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

[Mussels]

My recommendation is either Galax, Zotac or PNY. Those seem to have the least level of whine and respond well to being superglue-sealed.

My Galax 3090 is fantastic compared to the gigabyte 3080's i dealt with (all 3x of the AIO models i';ve seen in person have whine at low load high FPS situations, while this galax needs triple the FPS - like 500 or so - to have faint whine)

osu! is an interesting case, because you *want* to be running at thousands of fps, the input handler is tied to framerate and you want to minimize it as much as possible

so yes, you end up handling a lot of coil whine

Frame limiters work great there, I run 4k65Hz with Fast Vsync and a hard cap at double that of 130FPS - demanding games i'll limit in-game to a lower value


Borderlands 3 is a great example because if you hit 100% GPU usage your input latency doubles, fast Vsync reduces that hurt but its still such a large hit when you max out a GPU

So you know, know whine and better input latency? win.

 

[Kodehawa]

Borderlands 3 is a great example because if you hit 100% GPU usage your input latency doubles, fast Vsync reduces that hurt but its still such a large hit when you max out a GPU
View attachment 285231

Oh. That is why input felt sluggish in BL3. Thanks.

Also in osu! you can't limit fps without making input lag worse, sadly. Obviously we're talking from like 0.19ms to 1.8ms (of game engine input lag) or so when limiting it to a sane 960fps (what the game itself recommends). Using anything else will *feel* bad, no matter what frame limiting method you use. I guess a rendering engine dating from 2007 has its limitations in this regard.

The game itself reports the game input latency:

Thankfully on the new one input latency isn't tied to the draw framerate, so you can avoid coil whine pain.

 

[lexluthermiester]

@lexluthermiester Reporting in that I tried this mod with my work laptop because it had a bit of coil whine that I wanted to try and address. (A mod which they... *ahem* will hopefully never discover.)

Anyways, I went to Walmart and spent a dollar more for brand name Loctite liquid super glue thinking it was a known brand and therefore should work well. Unfortunately, it took a long time for the super glue to harden and even hours later the super glue was still liquid. I also can say that the coil whine was dampened slightly but it seemed like the mod did not work. I think from this point on it might be helpful to state a few things if anyone has down the mod. I also researched online to see that humidity and temperature will affect how fast superglue hardens. I think in my case it did not work well because it was cold, dry, and mostly because the brand of super glue did not react the way I wanted it to.

Potentially helpful questions:
1. What model/brand of super glue did you buy?
2. What's the general temperature and humidity of where you're at?

Would not suggest this brand:
View attachment 285230

I've never used Loctite. I buy the SuperGlue brand when I can find it or a generic brand. My current batch was bought at Harbor Freight. It's a very fluidic glue, like the SuperGlue brand and wicks into joints very quickly. Perhaps Loctite should be avoided if it's too viscus? I think I'm going to have to test that...

My Galax 3090 is fantastic compared to the gigabyte 3080's i dealt with (all 3x of the AIO models i';ve seen in person have whine at low load high FPS situations, while this galax needs triple the FPS - like 500 or so - to have faint whine)

That seems to go inline with the experiences I've had.

 

[abhisingh815]

Hey Everyone, I recently built a pc with an MSI Gaming X Trio 4090. The coil whine combined with an open case has already made me annoyed. I was wondering if anyone had success reducing coil whine with this very card using super glue?

 

[Norton]

Unfortunately, it took a long time for the super glue to harden and even hours later the super glue was still liquid.

Did you use anything to clean the surface? Denatured alcohol containing certain solvents as the denaturant (MEK for example) can dissolve super glue when it is trying to set.

 

[SRV123]

I've never used Loctite. I buy the SuperGlue brand when I can find it or a generic brand. My current batch was bought at Harbor Freight. It's a very fluidic glue, like the SuperGlue brand and wicks into joints very quickly. Perhaps Loctite should be avoided if it's too viscus? I think I'm going to have to test that...


That seems to go inline with the experiences I've had.

