How to quickly & easily fix coil-whine(coil choke noise)

[lexluthermiester]

After seeing that ferrite choke dancing around the GPU power cable earlier i can totally see smaller vibrations helping settle in the adhesive.

I'll agree with you, that's likely a real thing.

 

[aanti]

Just wanted to report back: Using this method has significantly reduced the coilwhine on my MSI Gaming X Trio 4090. It is not gone, but much better.
Combined with an undervolt, the noise levels are absolutely acceptable now. Thanks for sharing this method!

 

[lexluthermiester]

Thanks for sharing this method!

You're welcome! Glad it helped!

 

[Mussels]

Just wanted to report back: Using this method has significantly reduced the coilwhine on my MSI Gaming X Trio 4090. It is not gone, but much better.
Combined with an undervolt, the noise levels are absolutely acceptable now. Thanks for sharing this method!

let us know if it improves over time, as it seems to do so for other people


I tested this with my old corsair PSU and now i cant make it whine at all, although i cant move the 3090 to it for testing due to the water loop

 

[aanti]

let us know if it improves over time, as it seems to do so for other people

oh it's already a month ago I have done the mod (also changed TIM to a kryosheet with great success). Can absolutely confirm it was way better after 2 days passed, maybe even more. Was initially a bit disappointed, but after a bit of waiting I am happy I did this!!

Used a bit too much, and should have waited a bit more before turning the card around to wick a choke or inductor or what it's called on the backside, some glue was flowing a bit over the PCB, but seems to be no issue. Hope I can disassemble the card again if needed, but since I used that sheet now, there should be no reason to, unless I want to change the cooler.

 

[Dan.G]

Is it possible for a PSU to make your graphics card produce coil whine?
Tested multiple GPUs and some had it, others didn't (even same GPU, different manufacturers).

 

[Mussels]

Is it possible for a PSU to make your graphics card produce coil whine?
Tested multiple GPUs and some had it, others didn't (even same GPU, different manufacturers).

Yes, this was covered a few pages into this thread, with quotes from JonnyGuru (One of the lead PSU designers at Corsair, these days)
Some PSU+GPU combinations just hate each other - PSU's are designed to work with the newer GPU's that are out when they're designed/released, sometimes causing issues with older cards.

Ferrite beads (tightly attached to the PSU Cable) can help, as its the ferrite choke designs that change the most in those revisions other than the primary capacitors, which are not user friendly to even think about replacing.


Think of the GPU as pulsing itself on and off so it's not using 100% of its power consumption every second like a light bulb, and the PSU as pulsing the power trying to keep the voltage correct so that the voltage doesnt go up while its idle and down while at load - aiming within a happy range at all times to not fry other components on the same rail.

If the water pressure (voltage) is too high because the PSU cant switch down fast enough, the GPU side is going to squeal as it fights to bleed off the excess in one form or another - heat, vibration, etc. Usually going too low results in crashing, rather than noise.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Is it possible for a PSU to make your graphics card produce coil whine?

It is. Mussels covered the high points. PSU's can make noise all on their own as well, as can motherboards.

 

[Mussels]

It is. Mussels covered the high points. PSU's can make noise all on their own as well, as can motherboards.

Yup - best way to explain it is a pump working over-time to counter high demand at the far end (PSU whine) or the PSU/pump providing too much pressure so something squeaks at the far end, as it tries to stay shut
Think a garden tap or kitchen faucet, that love high pitched whine as you turn some of them off


overall its more complex, but theres a reason these engineers used terms like 'gates' 'current' and 'flow' - electricity does behave pretty similar to water in many ways

 

[Drakkir]

Hi everyone!

I recently got a great deal on a powercolor 6800XT red devil, but unfortunately, it has a lot of annoying coil whine. After some research, I came across this helpful thread that suggests a solution for fixing it.

I just want to make sure I understood the instructions correctly and that I'm gluing the right components. I marked the parts in question with red. Can you please take a look and let me know if I got it right?

Also, please confirm if there's nothing that needs to be done on the backside of the card.


To fix the coil whine, I plan to use this specific glue: https://starbond.com/products/super-fast-thin-ca-glue. It has a very low viscosity, which should allow it to seep into all the right places.
I just relized now that i only ordered 2oz(56,7g). is that enough?

