Fan or cooler noise on a PowerSpec G436 Gaming Computer

Climbingmoon

Day 18, still no update after original service request was sent. Multiple promises of call backs, none ever completed. The phone system is not working to transfer to to a live person, it just rings and rings. I guess I have to travel to the store to escalate in person?

digital44

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/28886#Comment_28886

https://i.imgur.com/6PbiN1N.png

There's a screenshot after running cyberpunk on max for about 30 mins. Definitely is a tad bit higher than with the CM AIO, but I also removed the two fans on top. I'm probably going to add a couple fans but haven't gotten to it yet.

sc0ttyville

I too am now experiencing this issue with my G436. I would say it lasted 8 weeks before the noise started. I'm both happy and sad to have found this thread. At least I know its because of a crappy product but I'm not excited about having to fumble through a repair/exchange process or invest extra money on a unit that actually works when this is sounding like a well known issues of having a defective product sold in these PCs.

TSPhillipT

Hello @sc0ttyville

Thank you for posting on the Micro Center Community! I apologize for the issues you are having when it comes to the sound of your All in One Cooler. I recommend bringing it in to our service desk and we can definitely get this issue resolved. I apologize for the inconveniences this has caused for you and I brought this thread to our PowerSpec team so they are aware of this issue.

Hello @Climbingmoon

You will be receiving an email from me regarding your service

DMA

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/28972#Comment_28972

Yeah, spend 2 grand on a computer and then when it's only a few weeks old (2 weeks in my case) they want you to bring it back for a warranty repair but won't tell you how long it will take to fix it. That's great customer service (insert sarcasm emoticon here). Put in a crappy product and then make you wait while they replace it with the same crappy product. No thanks.

I only bought this rig because I couldn't get my hands on a 3000 series GPU. I am so disappointed in both the MOBO and the CPU cooler and there was no way I was going to drop off my new rig and wait for a replacement. I bought another cooler from Best Buy and so far so good but these CM AIO's don't have a very good reputation (regardless of what Micro Center wants you to believe, you only need to do a quick web search to find out what a poor product this is) and if I have to replace this second cooler it definitely won't be with the same POS unit.

DMA

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/28971#Comment_28971

Glad to see the Noctua is doing an adequate job. I didn't expect it would cool as well as the AIO but at least you don't have to worry about another cooler failure. EVER!

Eli_Neris

Add me to the list of a bad Cooler Master pump. I bought a PowerSpec G436 and the pump started to make loud noise. I went back to Microcenter to get it fixed they said 3 weeks (what about the guaranteed 48hours?) but since I was still under the return policy to exchange it for another PowerSpec G436. About 3.5 weeks later the new PowerSpec G436 pump started to do the same thing. I used to work IT and I know parts go bad and can be DOA but 2 PC's with the same pump issues and everyone here experiences the same thing? Seems like a bad design or very poor QC. I'm still getting told 3 weeks at least before they can get to my PC but I can schedule a same day AIO/FAN replacement?

Climbingmoon

After a 3 hour adventure at the store, I was able to get the AIO replaced. I am not too confident that this replacement will not development the same problem, but here is to hoping!

digital44

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/28977#Comment_28977

I added two fans today to the top (to replace the AIO ones). Temps seem to be on par with what the AIO was doing now.

bray7231

I wish I would have seen this thread 4 weeks ago. I have the same issue. 3 weeks after I bought the G436, the pump is making a loud clicking noise. I live 2 and a half hours from the nearest MicroCenter. If I fix this myself will it void the warranty?

rcalinjageman

Trying to resolve this issue has been a nightmare.

3 trips to Microcenter--- they finally replaced the PowerSpec outright.

Then the noise started again. 

