Please educate me, what did i do wrong.

[Cheex18]

Hi Guys/Gals,

I was trying to build an entry level gaming computer with some parts i had around the house. I'm basically taking a Dell vostro 260 and putting it in a new case with upgraded parts, and yes i know this is not the best idea lol. I ended up frying my PSU and possible damaging the mobo/CPU as it's acting funny now, not seeing drives and USB ports fail

Can you help me figure out what i did wrong. Here is the parts list and process i took. 

 

CPU = Core i3 2120

Mobo = Dell Vostro 260 Motherboard This board

RAM = 4GB DDR3

Drive = Seagate barracuda 3TB

PSU = EVGA 650 GQ 210-GQ-0650-V1 80+ GOLD 650W   This PSU

GPU = GTX 570

 

All the parts work individually as i've had them in other builds, i would like to buy a new PSU and try again but i need to know what happened first.

 

Here are my thoughts, after reading some stuff online i found out the GPU requires 38A on the +12v rail also uses 2x6 pin connectors and the PSU only had one so i used THIS to get the other 6 pin. 

 

1) Did I use the wrong PSU?

2) Should I not have used the adapter?

 

Lay it on me people.... how stupid was i?

 

 

[A Silver]

I may be wrong but I am pretty sure Molex to 6pin is better for powering a GPU where as SATA power to 6 pin probably isn't good enough but I am not too sure this is more of a guess

[germgoatz]

The Dell mobo probably wasn't built for lots of watt input, probably originally used with a 250-300 watt PSU. It might've taken in too much power it couldn't handle and blew a transistor or something like that.

[cpuwaiy]

Was the dell motherboard a custom board?  Did the motherboard standoffs in the new case line up with the holes in the motherboard?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, germgoatz said:

The Dell mobo probably wasn't built for lots of watt input, probably originally used with a 250-300 watt PSU. It might've taken in too much power it couldn't handle and blew a transistor or something like that.

That's not how power works. 

[partymarty]

Just now, germgoatz said:

The Dell mobo probably wasn't built for lots of watt input, probably originally used with a 250-300 watt PSU. It might've taken in too much power it couldn't handle and blew a transistor or something like that.

This looks a bit unlikely to me. As far as I know the wattage of the PSU shouldn't matter for the motherboard.

[Oshino Shinobu]

The only thing that stands out is the SATA to PCIe adaptor. SATA really isn't designed to output that much power. 

 

1 minute ago, germgoatz said:

The Dell mobo probably wasn't built for lots of watt input, probably originally used with a 250-300 watt PSU. It might've taken in too much power it couldn't handle and blew a transistor or something like that.

Using a higher wattage PSU doesn't increase the amount of power given to the board. The board would pull the same power from a 250W PSU as it would from a 650W PSU. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, cpuwaiy said:

Was the dell motherboard a custom board?  Did the motherboard standoffs in the new case line up with the holes in the motherboard?

This is usually the issue.  Non standard stand offs.  Non standard PSUs too, though this one seems to be ATX.  All and all, it's generally not a good idea to reuse Dell, HP, Compaq, etc parts. 

[NelizMastr]

Likely fried because of the crummy adapter. By the way, if a 650W PSU doesn't even have two PCIe cables/connectors, it's usually a sign it's not up to the job. 

[germgoatz]

2 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

The only thing that stands out is the SATA to PCIe adaptor. SATA really isn't designed to output that much power. 

 

Using a higher wattage PSU doesn't increase the amount of power given to the board. The board would pull the same power from a 250W PSU as it would from a 650W PSU. 

I know this is true, but I have had experiences with very high wattage PSUs and prebuilt PC parts being destroyed b/c of it. Just wanted to put the idea out there.

[Oshino Shinobu]

2 minutes ago, NelizMastr said:

Likely fried because of the crummy adapter. By the way, if a 650W PSU doesn't even have two PCIe cables/connectors, it's usually a sign it's not up to the job. 

To be fair, the GQ comes with 4x 8 pin (6+2) PCIe cables. It's not a great PSU, but it's not terrible either. 

[Cheex18]

thanks for the fast replied guys, 

 

1) as pointed out the mobo will draw the power required

2) standoffs, yes they lined up i believe its ATX/exATX or some standard size as all the holes lined up and nothing was shorted. I had this running for a while with another PSU

3) STUPID me, i had a molex to 6 pin also... crap... anyone else this this is the cause?

 

[NelizMastr]

1 minute ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

To be fair, the GQ comes with 4x 8 pin (6+2) PCIe cables. It's not a great PSU, but it's not terrible either. 

In that case, why the flying fornication was the adapter used at all, one might think

[Cheex18]

2 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

To be fair, the GQ comes with 4x 8 pin (6+2) PCIe cables. It's not a great PSU, but it's not terrible either. 

i know, it's a PSU i had sitting around and a stack of modular cables for it, and couldn't find another 6 pin cable so i used used adapter (stupid me)

[BluJay614]

41 minutes ago, jonnyGURU said:

it's generally not a good idea to reuse Dell, HP, Compaq, etc parts. 

That depends on the part. CPU coolers, CPUs, drives, perifrials, and RAM are typically OK to reuse so long as you can verify that they still work.

[Cheex18]

So we all agree? it was the SATA to 6-PIN adapter that caused the issue most likely?

I ask because i'll be getting another PSU and taking another kick at it tonight. Any suggestions i'd love to hear them, and yes i'll need another mobo so it wont be Dell/HP.

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, BluJay614 said:

That depends on the part. CPU coolers, CPUs, drives, perifrials, and RAM are typically OK to reuse so long as you can verify that they still work.

I meant the more specific parts like mobos, PSUs and chassis. 

[AngryBeaver]

Why do you assume it is the PSU that is fried? Have you confirmed it was the PSU that died initially and not a motherboard issue shorting things out? You are having motherboard issues now it looks like, which is why I ask. I have seen similar issues where people plug a motherboard 4 pin into a pci-e or a pci-e into the 4 pin (not saying that is the case here). I just don't see a Sata to pci-e adapter killing a psu. If anything it would have just under-powered your card creating stability issues, but unless the connector was shorted... then you should have no had an issue.

 

If the PSU is truly dead you will just need to pick another one up and go from there. Just make sure this one has 2 pci-e cables. Also you probably could still RMA that other PSU. Some manufacturers offer 10 yr warranties on them and I think most go up to 5.

 

*edit* also if you are picking up a new motherboard then I would consider beefing up that cpu or even going with maybe a 4th gen setup (so you can keep the ddr 3 ram). You can get a 2500k-2700k pretty cheap these days and that will give you a solid 4.5ghz overclock as long as you get a h212 or better cooler. Just something to consider.

[Cheex18]

Thanks for the tips Angry yeah i was thinking the same about the CPU upgrade. and to be honest i have not fully tested the PSU as well as i could, i smelt that familiar burning smell but wasn't able to isolate it, it could have been a cap on the motherboard and not inside the PSU, i'll have to investigate more tonight. 

[Cheex18]

Ok guys new PSU and I’ll be taking a second crack at it finally. Before I do I wanted one last round of opinions as to what caused this before I hookup and possible fry another PSU.