Help with hissing noise!

ghop · 23 Jan 2010 at 00:39

MikeHunt79 said:
Those look like Sanyo OS-CON caps which are computer grade caps which use some sort of organic compound I think, which is supposed to be more durable than a normal electrolyte cap.

They should not hiss however...

Is it actually possible for them to hiss? I mean, I didn't pinpoint it to the capacitors. It could have been the PSU for all I know. I wasn't really thinking about it much at the time so I didn't try to listen to exactly where it was coming from. I'm half tempted to try it again and try to listen to where it is coming from, but I fear I'll cause further damage if it is infact the capacitors

I'm in an annoying situation here.

Currently though, the system is very fast and completely stable at 3.8 with load temps not exceeding 60 (usually don't pass 50 when playing games). I'll be very happy leaving it at this freq, I just want to make sure my motherboard isn't a ticking time bomb. I can't really relax until I know for sure.

EDIT: I might email Gigabyte about it. Does anyone have an Email address for gigabyte where I could ask this sort of question?

MikeHunt79 · 23 Jan 2010 at 01:39

OS-CON's are pretty robust capacitors, and I've never known or heard of a capacitor hissing. Whining, maybe, but not hissing.

I'd just clock down a little, and keep the temps lower, I'd be more than happy with 3.8GHz.

ghop · 23 Jan 2010 at 02:17

Just taken the case off and am running prime95 at the moment. It still makes the noise at 1.35v under load. It's just a lot quieter. I've been shoving my cameras mic in various places on the computer, and the sound is definitely the loudest in front of the CPU so my guess would be the bunch of capacitors in front of the CPU are causing the noise, or possibly the ones running down the side of the CPU socket. I would say the CPU is a possible culprit, but I don't think it's even possibly for a CPU to make noise? Could it possibly be the heatpipes of my cooler? Temps are not exceeding 65 at the moment while priming, which is well within the temp limit and 1.35v is well within safe voltage

yet it still hisses.

The sound is a hissing/buzzing sort of noise. Will upload a video of the sound if required.

If anyone knows anyone with a P55A board, could you please direct them to this thread

I'm just getting really confused and worried now. The board is stable, but this hissing noise is making me really nervous about the long-term. I'm starting to get convinced this isn't normal and it's only going to worsen and eventually break my motherboard and possibly take the CPU and other components with it. I really need to know whether I'm going to need to send this board back.

BUFF · 23 Jan 2010 at 12:57

wonder if it's the PWM rather than the caps?

weird_dave · 23 Jan 2010 at 14:23

http://gomeler.com/2007/04/27/abit-ab9-quadgt-review/

"During these benchmarks I noticed two things, the CPU temperatures were a good 2-3 degrees lower than on my DS3 with identical voltages, and the NB/PWM heatpipes made a terrible amount of noise. When under load the heatpipes hissed, similar to the noise steam makes in pipes."

kidscruff · 23 Jan 2010 at 18:58

My bad about the solid caps! Should have remembered all the "100% Japanese Solid Capacitors" printed on the Gigabyte boxes!

The comments in the review seem pretty similar to your experience. Guess there's some variation between boards, or maybe you've got super hearing!?

ghop · 23 Jan 2010 at 22:15

kidscruff said:
My bad about the solid caps! Should have remembered all the "100% Japanese Solid Capacitors" printed on the Gigabyte boxes!

The comments in the review seem pretty similar to your experience. Guess there's some variation between boards, or maybe you've got super hearing!?

Well, my board has no heatpipes but obviously my CPU cooler does... Perhaps it's that? Who knows. I'll get a video of the sound posted up soon

I've also emailed gigabyte

ghop · 24 Jan 2010 at 17:06

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j275/george_hopkins/?action=view&current=MOV09501-1.flv&newest=1

Here's the video. What do you all reckon? I think I'll send OCUK RMA Requests a message and ask them if it's faulty or not.

ghop · 24 Jan 2010 at 22:32

Sent OCUK an RMA enquiry, basically asking if the board is faulty or not.

ghop · 26 Jan 2010 at 16:26

Sent a web note and was asked if it was definitely the motherboard making the noise, so I sent this.

I'm pretty sure it's the motherboard. The sound was definitely louder over the motherboard (in between the CPU and the rear case fan) than the PSU (used a microphone to see where the sound was the loudest) and it's definitely not the graphics card. I would suspect the heatpipes on my cooler, but the noise sounds quite electronic. The noise is quiet at low volts but still there, and from what I've heard, capacitors should not make any noise at all. Is this noise normal, or is it a sign of imminent failure?

Thanks, George

and I've just received an RMA request saying this:

Products on RMA:

Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Intel P55 (Socket 1156) DDR3 Motherboard

Please only return the products listed above on this RMA. Any products returned that are not on this RMA will be rejected and subject to a £10 + return shipping + VAT charge.

Problem / Fault description: Faulty [cap whine],
Desired action: Replace

So it looks like it does mean that it is indeed faulty.. I'll definitely take it out the case and run it on my desk first, to be 100% sure it's the motherboard whining. Bit worried about them deeming it 'not faulty' and being lumbered with the 10 pound charge as they'll probably run a CPU at stock, then the noise won't be particularly loud.

Oh well, I'll see how it goes. Tempted to change motherboard as well, to the P7P55D perhaps. I don't know though.