Sanity check on my PSU cable mod

[TheYonderGod]

Hi, this isn't where you tell me to buy a new PSU. I know that's the proper solution, I can't afford it right now.

I got a steal of a deal on a 4070. I saw most of them have a single 8-pin, then I didn't realize when I ordered it that this one actually has one of those fancy new 16-pins and an adapter to dual 8-pins.

The problem: my psu only has one 8-pin and one 6-pin. But it's modular and both cables can plug into either one of the ports, the 6 pin is just missing the extra 2 wires. I have a few molex to 8-pin adapters laying around, I'm not going use those. What if I just took the +2 wires and a pin for the PSU side from an adapter and added them to my 6-pin cable.  I think my solution is much better than an adapter, do you agree? 

 

In my image you can see the original 8-pin on the the top and what was a 6-pin converted to an 8-pin on the bottom. (The pin isn't fully inserted yet because I still need to solder the 2 wires together and those are a pain to get back out)

 

 

[maartendc]

53 minutes ago, TheYonderGod said:

Hi, this isn't where you tell me to buy a new PSU. I know that's the proper solution, I can't afford it right now.

I got a steal of a deal on a 4070. I saw most of them have a single 8-pin, then I didn't realize when I ordered it that this one actually has one of those fancy new 16-pins and an adapter to dual 8-pins.

The problem: my psu only has one 8-pin and one 6-pin. But it's modular and both cables can plug into either one of the ports, the 6 pin is just missing the extra 2 wires. I have a few molex to 8-pin adapters laying around, I'm not going use those. What if I just took the +2 wires and a pin for the PSU side from an adapter and added them to my 6-pin cable.  I think my solution is much better than an adapter, do you agree? 

 

In my image you can see the original 8-pin on the the top and what was a 6-pin converted to an 8-pin on the bottom. (The pin isn't fully inserted yet because I still need to solder the 2 wires together and those are a pain to get back out)

 

 

Just look at if the PSU manufacturer sells the cables separately. Just buy another proper PCI-e power cable with the 8-pin output.

 

What you are doing sounds like a bad idea, but I'm no PSU expert.

[PDifolco]

1 hour ago, TheYonderGod said:

Hi, this isn't where you tell me to buy a new PSU. I know that's the proper solution, I can't afford it right now.

I got a steal of a deal on a 4070. I saw most of them have a single 8-pin, then I didn't realize when I ordered it that this one actually has one of those fancy new 16-pins and an adapter to dual 8-pins.

The problem: my psu only has one 8-pin and one 6-pin. But it's modular and both cables can plug into either one of the ports, the 6 pin is just missing the extra 2 wires. I have a few molex to 8-pin adapters laying around, I'm not going use those. What if I just took the +2 wires and a pin for the PSU side from an adapter and added them to my 6-pin cable.  I think my solution is much better than an adapter, do you agree? 

 

In my image you can see the original 8-pin on the the top and what was a 6-pin converted to an 8-pin on the bottom. (The pin isn't fully inserted yet because I still need to solder the 2 wires together and those are a pain to get back out)

 

 

I won't do that, if you win you gain some weeks respite before getting a proper PSU, if you lose you fry all of your rig or even burn the block  

What if you only use 1 of the 2 ends of the 12pin adapter with your 8pin ? You'll be limited to 225W but the card don't need more (TDP 200W), and I'm not sure the card will "detect" there's only one cable plugged to the PSU  

[jaslion]

What psu is that?

 

This reminds me of like a old zalman psu

 

Either way bad idea. Those are ground pins added which need the proper gaging which just from that picture shows a cable that'll melt the moment you use it.

[GuiltySpark_]

That looks like a 13-14y/o OCZ Mod X Stream Pro. If I'm right, OCZ is long since dead so there is no chance of getting a new cable with the proper outputs. This is just a bad idea all around but I'm sure someone with electrical engineering experience could make it work. 

 

[Spotty]

6 hours ago, TheYonderGod said:

I think my solution is much better than an adapter, do you agree?

Well, yes, actually. The +2 pin connector on the 8 pin is just for the sense wires that when closed signal the graphics card that the cable is capable of providing up to 150w. It looks like it's actually using 3x 12V wires on the 6 pin cable which is good (PCIe 6 pin cable actually only requires 2 but everyone uses 3). Assuming the 6 pin PCIe cable uses the same gauge wire as the 8 pin it should be fine. I'd say it's better than a 6pin to 8pin adapter because those add more resistance to the cable and the extra connections add additional failure points (poorly seated pin, etc).

 

But... that OCZ power supply is really old. Time to replace it. "if you can afford a $600 graphics card you can afford a new power supply"