Before proceeding, I'd appreciate any input from the community. Please let me know if I missed anything or if there's any mistake I could make in this process.
Thank you in advance for your help and advice!

 

[Mussels]

The R15's are the most likely cause of the noise, with the R19's second and unlabelled ones on the left far less likely

I'd start with just the R15's, but while you're at it check your power cables and do what you can there - if its a modular PSU, try different ports if there are any, unkink/untwist the cables, use the end connectors and so on.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I just want to make sure I understood the instructions correctly and that I'm gluing the right components. I marked the parts in question with red. Can you please take a look and let me know if I got it right?

Yup, you got the right ones. You did miss that one choke by the right edge of the PCB, but that one isn't likely to be a source of noise. When you start, just remember to take your time and be very careful. Let us know how it goes for you.

To fix the coil whine, I plan to use this specific glue: https://starbond.com/products/super-fast-thin-ca-glue. It has a very low viscosity, which should allow it to seep into all the right places.
I just relized now that i only ordered 2oz(56,7g). is that enough?

Yup, that's a good one and 2oz should be more than enough. You're good to go!

 

[Mussels]

Oh and going by that prior report, give the card upto an hour to settle in, then fire it up in some whine-inducing scenario (unigine heavens exit screen with no FPS cap is an easy source of cicada sounds)

Making it squeal before it dries fully seems to help shift it into where it needs to be

 

[Drakkir]

The R15's are the most likely cause of the noise, with the R19's second and unlabelled ones on the left far less likely

I'd start with just the R15's, but while you're at it check your power cables and do what you can there - if its a modular PSU, try different ports if there are any, unkink/untwist the cables, use the end connectors and so on.

I've tried using two different PSUs (both SF750), but unfortunately, the coil whine issue persists with both. I even experimented with different ports, and using the end connectors seemed to increase the pitch slightly.

Yup, you got the right ones. You did miss that one choke by the right edge of the PCB, but that one isn't likely to be a source of noise. When you start, just remember to take your time and be very careful. Let us know how it goes for you.


Yup, that's a good one and 2oz should be more than enough. You're good to go!

Turns out 2oz was indeed more than enough. It was a very large bottle

Oh and going by that prior report, give the card upto an hour to settle in, then fire it up in some whine-inducing scenario (unigine heavens exit screen with no FPS cap is an easy source of cicada sounds)

Making it squeal before it dries fully seems to help shift it into where it needs to be

I had to wait a few hours for the glue to become less runny. I played some uncapped Diablo 4, where I previously experienced the coil whine. By adjusting the FPS limit, I can changes in the whine's intensity

Sadly, despite the efforts, the coil whine is still present. I'm going to let it settle for a day. If there is no improvement then I will attempt a second pass this weekend.


Also, i was wondering about the thermal pads, should i replace them or are they okay to re-use as is? should i remove anything, like some of the pads leftovers?


Thanks in advance for your assistance and expertise!

 

[InVasMani]

So any consensus around if it's better to apply a bit pre-heated and warm or cold with a longer dry session!? I would think some pre-heating would be ideal for quicker hardening and drying. Also if it's outside of the case you could apply and flip it upside down once applied so it settles more where you'd want it to at the top. It's the small details that matter for effectiveness of this approach. You may as well be a little judicious about it.

 

[Mussels]

pads can be reused if they're not damaged - remember that you want full coverage at an even height. If you peel a pad off and it leaves debris behind, you may need to wipe off that debris or it wont be flat and it can lift the heatsink up causing erratic temperatures. Softer pads this matters a little bit less, because they'll compress down - but if its uneven or dried out, you could have the equivalent to an air bubble in thermal paste.

You do want every single milimeter of those RAM chips covered, while it's not the end of the world for imperfection it should be your goal, as it only takes one VRAM chip to hit thermal throttle for the others to be slowed down with it


I'm not sure why everyones having runny superglue - a single drop should be enough for one if not more of these chokes, when spread around. Are you guys using heaps more?

 

[lexluthermiester]

Sadly, despite the efforts, the coil whine is still present. I'm going to let it settle for a day. If there is no improvement then I will attempt a second pass this weekend.

A second pass might help, but if there wasn't an improvement, a second go likely won't help much if at all. But I could be wrong. It won't hurt anything to try, as long as you don't dump the glue on.

