Buzzing Coolermaster HAF 932

strumpusplunket · 2 Apr 2009 at 11:52

I got the HAF 932 to transfer all my PC bits into when I got a new motherboard about a month or two ago. I've been liking the case a lot in general - it's nice to build in, the cut-out backplate hole on the motherboard tray is a godsend for fitting coolers, it's been (mostly) quiet and has superb airflow. I've not even noticed too much dust so far.

However, over the last few weeks there has been an intermittent buzzing that is now driving me crazy!

It seems to be some sort of reverberation through the whole case, and the buzz seems to emanate from around the front panel area. I've tried stopping each fan in turn with my finger, but none of them seem to be solely responsible for it.

The buzz comes and goes, and when it comes it seems to rise in a kind of buzzy crescendo and then sometimes sustain and sometimes fall back away. I can usually stop it by damping the case quite hard with my hand in one of three or four places around the side and front panels - sometime this makes it worse and I have to change the location I'm damping, but it always comes back eventually no matter what I do.

My case is on my desk because I work from home quite a lot, and this is becoming an unbearable bloody distraction!

Any potential solutions/trouble-shooting tips gratefully received.

Sayso · 2 Apr 2009 at 12:40

its the fans causing resonation of your front panel....prehaps.

i got rid of my stacker 832 due to a similar problem.

try putting some rubber dampners on your fans instead of directly screwing them into the case.

strumpusplunket · 2 Apr 2009 at 18:20

Ok, thanks. Will look into some rubber washer type things.

Although since I took the case apart (for about the 25th time in a week!) and reassembled it, it's been pretty quiet. Keeping fingers crossed this time...

Kesz · 3 Apr 2009 at 16:44

I think I have the same problem. I'm using the HAF and I have a stange buzzing sound too, although I can't quite figure out where it is coming from. I did wonder if it was to do with the speaker cables being too close to the power cables, but then it might not be.

Going to tie some cables together tonight to see if it makes any difference, at lest it'll look neater if anything.

strumpusplunket · 3 Apr 2009 at 20:33

Well, I'm kind of glad it's nothing I've done wrong myself if others are experiencing this too.

I can't put up with this any more, though.

So, I'm thinking of getting these Akasa Siliconized Rubber Fan Pins and these Ultra-Soft Arrowhead Fan Mounts.

Any ideas whether they are the best items to buy to try to tackle this bloody buzz?

Kesz · 4 Apr 2009 at 16:44

I've had a tinker with mine and I found - and hope - that it wasn't the fans, but instead it seems to be the onboard speaker, which I removed. Now the buzz has gone. I'd guess it was a conflict of some sort.

smsmasters · 27 Apr 2009 at 07:56

I noticed this has happened to me also!

EDIT: I remove my case speaker and there is still a buzzing sound :/

EsaT · 27 Apr 2009 at 18:47

smsmasters said:
I noticed this has happened to me also!
EDIT: I remove my case speaker and there is still a buzzing sound :/

Does that sound stop/change when you press various parts of case with hand?

smsmasters · 28 Apr 2009 at 09:52

It sounds like the buzzing is resonating from the front panel of the case. It seems to stop if I press on it, I think.

I can't seem to pinpoint where the sound is coming from

EsaT · 29 Apr 2009 at 07:56

smsmasters said:
It sounds like the buzzing is resonating from the front panel of the case. It seems to stop if I press on it, I think.

That's sign of vibration resonance.

Source of vibration is near impossible to find by just listening because it gets conducted throughout the case.
Of course it could be strongest near its source if there aren't more looser parts in elsewhere.

Have you checked that intake fan doesn't vibrate? (touch its frame when it's running) That kind high mass fan or its bearing could give lot of vibration.
Other nearby source would be HDD. Take HDD temporarily out from cage and put it onto something vibration insulating on bottom of the case and try then if buzzing continues.

Fade2po · 7 May 2009 at 10:44

I'm getting this problem too I'm pretty certain that it is some sort of fan / HDD / vibration as pushing the top right corner (nr reset button) down or wiggling the case normally gets rid of the sound. I initially thought it was a floor level issue as i use the wheels and have a carpeted floor (which it sits on) but after putting a tray under the front wheels it still makes the sound. Its like hearing a distant alarm sound going off.
I'm contend with giving the case a wiggle every now and then to have it go away however if it can be resolved would be keen to hear any fixes. I've put my ear to the case when it happens and it does sound like its coming from the front LED fan, however as the HDD's are behind it it may require a case of checking how the hdd's are seated.

Ucof · 7 May 2009 at 11:03

I sometimes have this problem on my Antec.
It's due to the hardddrives buzzing away. I pressed them hard, and the buzzing stops.

C64 · 7 May 2009 at 20:12

Hard drives bungee mod them.

shaf · 8 May 2009 at 07:28

I have the stacker 832 and found the buzzing coming from the side panel.

Holding this stops it. Not fixed it yet.