There are a few options at HF but I'm eyeing this one for my next go at this on a GPU. https://www.harborfreight.com/home/.../10-piece-high-strength-super-glue-68345.html

What sticks out to me is that it says "Quick setting - dries in just 3 seconds" and "Thicker formula won't drip or run"

Did you use anything to clean the surface? Denatured alcohol containing certain solvents as the denaturant (MEK for example) can dissolve super glue when it is trying to set.

Hm, no, I didn't clean any of the surface on the PCB. I was considering using alcohol (70% isopropyl) but I was worried that it might slightly affect the consistency of the glue and therefore affect its longevity.

Are you saying that there is residual denatured alcohol or other chemicals on the PCB that might potentially affect the super glue being able to settle?

 

[Norton]

Are you saying that there is residual denatured alcohol or other chemicals on the PCB that might potentially affect the super glue being able to settle?

That is a possibility, some residual chemicals might affect the bonding ability of the glue. May also be a bad batch of super glue, did you try it on anything else?

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Thicker formula

I think you want low viscosity to help it wick into the coils.

 

[Veseleil]

I think you want low viscosity to help it wick into the coils.

This.

 

[SRV123]

I think you want low viscosity to help it wick into the coils.

Yeah, I think low viscosity is necessary for the wicking action hence me picking the liquid option vs any of the gels. Harbor Freight seems to have 4 different formulations for super glue: "High Strength Super Glue (10 pack)", "Super Glue (3 pack)", "Super Glue (bottle)" and "Super Glue Gel".

Gel wouldn't work for our purposes so I didn't consider that and also disregarded the bottle. Upon further inspection it seems like the 10 pack and the 3 pack look almost identical but may have different formulations?

Basically, at this point I'm just looking for anyone who has completed the mod who can confirm what exact super glue they were using.

 

[Wolverine2349]

See above edit..


Oh yeah. You seem to be having bad luck or are one of those people with a heightened sensitivity to high frequency noise. Perhaps a combination of those two factors.

You may not prefer Zotac, but they have a good track record for coil whine. The fan noise from their cards have never bothered me personally, though I always preferred EVGA... Galax and PNY are very good choices.

So you have had RTX 4090s with 0 coil whine nor buzz that was at all audible in a closed case when you were a few feet from it and it was in a quiet room and sound turned off on PC and running an AAA game like Red Dead Redemption 2 or CyberPunk with all graphics settings maxed out to highest levels at 4K? And this also means case fans and CPU fans were quiet like 1000 RPM or lower speed. and video card fans were very quiet as well so they did not mask any whine/buzz/rattle from the coils/inductors?

And the ones you had like that were they rare gems from PNY or Zotac? And most PNY and Zotac and Galax without doing Super Glue did you find they had some coil whine/buzz, but not a terrible amount but easily audible and super glue made them almost silent? Cause I do know and have heard PNY and Zotac and Galax and such are not that bad with coil whine, though all this gen seems to much, but more bearable but not good enough for me this gen unlike some quiet brands from prior gens that had like no audible whine in a closed case in a quiet room with quiet fans under intense sub 200 FPS full gaming load with speakers off that could be heard.

 

[Wolverine2349]

Another question. Do I have to remove and replace GPU thermal paste when I let PCB open air dry the super glue around the coils.

Or is the thermal paste still good to leave in open air or will it dry and be too hard when the heatsink is put back on the 4090 PCB?

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Another question. Do I have to remove and replace GPU thermal paste when I let PCB open air dry the super glue around the coils.

Or is the thermal paste still good to leave in open air or will it dry and be too hard when the heatsink is put back on the 4090 PCB?

Replace it.

Actually, replace it every time you open it up. It is safer that way.

 

[Wolverine2349]

Replace it.

Actually, replace it every time you open it up. It is safer that way.

Does it matter which paste I use. Is Noctua NH-T1 good paste to use on it? What paste is already there?

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Does it matter which paste I use. Is Noctua NH-T1 good paste to use on it? What paste is already there?

I think NT-H1 is susceptible to pump-out on GPUs, I think @lexluthermiester has had good luck with Arctic MX-6.

