Adding SSDs to system (a newb's question on SATA power)

[boomshiva]

Hey, everyone.

 

I want to add 3 SSDs I was given for free to my system, and while I have enough SATA ports, I don't have enough SATA power connections. 

 

If I were to get a splitter adapter to have enough SATA power connections, how do I know if I'm running the risk of having too many SSDs for my PSU to handle or for that one cable to handle? My motherboard has 4 SATA ports (not including SATA 0), so I would hope that the PSU is expansion-proofed, but that's just a newb's assumption. PSU is a 460W unit.

Thanks much, and I look forward to learning from this community,

[Moonzy]

SSD power consumption is low, i wouldnt worry too much about it

you can get a sata power splitter

[mahyar]

psu can handle it can you give us the drives model?

[boomshiva]

1 minute ago, mahyar said:

psu can handle it can you give us the drives model?

ADATA SU800 1TB (three drives in total).

[boomshiva]

2 minutes ago, Moonzy said:

SSD power consumption is low, i wouldnt worry too much about it

you can get a sata power splitter

Thanks, I already purchased a SATA power splitter. 

[mahyar]

they use little power you are good!

[mariushm]

A SSD uses around 1 watt when reading files from it, and maybe goes to 3-5 watts only when writing to it. SSDs use only the 5v on your power supply, so that's a maximum of 1A of current on your 5v power supply output.

Your power supply will have 15-20A of current on the 5v output - around 2-3A of those will be used by motherboard and usb peripherals and mechanical drives, so you have plenty of room for ssd drives.

 

Each connector is good for 4.5A ... that's around 5 times as much as a SSD could possibly consume, you'll be fine.

[boomshiva]

5 minutes ago, mariushm said:

A SSD uses around 1 watt when reading files from it, and maybe goes to 3-5 watts only when writing to it. SSDs use only the 5v on your power supply, so that's a maximum of 1A of current on your 5v power supply output.

Your power supply will have 15-20A of current on the 5v output - around 2-3A of those will be used by motherboard and usb peripherals and mechanical drives, so you have plenty of room for ssd drives.

 

Each connector is good for 4.5A ... that's around 5 times as much as a SSD could possibly consume, you'll be fine.

That's exactly the type of answer I was looking for. Thank you!!!