A thought though, from the photo, it looks like you may have not used enough. Be generous, but not so much that it runs all over the place. So perhaps a second go would be helpful to you.

Also, i was wondering about the thermal pads, should i replace them or are they okay to re-use as is?

As long as they're in good condition(being very careful helps there), they're easily reusable. Feel free to do so.

should i remove anything, like some of the pads leftovers?

Sure, cleaning up the little bits from getting all over the place is a good idea.

So any consensus around if it's better to apply a bit pre-heated and warm or cold with a longer dry session!?

Super glue applies and cures best in a warmer environments 73F/23C+ is ideal. Any cooler would slow down and inhibit the wicking effect.

I would think some pre-heating would be ideal for quicker hardening and drying.

That's a good idea.

a single drop should be enough for one if not more of these chokes

Not sure I can agree here. It depends on the glue and the chokes/cards. While I've warned people about dumping glue on, I have also leaned on being generous so that the wicking effect can do it's thing properly.

 

[Mussels]

Not sure I can agree here. It depends on the glue and the chokes/cards. While I've warned people about dumping glue on, I have also leaned on being generous so that the wicking effect can do it's thing properly.

I haven't seen that, I use a lot less and it dries faster. At that point you're coating the PCB and not sealing up the coil or it's covering.

I've done this to about 6? 7? devices since first seeing this thread including laptop power bricks and phone chargers (undoing my previous barely helping hot glue), and usually need very very little to work.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I've done this to about 6? 7? devices since first seeing this thread including laptop power bricks and phone chargers (undoing my previous barely helping hot glue), and usually need very very little to work.

Fair enough.

 

[aerosimit]

My laptop does that sound while charging. I'll try that, thank you.

 

[Bambushacker]

Hey Guys,

I found this topic some weeks ago, because I was looking for an solution to fix my coilwhine on my new 4090 FE.

I purchased some low viscosity cyanoacrylate-based glue from Amazon, wich really smells like a normal superglue.
Then I thought it is time to void my warranty on this gpu beast.

I would say I have done it the correct way, as it is descripted here in the forum. I sealed the slots completely and didnt use too much.
I immediately had some success. The coil whine was gone almost 70% but not completely. Thanks for that!!!

Unfortunately, I reopended the GPU another 2 times to reapply the superglue on the bottom slots again, to get rid of the last noise,
but it didn't get better, I alsmost think it got worse. Now Im wondering if I maybe should also apply this to other parts on the gpu.

The red marked chokes have to be sealed completely, as I said, I reaplied the glue on all sides three times, so it is pretty unlikely that there is one shoke not sealed.

Im pretty sure that I shouldnt apply it on the capacitors, because they could't fuse if needed, if they where sealed I guess.
But I don't know how all this stuff works, so maybe it could be the mosfets or the Solid Stade Capacitors?
There are a lot of them on the back of the 4090, but I'm not sure what they are, the look like Mosfets.

I am sure that the noise doesnt come from the psu, it definetily comes from the gpu.
Hope you guys can give me some adivce.

At least I can say, the Superglue and the reopening doens't harm my gpu, it works like I never opened it

Thanks and cheers!

 

[Dan.G]

But is it possible that a "Bronze" rated PSU would have a higher chance to make your graphics card produce coil whine?
If you check 80 Plus Overview | CLEAResult test results, you'll see that "Bronze" has higher harmonic distorsion (ITHD) than "Gold".
Could that be a thing? My 500 W "Bronze" PSU works really well with graphics cards < 130 W.
Now, I did try a 170 W MSI RTX 3060 and it ran perfectly fine, but got it for a fairly high price (450 Euros) and returned it (February 2023).
With the 4060 Ti, got coil whine for Asus and MSI and no coil whine for Inno3D (but that one was somewhat noisy).
I'm thinking about going "Gold" for my next build. I generaly buy low-to-mid-range components, but I upgrade more often (2-3 years).

 

[lexluthermiester]

Hey Guys,

I found this topic some weeks ago, because I was looking for an solution to fix my coilwhine on my new 4090 FE.

I purchased some low viscosity cyanoacrylate-based glue from Amazon, wich really smells like a normal superglue.
Then I thought it is time to void my warranty on this gpu beast.

I would say I have done it the correct way, as it is descripted here in the forum. I sealed the slots completely and didnt use too much.
I immediately had some success. The coil whine was gone almost 70% but not completely. Thanks for that!!!

