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Old November 2nd, 2009, 08:58 PM   Digg it!   #1 (permalink)
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Power Connectors

Hello,

I recently purchased an x1950 AGP GPU. The only problem is, all my 4-pin molex connectors are being used on HDDs and optical drives.

However, my PSU is a fairly recent one and has unused SATA, PCI-E VGA (P3 and P4) and +12V (P2) connectors.

Is there a connector/adapter that I can buy that will convert these unused connectors into 4-pin molex?

I need 2 x 4-pin molex connectors for the GPU, and I'm thinking I need female molex connectors (as the GPU's connectors has pins on), and I think the connectors on my PSU are female, as they have no pins, so whatever I should connect the GPU to (please let me know), I'm guessing it has to be 4-pin female molex to 4 or 6-pin male PCI-E, or female SATA?

I dunno, and I've spent a while on google looking and I'm just left a bit confused really!

Please help
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Old November 2nd, 2009, 09:04 PM     #2 (permalink)
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Newegg.com - KINGWIN 8" SATA Power Adapter Cable Model SAC-05 - Cables

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Old November 3rd, 2009, 09:17 AM     #3 (permalink)
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Thanks!

However, I'm from the UK, so I'll have to look elsewhere for these adapters.

Can I use just one adapter, plug the SATA PSU cable into the adapter and plug both molex's of the adapter into the GPU, or do I need to use one SATA cable for each molex port on the GPU (and therefore, buy two of these adapters)? i.e. do the two molex's on the GPU need to be fed into two separate 'parts' of the PSU?

I don't understand much about PSUs (obviously).... should I be running the GPU off of SATA power cables or should I be using the PCI-E ones (I ask because the PCI-E ones are 'VGA', so I suppose are meant to be used for GPUs?)
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Old November 3rd, 2009, 11:36 AM     #4 (permalink)
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The number of adapters depends on 2 things, first dose the PS have more than 1 12v rail?
Second, if it has more than 1 12v rail, is 1 rail big enough to run your video card by
itself.

As far as what connector the card uses, they are different plugs, and you should use what ever one it requires. If they make an adapter to get the power from it should work
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Old November 3rd, 2009, 04:19 PM     #5 (permalink)
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Erh, I'm not sure if it has more than one 12V rail? It's a Zalman ZM460B-APS ATX12V Ver 2.2. I'm not even sure if it's powerful enough to run the GPU, although it seems to be okay.

On the box of my PSU it says:

ATX "20+4" -Pin Main Connector
ATX12V CPU (4-Pin) Connectors
EPS12V CPU (8-Pin) Connectors
Dual PICE Express VGA Power Connectors (6-Pin)
NMB-MAT 120mm Fan
Dual +12VDC Output
EZ Grip Connectors for ODD & HDD

My card has 2 molex connectors, so I assume I have to plug the PSU into both, rather than just one to make it work sufficiently well and give it enough power?

Let me know what I should do & how many SATA/molex adapters I should buy?

Thanks for your help thus far though
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Old November 3rd, 2009, 06:31 PM     #6 (permalink)
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It has 2 rails, and just randomly choosing 2 plugs could get the same rail twice.
Connecting 2 plugs to one rail will not increase your power to the video card.
You have 1 rail @16 amps and the other @18amps, combined they put out 34amps


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Old November 3rd, 2009, 07:28 PM     #7 (permalink)
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So, I need to buy two separate SATA-to-molex adapters, but do the SATA drives run off the same rail? If so, I'll need to use one adapter for use with a SATA plug, and then use one from elsewhere?

I'm confused as to which power cables are on which rails?
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Old November 3rd, 2009, 08:05 PM     #8 (permalink)
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All the multi-rail PSs I have seen tell you what rail powers each plug, somewhere.

Edit; Why can't you use the PCI-Express power connector?

Last edited by stroyal : November 3rd, 2009 at 08:14 PM.
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Old November 3rd, 2009, 08:32 PM     #9 (permalink)
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Okay, I'll try and find it... I could use the PCI-E power connectors, but I'd still need a PCI-E (male, I think), to female molex adaptor... my graphics card is AGP, not PCI-E.
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