The tech who helped replace the computer responded to texts and told me to bring it in to have the AIO replaced.  Had to wait till I spring break where I could be without the computer (need it for teaching).  Brought it in on a Thursday, was assured I could pick it up by the end of the weekend.  By Sunday, no word, no responses to texts, no nothing--went to store and had to pick it up, had never been touched.  A tech there promised to call to schedule a time to bring it in, saying that rather than replace the AIO they would mount it differently.  But they never called, and I've texted maybe 10 times but have never had anything but the automated 'we'll get back to you' response. 

I finally bought a different AIO (an Arctic Liquid Freezer II 280 from Amazon (but you should probably get a different model)).  Before installing the new AIO I detached the CoolerMaster radiator from the case and experimented with different placements to see if I could work out the air bubble and decrease noise.  I found that no matter what position, the noise always comes back--you can work out the air bubble and things go quiet, but then the slightest move and it is back.  This occurred with the radiator overhead to the left and right, vertical with hoses at top, vertical with hoses at bottom.   The unit just has too much air and it always finds a way to the pump. 

After satisfying myself that the CoolerMaster AIO really is garbage, I checked out the new one, from Arctic.  Before installing, I experimented with that as well.   If I held the radiator below the level of the CPU I was able to work a bit of air to the pump and make it noisy.  But it was hard to do, and putting the radiator in the recommended positions (above the cpu or vertical with the intake/outake just above the level of the CPU), never led to any air in the pump/noise.  It was just a night-and-day difference. 

One bummer is that the Arctic AIO I grabbed was not a great fit for the case--the radiator was much thicker than specified on amazon (a youtube video had warned the radiator is thick, but the specs on amazon showed it as the same and I foolishly thought this was a thinner revision).  It is so thick, it cannot fit overhead.  Instead, I took the system fans mounted at the front of the powerspec and mounted them as outakes on the top.  Then I mounted the new AIO on the front with the fans oriented as intakes--so fresh air comes in from the front of the case through the radiator, and out the top.  This took a lot of fiddling to properly disconnect the system fans and get the wiring nice and neat again.  Also, the mount to the front of the case is not ideal--the AIO is just a bit too wide, so I was only able to put screws into one side of the radiator--it is just fine for stationary use but if I was going to move the unit I'd need to secure it better first.  Despite all that hassle, the end result is good--- very quiet and very cool (running about 38C at startup, just can't get it over 50C no matter what I do). 

So-- that was $140 and a couple of hours spent fixing the problem myself.  Compare that to 6 trips to Microcenter, during which I received 1 apology (huzzah!)  but no actual useful help. 

My suggestion would be not to buy these until they stop using coolermaster AIOs, or but one knowing that you will very likely need to replace the cooling system yourself. 

TSTDavey

@rcalinjageman just chiming in. I see unfortunately you had to go through a lot with the Powerspec. Sorry you had to go through that along with the the inconveniences and the lack of communication from the store.

Which store was this, that you brought the powerspec in and did not get your issue resolved with?

If you are open to this, we can have a store Manager call you in regards to how your Powerspec incident was addressed. We also have a Customer Relations department here at corporate, that can take down any store concerns or complaints regarding your Powespec situation.

Let us know if you'd like to pursue any of those options.

TSTDavey

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/30469#Comment_30469

@bray7231 if you install another AIO into the Powerspec it won't void the 1 year warranty. But if the powerspec is damaged due to the non original Powerspec cooler being installed, the warranty won't cover Powerspec repairs due to the new AIO causing the damage. Also the warranty won't cover the new AIO, it only covers the original Powerspec cooler. So if you have problems with the new installed AIO, the warranty won't cover the cooler.

So in a nutshell, if a newly installed AIO cooler is installed and it doesn't damage the Powerspec, you'll still have a warranty that will cover the other components (ex., HDD, GPU, etc.), but not the new AIO cooler.

I hope all this made sense.

rcalinjageman

Thanks, admin.