Unfortunately, I reopended the GPU another 2 times to reapply the superglue on the bottom slots again, to get rid of the last noise,
but it didn't get better, I alsmost think it got worse. Now Im wondering if I maybe should also apply this to other parts on the gpu.

The red marked chokes have to be sealed completely, as I said, I reaplied the glue on all sides three times, so it is pretty unlikely that there is one shoke not sealed.

Im pretty sure that I shouldnt apply it on the capacitors, because they could't fuse if needed, if they where sealed I guess.
But I don't know how all this stuff works, so maybe it could be the mosfets or the Solid Stade Capacitors?
There are a lot of them on the back of the 4090, but I'm not sure what they are, the look like Mosfets.

I am sure that the noise doesnt come from the psu, it definetily comes from the gpu.
Hope you guys can give me some adivce.

At least I can say, the Superglue and the reopening doens't harm my gpu, it works like I never opened it

Thanks and cheers!


View attachment 309254

Hey there! The ones you've circled in red are chokes and are what you apply superglue to. The parts in green are caps or other components and supergluing them is not needed or recommended. Remember to take your time and be careful. No need to rush yourself. Those LR22's that are all close together will require that you inject glue directly in the gap with the choke housing meets the PCB. See below.

And on both sides. It will take careful work and will take time. By the time you finish with the last of the chokes & gaps, the ones you started with will likely be set.

 

[Mussels]

Unfortunately, I reopended the GPU another 2 times to reapply the superglue on the bottom slots again, to get rid of the last noise,
but it didn't get better, I alsmost think it got worse. Now Im wondering if I maybe should also apply this to other parts on the gpu.

Remember to run some load that causes the whine for a while so the heat can dry out the glue fully and let it shift around
Don't do the green capacitors, they're temperature sensitive and it's a bad idea.

The LR22 chokes vibrate inside the ceramic cover - you're trying to stop that vibration by securing them to the PCB at the same time you're sealing up any air-gaps that formed in their seal, to trap high pitched noises within them. They expel their wasted energy as magnetism and heat, and the magnetism causes movement that makes the noise by vibrating onto something else - especially if multiple of them are vibrating in different directions at the same time.

My current theory on this is that we're mostly using that 'wick effect' to seal up where the copper wire is soldered to the PCB to reduce movement there

It seems logical because a flexed PCB would absolutely loosen those solder joints, and that'd allow the coil itself that tiny amount of physical movement to vibrate at a high frequency.
What movement we can't reduce, we at least muffle by blocking openings the sound can leak out of (which is also that exact spot where they join)


With this sort of design, it's got two flat connectors on the left and right sides - so we'd be blocking vibration underneath where the ceramic touches the PCB.
I can't find images of this type opened up, but this design should mitigate that noise issue above and be why they're more common now.

Imagine it's full of angry bees with their cell phones on vibrate buzzing around on a table - securing the phones in place means the table can absorb much of the noise - the better the physical contact, the lower the frequency of the buzz.
(And this is why we want the glue *under* it and not on the top or sides)

Dear god, igors lab has a page on this that we've not used for translation reasons. The MOSFET description reads like 16th century poetry on drugs.

MOSFET:
How awesome is that? On my gate a positive potential crawls me, I switch now times merrily Source after Drain through and become however so of conductive, let thus times fully the current through. Let’s go you cardboard noses, open the borders!

One part that does make sense however is this, and it matches my theory above in readable english

The Lorentz direction is responsible for the mechanical movement in the coil and there is hardly any space inside. So the windings of the coil hit the case and the core, causing the coil whine, which is actually more of a coil cramp.

anything holding the casing still can help, and holds the coil still WILL help - and that's the wick effect where some gets slurped inside in ways we can't really control.

 

[d31ma]

I was looking for an solution to fix my coilwhine on my new 4090 FE.

The same story for me, just received 4090FE, which was lost and found (bought in May) and now it is most loud part of my system, all system watercooled, noticed that then higher FPS - more loud, even on 166FPS (I locked, because have 165Ghz monitor) I hear this weird sound.
Thought maybe need to change PSU...

But if PSU could also be the reason of sound - how do I know which PSU I have to buy as replacement?
I have Super Flower Leadex III 850W Gold