chokes can make more noise if a decoupling capacitor has gone open circuit.

However as SVC explained above (and he is correct), Ferrite Chokes do "Ring" when under any "specific" load. It's when they enter this specific state, that the windings "ring" in sympathy with the current/ type of waveform passing through them.
They may not "ring" at lower load or even high load. Often it has to be a specific combination, a bit like the Opera Singer shattering the glass!

Chokes that "Ring" are very common. It's like anything, some makes make more noise than others, so do different types. No doubt if money wasn't such an issue (as it is in the PC component market), then we would probably see (or hear quieter boards). Military and Medical electronics usually have higher ratings and better build, but usually in different areas, but then that costs more.

Either which way the noise isn't usually a sign of a problem, but simply an audible nuisance.

[svcglobal]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Capacitor do not made any sound and, if does, explosion is the most likely.
Do not be afraid since the one you have come, as I already said, from chokes that are coils, few (usually 10) turns of copper insulated wire over a nucleus of magnetic ferrite. Since this approach is very similar of a speaker voice coil, if the turns are not correctly glued on that nucleus, it will made noise if pulsating current is flow on it.
This is called Lorentz force principle, more on that you can read here: http://mechatronics.ece.usu.edu/ece5...ael_Ryan_a.ppt

[johnnyl168]

Re: Buzzing Noise

Thanks again for all the help.