It was the Chicago store. The people there tried to be helpful (they even replaced the computer outright at first--which was amazing, but also kind of futile given that the problem seems to be with the model of AIO). My impression was they had no clear direction on what to do-- the tech who actually responded to texts wanted to replace the AIO. I dropped it off and they were going to do it--but unfortunately I could only leave it there for 4 days, and nothing was done in that time. When I picked up the machine, the techs there were divided on even what to do--one said that replacing the AIO with a different model was dumb because the existing one just needed to have the radiator mounted differently. Another claimed that the powerspecs were now being assembled differently and that another replacement would do the trick. That tech promised to call to confirm that a replacement would be the solution, but then communication just stopped. It'd be great to work out a better solution--I'd be especially game for a solution that doesn't involve me having an AIO I installed which could potentially end up voiding my warranty. On the other hand, so far the warranty hasn't been good for much. :-(.

Do you have my details through the account for contact?

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/30505#Comment_30505

Thank you for the information, I'll send you an email for further assistance.

Climbingmoon

It has been a month since the AIO was replaced and so far no issues here. One of the items discussed with the tech during the repair is that there is a new version of the AIO. If they are just swapping the powerspec, I would make sure it is a V2 AIO!

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/30784#Comment_30784

I am glad to hear it is working well for you now!

Pkirk618

This CM M240 is utter garbage. Anyone I know who get one of these G series computers gets a warning from me about the cooler. It'll work fine for a couple of weeks to months and then one day, it'll start making all kinds of noises. It's not a matter "if" just "when". This happened to me twice. The first time, the computer was just a couple of weeks old and I made it a point to tell MC that I'm not hauling the damn thing in to have the cooler replaced -- not when I had troubleshooted and isolated the sound to the pump. They generously obliged and let me bring in the old cooler for a swap. A month later, same issue. I tell you, I thought about taking that pump back to MC but I just know it'll happen again. This time I RMA'd the cooler with CM and they sent me a brand new one (sent them my pos) that is still sitting in my house, in a box never to be installed. I purchased a Kraken x53 cooler during that RMA and it's way better on a variety of levels to include pump speed, RBG and thermals.

The CM cooler isn't bad at thermals, mind you. Many garbage coolers can pull off adequate cooling as long as the basics are followed.

And since we're on the subject of what can go bad, will go bad. Be watchful on the power spec PSU bronze type 750w. Mine began having some coil whine issues and I troubleshooted that problem with a few admins/mods here a while back. Like the watercooler, I isolated the problem was the PSU, reproduced it for MC outside the computer (via video) and they allowed a swap. But here's the deal, I'm a disabled veteran. No way am I going to lose my rig for a any period of time that doesn't include me getting the machine back within a couple of hours if I'm to lug that monster in to the store. No way can I physically endure the PITA of boxing this 2500 dollar rig every time something that's not the motherboard or enclosure to play this game with MC. As for the swap, that PSU is in my closet. I installed a RM 850 gold -- whatever that model number is, I forget.

That said, if you can get one of these machines with the 3080 and 5800x or better (to include high end 10/11 series intel) do it. The issues I've had aren't catastrophic and I wouldn't have lost any "work" time as I could replace these items while working out RMAs and repair on the back end. So if you're like me and can afford the workarounds, you're good. But not everyone is computer literate or have the funds to replace whatever they think is broken. Just know this going in.

TS21

Add one more to this.

G900, coolermaster pump rattling noise after 2.5 months. Ok when run at 80%, horrible rattling at 100% (which is where this pump should run as it's not PWM). Store replaced with V2 version (within 8 hours, so congratulations on that quick turnaround!) but now my bios startup temperature is 79C (!) (it was 45 with the faulty unit) and stress tests get the Cpu over 90C (was 74C before, playing Cyberpunk or doing stress tests).

It's possible the replacement unit is also faulty but in my case those very high temperatures developed immediately. I don't think the V2 version has worse thermals than the V1, nor do I think that those temps are anywhere near 'normal'.

Will update this when I get a resolution from the service department. But overall those Coolermaster AIOs seem to be quite unreliable. I might also have to bite the bullet and get an x53.