Aquaman6410 Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Hey all, any fellow Biocube 32 owners out there with the Nanobox retro kit? I'm having issues with the fan being really loud and making this high pitched noise. I worked with Dave and got a replacement fan but no luck. I love the lights but my wife is not loving them due to the noise she can hear from the couch while watching tv. The noise makes the biocube louder than my drilled 125g that is closer to the couch. Anyone have a similar issue and have any ideas on a fix? Possibly different model fan or biocube mod that helped? Help me enjoy the lights and my reef... And keep my wife from hating the tank! Quote Link to comment
OPtasia Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I know with PC fans, trapped gunk in the fan itself (dust, etc.) can make it very noisy. Verify the fan is completely free of dust and debris as it tends to accumulate with time. This includes salt creep from evaporation. You can also attempt to lubricate the fan with a few drops of lightweight 3 in 1 oil along the shaft that spins the fan blade. Don't use WD-40, as it's a cleaner and de-greaser, unless you suspect water droplets and salt creep as the noise issue. Then, use the cleaner to get rid of the buildup and oil to lubricate. If it looks clean, i'd just try the oil drops. $3 fix. Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 The only issue with that is that the replacement fan from Dave is brand new and it is perfectly clean. The old fan had the same noise from day 1. No matter which fan I used (same model from Dave), its the same exact sound. I almost wonder if the fan speed was able to be lowered, would it eliminate the issue. Unfortunately, the retro uses it at 100% 24/7 so that could also be the issue. Quote Link to comment
OPtasia Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I'd still see about lubricating it. Most mini fans are a sleeve bearing assembly. I've rarely seen some ball bearing assemblies but i've been able to quiet more than one noisy PC over the years with 3 in 1 oil. Dave would probably be able to help you with advice in that department but it's worth a shot depending on what he says. Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 20 hours ago, Aquaman6410 said: The only issue with that is that the replacement fan from Dave is brand new and it is perfectly clean. The old fan had the same noise from day 1. No matter which fan I used (same model from Dave), its the same exact sound. I almost wonder if the fan speed was able to be lowered, would it eliminate the issue. Unfortunately, the retro uses it at 100% 24/7 so that could also be the issue. We have been corresponding over email. Try lowering the light .25" to see if the retro it mounted to close to the top of the hood. Make sure the heatsink is secure to hood There are a ton of these RETROs out in the wild. It has to be something simple like above! Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Trying the lowering idea out. Going to run to hardware store and get the spacers to do it. I agree, it has to be something simple somewhere. I appreciate all the help and will update along the way to help any others with the new biocubes who may experience something similar. Quote Link to comment
FISHnChix Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 2 hours ago, Aquaman6410 said: Trying the lowering idea out. Going to run to hardware store and get the spacers to do it. I agree, it has to be something simple somewhere. I appreciate all the help and will update along the way to help any others with the new biocubes who may experience something similar. Did not have this problem on my 32.. before I thought it was a mounting problem I would just un-bolt the fan and hold it in your hand and see if it still makes the noise.. should take a second to try Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Yeah, the fan outside of the enclosure seems to not have the noise issue so its not the fan. I just tried lowering it with 1/4" spacers and the noise seems to be louder when the lights are closer to the splash guard. Something with this biocube hood is causing this but I'm stumped. Something is amplifing the sound. The only other last resort I have is a fan with a slightly lower speed and lower dBA rating so that way it will be a quieter fan and if it is amplified in the hood, it should be lessened. Other than that, I'm really stumped. Just a couple things to clarify. On your 32, what is the space between the leds and the splash guard? I want to see if mine is just off or different from others. @Weikel Also, just to make sure. I haven't changed the direction of the fan but the label side of the fan should be against the heat sink, correct? Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 38 minutes ago, Aquaman6410 said: Yeah, the fan outside of the enclosure seems to not have the noise issue so its not the fan. I just tried lowering it with 1/4" spacers and the noise seems to be louder when the lights are closer to the splash guard. Something with this biocube hood is causing this but I'm stumped. Something is amplifing the sound. The only other last resort I have is a fan with a slightly lower speed and lower dBA rating so that way it will be a quieter fan and if it is amplified in the hood, it should be lessened. Other than that, I'm really stumped. Just a couple things to clarify. On your 32, what is the space between the leds and the splash guard? I want to see if mine is just off or different from others. @Weikel Also, just to make sure. I haven't changed the direction of the fan but the label side of the fan should be against the heat sink, correct? Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Just to clarify, is there ANYTHING left over in the hood? Quote Link to comment