 

[Wolverine2349]

I think NT-H1 is susceptible to pump-out on GPUs, I think @lexluthermiester has had good luck with Arctic MX-6.

What is pump-out?

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

What is pump-out?

What is Thermal Paste Pump-Out on a CPU and a GPU? — Kooling Monster

Many of us think that applying thermal paste to the CPU or GPU will always help to increase the heat transfer efficiency. That’s not always the case. We can encounter issues like thermal paste pump-out which can actually bring in a negative set of problems that you need to solve. Otherwise, you wi

koolingmonster.com

 

[lexluthermiester]

There are a few options at HF but I'm eyeing this one for my next go at this on a GPU. https://www.harborfreight.com/home/.../10-piece-high-strength-super-glue-68345.html

That's the one I've been using lately. This stuff is perfect for this application use.

What sticks out to me is that it says "Quick setting - dries in just 3 seconds" and "Thicker formula won't drip or run"

That's just marketing jargon, that pack contains the correct viscosity glue.

Another question. Do I have to remove and replace GPU thermal paste when I let PCB open air dry the super glue around the coils.

Always replace the thermal paste. Make it a part of your procedure.

I think @lexluthermiester has had good luck with Arctic MX-6.

True. For CPU's or GPU's, MX-6 has proven exceptional.

Hey Everyone, I recently built a pc with an MSI Gaming X Trio 4090. The coil whine combined with an open case has already made me annoyed. I was wondering if anyone had success reducing coil whine with this very card using super glue?

As general rule, this method of sealing choke coils works on all makes and models of cards.

BTW, welcome to TPU!

 

[Ruru]

Been lucky for the last few years. Just let's not talk about my GTX 470 which I had a decade ago

 

[lexluthermiester]

Been lucky for the last few years. Just let's not talk about my GTX 470 which I had a decade ago

I could have fixed that! Had a GTX460 that was extra noisy and quieted down nicely after being sealed.

 

[Ruru]

I could have fixed that! Had a GTX460 that was extra noisy and quieted down nicely after being sealed.

Mine was a Gbyte SOC model, otherwise a hella great card, but damn that coilwhine

 

[lexluthermiester]

Mine was a Gbyte SOC model, otherwise a hella great card, but damn that coilwhine

Oh yeah, the gigabyte cards of that gen were notorious. EVGA, Galaxy and Sparkle were very good at that time.

 

[Ruru]

Oh yeah, the gigabyte cards of that gen were notorious. EVGA, Galaxy and Sparkle were very good at that time.

Hah, the card delidded itself in summer 2012 I played Crysis, GPU ran at 105C and I just heard a POP!, the IHS popped itself

Got a Twin Turbo II, put it direct-die and after that it didn't reach even 80C..

 

[athenaesword]

That's the one I've been using lately. This stuff is perfect for this application use.

That's just marketing jargon, that pack contains the correct viscosity glue.


Always replace the thermal paste. Make it a part of your procedure.


True. For CPU's or GPU's, MX-6 has proven exceptional.


As general rule, this method of sealing choke coils works on all makes and models of cards.

BTW, welcome to TPU!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BCL2KT5Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3O523LQQ2NT7Z&psc=1

does it look like this one? that harborfreight website doesn't load for me for some reason.
no mention of viscosity on that amazon page just wondered if it was the same one that you said worked. i currently have the loctite one which another user said wasn't great for this procedure. i'm constantly being delayed by EKWB on my delid parts hence i haven't done it otherwise i would have attempted it already

 

[Wolverine2349]

That's the one I've been using lately. This stuff is perfect for this application use.

That's just marketing jargon, that pack contains the correct viscosity glue.


Always replace the thermal paste. Make it a part of your procedure.


True. For CPU's or GPU's, MX-6 has proven exceptional.


As general rule, this method of sealing choke coils works on all makes and models of cards.

BTW, welcome to TPU!

Is MX4 fine? My local Micro Center does not have MX6 nor even MX5. Just MX4. And do I need to replace the thermal pads or can I just leave the stock ones on?