20 pins?? 24??!?!

[billiam]

Just finished my comp. today and ofcourse its not posting, but thats not the point. I've got a chaintech vnf4 which has a 24 pin slot for my power, but my power supply only has a 20 pin? Could this be an issue?

 

[Ice Czar]

yes

the mobo manufacturer assumed youd power all the pins

in addition a 24 pin supply will typically have a different ratio of amps for the assorted rails (+3.3V, +5V. +12V) making up the total wattage

if your using a ATX12V v1.2, v1.3, v1.3 hybrid or what the board actually expects a v2.01 can make a huge difference

an ATX12V v1.3 hybrid with more amps on the +12V rail or a v2.01 are what you need
for the correct amp ratio in a wattage class
what total wattage capacity you need is yet another matter


why dont you post the total config including everything that is using power
(including size of fans ect)

this of course doesnt preclude other reasons that it might not be posting
some boards will post with only a 20 pin, but running them that way isnt a good idea at all

 

[Nizari]

If there is no 24->20 adapter, then plugging the 24 PSU to the 20 pin MB should result in 4 pins (2 columns) hanging off. I had this same problem with a HEC i picked up to use in a second system, and when i shifted the power connector so that the opposite side from what was currently plugged, was plugged into the 20 pin interfact, it boot fine, and has worked without any problems for the 2 weeks since. Granted I am rather ignorant to if there is any loss from not having these plugged up, it worked. (of course it did help that the 4 that needed to be unplugged were detachable).

 

[Ice Czar]

If there is no 24->20 adapter,.

other way round in this case

old 20 pin PSU new 24 pin mobo
and the issue can be far deeper then just the number of pins
so even with a 20 pin to 24 pin adapter, you can still be in trouble

 

[Nizari]

this is what i get for browsing at work....

 

[FlatLine84]

SLI boards use the 24pin connector.

 

[Ice Czar]

this is what i get for browsing at work....

who knows, with that title someone may one day actually employ the search feature
and theyll have your excellent if currently inapplicable answer

I run a 2U EPS12V 24 pin PSU on an old Celeron 20 pin mobo myself
without an adapter

 

[Nizari]

Running the HEC 550 on my main rig until the Blue Storm gets to me. (Go figure, I used to have two PowMax PSUs until 1 literally caught fire after 2 weeks, the other dying last week, and I decided to get more edjumacated). Too bad the HEC sold out so fast, as it is quite stable and will be moved into the other system for me, and would probably make a decent solution for the OP. As for the original problem, I think the only real solution is upgrading the PSU, but then I am not a PSU Savant, but i did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

 

[Ice Czar]

LOL

 

[jonnyGURU]

SLI boards use the 24pin connector.

More than just SLI boards use 24-pin connectors.

OP: If you use the 20-pin connector on a 24-pin mobo, make sure there's no additional power connector on the board somewhere. A lot of mobo manufacturers allow drive Molexes to be used for additional power.

 

[LoneWolf]

DFI certainly does...I don't know about ASUS.

My MSI doesn't have an aux Molex connector, but I've been okay, partly because my ATX 1.3 Enermax is a newer model (dual 12v rails, 16A/15A), I'm using the aux 4-pin P4 connector as well, and I'm not really stressing the PSU hard either. I have a 20-24pin adapter, but I'm not using it. It was too unwieldy, and hasn't proved to be necessary.

EDIT: By the way, I'm curious...will an EPS power supply work in an ATX 2.x system? I was just given this rather nice 4U Antec rackmount case with one of their 550w TruPower EPS models in it...

 

[shadowbreaker513]

Well technically the extra 4 pins are only needed if you are using a pci-e video card. But it is best to have a 24pin regardless

 

[jonnyGURU]

So it comes down to this: Post your specs so we can help you troubleshoot.

By the way, I'm curious...will an EPS power supply work in an ATX 2.x system? I was just given this rather nice 4U Antec rackmount case with one of their 550w TruPower EPS models in it...

If it's the same Antec 4U w/ 550W True's that I've used (big black thing with two big steel handles and a big hinged steel door that covers the front) then the PSU will work on an ATX 2.x board.

Look at the 24-pin connector. If it's got two orange wires on one end (pin 1 and 13) and an orange and black on the other (pin 12 and 24,) then yes. If it's got a pair of red's on one end and a pair of yellows on the other, then no (I believe those PSU's shipped with both EPS and ATX GES connectors.)

 

[jonnyGURU]

Well technically the extra 4 pins are only needed if you are using a pci-e video card. But it is best to have a 24pin regardless

Here's a riddle for you....

Your four extra pins are Ground, 12V, 3.3V... and.... 5V.

PCI Express slots don't use 5V at all. If the extra 4 pins were only needed if you are using PCI-E video cards, why offer more 5V through the connector and not another ground, 12V or 3.3V?

24-pins aren't only needed for PCI Express video cards. The extra leads allow for more juice to be delivered to many aspects of the board including, believe it or not, RAM, PCI... even AGP where applicable. Just depends on the architecture of the motherboard.