FISHnChix Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 41 minutes ago, Aquaman6410 said: Yeah, the fan outside of the enclosure seems to not have the noise issue so its not the fan. I just tried lowering it with 1/4" spacers and the noise seems to be louder when the lights are closer to the splash guard. Something with this biocube hood is causing this but I'm stumped. Something is amplifing the sound. The only other last resort I have is a fan with a slightly lower speed and lower dBA rating so that way it will be a quieter fan and if it is amplified in the hood, it should be lessened. Other than that, I'm really stumped. Just a couple things to clarify. On your 32, what is the space between the leds and the splash guard? I want to see if mine is just off or different from others. @Weikel Also, just to make sure. I haven't changed the direction of the fan but the label side of the fan should be against the heat sink, correct? Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. Sorry bud I will have to check it out later tonight when I get home. It's been a bit since I did the install and I don't remember. There is a video made by Dave that shows how to install it though. If I remember right he tells you how much to cut off the stand offs and that's what I did.. Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Nothing left over in the hood, everything tightened down and not moving at all. Cut the stand offs according to the install video on initial installation. Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Nothing left over in the hood, everything tightened down and not moving at all. Cut the stand offs according to the install video on initial installation. I can post a video from my couch several feet away if you want to hear the noise to get an idea. @DaveFasonSince there is something with my hood amplifying the sound, do you think this fan would be adequate enough to work? https://noctua.at/en/nf-a4x10-flx/specification Its a 10 dBA quieter fan and I'm hoping that the lower noise may help reduce the amount of sound being amplified. Let me know if that would work. Sorry to be a pain, I'm just really trying to get this to be quiet so we stop hearing it over the tv. Thanks for all the help guys. I love the LEDs. I just need the biocube hood to play nice it seems. Quote Link to comment
FISHnChix Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 6 hours ago, Aquaman6410 said: Yeah, the fan outside of the enclosure seems to not have the noise issue so its not the fan. I just tried lowering it with 1/4" spacers and the noise seems to be louder when the lights are closer to the splash guard. Something with this biocube hood is causing this but I'm stumped. Something is amplifing the sound. The only other last resort I have is a fan with a slightly lower speed and lower dBA rating so that way it will be a quieter fan and if it is amplified in the hood, it should be lessened. Other than that, I'm really stumped. Just a couple things to clarify. On your 32, what is the space between the leds and the splash guard? I want to see if mine is just off or different from others. @Weikel Also, just to make sure. I haven't changed the direction of the fan but the label side of the fan should be against the heat sink, correct? Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. So the heat sink is pretty damn close I'd say 3/8 of an inch or maybe a smidge less Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 Yeah, mine is just about there. Any closer and it will touch the splash guard. I'm thinking of trying the quieter rated fan above if Dave thinks it would be adequate enough. Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 9 hours ago, Aquaman6410 said: Yeah, mine is just about there. Any closer and it will touch the splash guard. I'm thinking of trying the quieter rated fan above if Dave thinks it would be adequate enough. That will work just fine. Quote Link to comment
This guy is extra salty Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Look into a “silentx fan” that is what I replaced instead of having the stock fan Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 I'm going to try the fan swap now as the last resort to see if this works. It should be around a 10 dBA decrease so I'm hoping that eliminates the high pitched noise. I will update once this is done. Quote Link to comment
jldesign Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 i had endless fan issues with the retro unit for my biocube 14. i think i went through at least 3 fans from dave and a new heatsink. the grinding noise was so loud you could not watch TV. when the tank heated up it got worse then lights out it would get softer. nothing rattled, nothing was pinched, i tried spacers, foam bits, rotating it, everything. finally cut the wire to fan from the retro - cut hole in hood and added a larger external fan attached to hood blowing in on the heatsink. works great and cool ever since. bottom line i never could find out why it always made noise - it just did. FYI Quote Link to comment
Aquaman6410 Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 I'm glad I'm not the only one with a mysterious noise lol. Well, I changed the fan to the noctua one I mentioned above and it is extremely quiet. No high pitched noise. I can watch tv again! Wife will be happy!! Now I can enjoy the lights and my tank! @DaveFason Thank you again Dave for your patience. I'm not sure what the source of the issue was but quieter fan made a difference. I do apologize we couldn't get to the route of the issue. I know its probably frustrating for you too. The lights are amazing and I'm glad you keep helping out. I'm really sorry again for any annoyance this issue caused! But sincerely, thank you for your support. I assume the new fan should still be enough cooling for the LEDs? I know there is also the aluminum heatsink which helps the LEDs. I just want to make sure these lights last a long time because they are perfect for the tank! Quote Link to comment
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