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Alienware Aurora R5 - Excessive Fan Noise/Speeds
Hi Everyone,
I split this topic out since I see many questions out there related to hearing 'fan noise' for a few seconds when launching a 3D application.
I upgraded a few parts on the system in my other thread, and after installing Battle.net and Overwatch I heard exactly what others have described. However, its clear that the fan that is spinning up to a very high RPM and causing the noise is actually the PSU fan, and not the CPU, Top, Front, or GPU fans. Another forum member discussed the many PSU models that may go into your system- Im not sure if only R5 owners with a specific PSU model are experiencing this but these are my thoughts...
Many newer PSUs can adjust fan speed down from 0 RPM to 2000+. They base their RPM on system load..when the load is low enough the PSU fan completely shuts off...the R5 does infact do this. Testing the side panel open I can see the fan spin to 0 RPM. When I launch Overwatch the fan wakes up and a few seconds later spins to its 100% maximum speed(i assume ofcourse).
Point is..there is no fan control for your PSU fan that can be done in software/Windows. Only the PSU itself can handle its RPM. Its why we dont see the PSU RPM inside Alienware CC(AWCC). Unfortunately this also means there is no fix short of a different PSU altogether.
Below is my part number for my PSU. I hope we are able to build a database to show which models exhibit this issue.
Dell D460AM-03
Ref No: DPS-460DB-15A
I assume the lower wattage PSUs are more prone to this behavior since they can reach high utilization sooner compared to their 800 watt brothers.
r3zon8
19 Posts
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August 23rd, 2016 12:00
Popped open the PSU and found the fan below:
Yate-Loon Brand Fan
Part# D90SH-12
Dimensions: 92x92x25
Voltage: 12v
RPM @12v: 2400
CFM= 43.0
DB= 36
The key information here is 36DB!!
hotarri
24 Posts
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August 23rd, 2016 13:00
Oh wow! I replaced the PSU and stock air cooler simultaneously on my machine and the thing became silent. I'd always thought it was the stock CPU cooler that was screaming.
I also had the D460-AM03 in mine.
r3zon8
19 Posts
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August 23rd, 2016 13:00
Cool. What CPU cooler did you go with? Once the upgraded CPU comes in I'll need something that can help with added clock speeds and TDP.
hotarri
24 Posts
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August 23rd, 2016 14:00
I went with the Corsair H60, dropped Prime95 CPU temps from high 70's to mid 50's on my i7-6700 (non-K). Here's a link to my post with some pictures.
en.community.dell.com/.../20931614
Cass-Ole
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August 23rd, 2016 16:00
help how-to links & opinions deleted
hotarri
24 Posts
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August 23rd, 2016 19:00
Good point about the missing MOSFET heatsink, I'm sure the lack of airflow from the stock cooler will impact the temperature of these. Hopefully Dell will allow us to order the part directly soon since finding an aftermarket heatsink that matches the hole spacing may be tough.
Maybe ordering a couple sets of these is the way to go:
r3zon8
19 Posts
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August 24th, 2016 08:00
OK- So what is the solution?
Well..I wanted to provide two options for both use cases.
Option1- You dont want to replace the PSU entirely and simply want a quiet system. Estimated Cost: $10
After some reading and searching around I came across this DIY. This was from an XPS system with a similar problem and the fix will cost you about 10$. This is perfect for anyone who simply wants the system to be quiet.
http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2044996/replacing-power-supply-fan-quieter.html
Fan Part Required:
Cougar Artic F9 Fan - 92mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing(FDB) Case Fan - 1800RPM @12v/43CFM, 0.4Sone/23db
Steps:
Crack the PSU open
Re-use the 2pin fan cable
Option2- Replace the PSU entirely (I went with a Corsair RM650i but any ATX PowerSupply will work)- Estimated Cost: $60+
Im sure there are many PSUs out there that are compatible but this is one I had lying around. Its fully modular, very quiet/efficient and has plenty of wattage to spare to drive the entire system even with OC Enabled in the BIOS.
Cass-Ole
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August 24th, 2016 18:00
help how-to links & opinions deleted
okumam
27 Posts
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August 26th, 2016 06:00
Can you explain option 1 a little more? You said "Crack the PSU open," but the sentence cut off.
How difficult is it to replace the fan in the psu? How do you even get access to it? Is it the fan at the top, or the fan on the side of the psu?
Cass-Ole
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August 26th, 2016 17:00
help how-to links & opinions deleted
okumam
27 Posts
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August 26th, 2016 18:00
Thanks for the fantastic reply. I would love to pay back by reporting the model # etc of my PSU, but I don't even know where to look. I am not versed with internals of PCs at all. I am very hesitant to replace the PSU altogether. I was hoping swapping the PSU fan may be really straightforward. But as you say, it may not prove to be a solution, as the issue may not be so much that the fan is loud, but that it goes to 100%.
In any case, if you tell me where to look, I will happily add to the knowledge here.
The problem with the R5 customization is that I've read here that some people who got the liquid cooled 850 PSU were also complaining about the noise. So I am not sure that even that upgrade would have guaranteed silence.
Still, I don't understand why that fan kicks in when the game is at a menu or not-running. It steps out of the way when serious GPU work is done and jumps in the moment there's a break in the action.
Cass-Ole
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August 26th, 2016 19:00
help how-to & opinions deleted
r3zon8
19 Posts
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August 27th, 2016 05:00
casse-ole: i would much prefer if you leave your personal opinions about Dell out of this thread. we are here to share our own individual findings in hopes that it helps others. if you want to share your opinions please do it under your own thread.
lets keep this technical guys..