 

[Ice Czar]

EDIT: By the way, I'm curious...will an EPS power supply work in an ATX 2.x system? I was just given this rather nice 4U Antec rackmount case with one of their 550w TruPower EPS models in it...

yup, just hook the 8 pin to the 4 pin on the board if there is clearenec, otherwise an adapter
all EPS12V arent actually compliant, simply compatible

for instance my PCP&C is actually an ATX12V v1.3 hybrid with EPS12V wiring harness
a "true" modern EPS12V compliant supply will have at least 3 +12V rails, and possibly 4

your mobo will be able to potentially employ all the power you can manage to hook up
(meaning there will be two +12V wires that arent (and 2 grounds), but they are on the same +12V rail with the other 2 anyway)
actually using those isolated amps to the fullest however is another matter entirely, youd likely need a dual CPU to even come close

EPS12V 6.1.1 12V Power Rail Configuration

There are two types of 12V rail configurations for systems: 'Common plane' and "Split plane' processor power delivery. The 'common plane' system has both processors powered from a single 12V rail (+12V1) from the power supply. The 'split plane' system has both processors powered by seperate 12V rails (+12V1 and +12V2) one dedicated to each processor. The system in both cases, has an additional 12V rail to power the rest of the baseboard +12V loads and dc/dc converters. +12V1, +12V2 and +12V3 should not be connected together on the baseboard to ensure that 240VA protection circuits in the power supply operate properly
Table 6: 12V Rail Summary
........................................................................................................................................................................................
Common Plane System........................................................Split Plane System
+12V1........Processors.........................................................+12V1........Processor 1
+12V2........Baseboard components other than processors.......+12V2........Processor 2
+12V3........Drives and peripherals..........................................+12V3........Baseboards components other than processors
...........................................................................................+12V4........Drives and peripherals

If its an older EPS12V it likely has a single +12V rail anyway which is more flexible
but like ATX they date back to the days when +5V was used to power the CPU, so you need to determine it has enough amps where you need them, considering its an Antec True Power 550, it sort of depends on which one, I think there was a changeup, so you have them in basically ATX12V v1.3 and ATX12V v1.3 hybrids with more capacity on the +12V and just an EPS12V harness

 

[LoneWolf]

Single 12v rail, 36 amps. New enough to have a two SATA connectors. Figured I'd link rather than post images so as not to kill anyone with a lowly 56k here:

PSU sticker

PSU Connector

Case view (front)

Case view (side)

If any of you are near Michigan (or even if not, if you read business news) you might have heard of the Cybernet Corporation, which some of us here might call the Enron of Grand Rapids, MI. In their final year, they got a loan for $30,000 for servers. Instead of buying servers, they bought cases, then used a paperclip to wire the PSU to on, and breadboarded a Radio Shack project that would keep the lights blinking in the case, to make future investors think they had a really huge server farm. Eventually their lender got suspicious, and it brought the house of cards down on them (their CEO committed suicide soon after). This is one of the server cases they bought, I was given it by a friend who bought a server rack at their bankruptcy auction that housed a bunch of them.

I'll probably keep the PSU and case together when I think of it, my Enermax is doing the job well in my system, and it probably makes more sense. Too bad I don't have the cash for an Intel STL2 mainboard and some CPU's to match, or I'd build a server out of it.

 

[Ice Czar]

LOL
" this is the quietest server farm Ive ever seen how do you do it?"

simply an ATX12V v1.3 hybrid w\ EPS12V harness, but plenty of juice where youd need it for a modern config

Id think most anything would or could fit that case I run 2 4U and 2 2U rackmounts
with everything from the Tyan K8W EATX to an old shuttle microATX celeron
that a full 26" deep?

 

[jonnyGURU]

Yeah. Those Antec 4U's are nothing more than mid towers turned on their side with handles. Standard ATX power supply. Standard motherboard. You can even use Promise RAID5 cards w/o clearance issues.

 

[LoneWolf]

LOL
" this is the quietest server farm Ive ever seen how do you do it?"

simply an ATX12V v1.3 hybrid w\ EPS12V harness, but plenty of juice where youd need it for a modern config

Id think most anything would or could fit that case I run 2 4U and 2 2U rackmounts
with everything from the Tyan K8W EATX to an old shuttle microATX celeron
that a full 26" deep?

Well, it does still have its fans (2x80mm, 1x120mm) but yeah, a good server's drives make a lot of noise (chuckle). The company was a global company, so it made big news around here, especially what with the CEO's exotic car collection, expensive house, and offices anyone could be jealous of. The auction was online and lasted two days, a ton of computer equipment, really nice office stuff (several hundred Aeron chairs), even a couple of BMW's. A lot of stuff went for far more than it was worth to people who probably knew little to nothing about what they were buying. My friend (actually my boss) was smarter about his bidding than that, and came off with a few good deals.

Just about anything would fit this case, but I'd want to build something worthy of it. An Intel STL2 or an ASUS CUR-DLS would probably be my board of choice for a budget server, with Coppermine or Tualatin P3's.

 

[billiam]

well its seems to be working and yes i am using a pci-e card and the comps been on for a few hours, regardless should I still get a 24 pin psu?

 

[Ice Czar]

well its seems to be working and yes i am using a pci-e card and the comps been on for a few hours, regardless should I still get a 24 pin psu?

at the very least you should get an adapter to power the extra 4 pins
and closely examine your power requirements the supply might be up to your typical draw at your normal room ambient temperature

thats not the same as your worse case draw under elevated room temperature

if you post the full config and the PSU model I'll help you with that and give you an opinion

 

[jonnyGURU]

well its seems to be working and yes i am using a pci-e card and the comps been on for a few hours, regardless should I still get a 24 pin psu?

I like how the thread starts. PC doesn't post. A bunch of us talk while the OP doesn't come back all day to give us specs or some troubleshooting steps taken. And then the next day the OP comes in with "OK. It's working." without saying what they found the problem was.

Just jerking your chain billiam.

 

[billiam]

thanks for hurting my feelings, and my comp has lost its mind!!!

 

[Ice Czar]

my comp has lost its mind!!!

avoid elctroshock therapy