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best adapter for PCI-E 6 pin?

M

mnewxcv

[H]F Junkie
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I need to power 5 pci-e risers, plus the graphics cards in each riser. At a minimum, I will need 10 6-pin connectors. The psu I am using has 6 6+2 connectors (950w corsair) so I will need to utilize sata or molex adapters. Which of these options provides the most headroom? I found a lot of mixed info regarding watt/amp spec for each connector from google.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matter...n&refinements=p_72:1248879011,p_85:2470955011

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matter...n&refinements=p_72:1248879011,p_85:2470955011

the molex version has an extra ground which is nice, but which adapter is technically rated to deliver more power? Are both suitable to deliver 75 watts?
 
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drescherjm said:
They both have the same wire gauge which appears to be AWG 18.
Click to expand...

would the power supply wiring be the same on both as well? I cant find specs for the connector power draw rating. I read one that said 36w for molex, but not sure if that includes the 5v load. Also read that the sata connector 12v is only good for 18w (at least rating wise).
 
I would use a PCI-E splitter rather than a molex adapter. PCI-E has more wires to work with than molex.
 
Get a bigger power supply, adapters only lead to trouble. I've seen it happen and its happened to me - mine was just on an EPS plug on the mobo but it still killed a £200 mobo.

What cards are you mining on? Anything with a tdp of 130w or more and you are pushing the limits of what is sensible to run on a 950w supply that is several years old. When the PSU goes pop it could take out a card or 2 and that's a lot of profit up in smoke
 
Nathan_P said:
Get a bigger power supply, adapters only lead to trouble. I've seen it happen and its happened to me - mine was just on an EPS plug on the mobo but it still killed a £200 mobo.

What cards are you mining on? Anything with a tdp of 130w or more and you are pushing the limits of what is sensible to run on a 950w supply that is several years old. When the PSU goes pop it could take out a card or 2 and that's a lot of profit up in smoke
Click to expand...

rx480s, rx 470s, r9 390s. I know I cant run 5 390s off 950w. But is there any single power supply, even 1500w, that has connectors for 5 gpus + 5 risers? I'd need adapters either way. Even if I am doing just 470s, I would need 1 connector per card plus one per riser = 10.
 
mnewxcv said:
I need to power 5 pci-e risers, plus the graphics cards in each riser. At a minimum, I will need 10 6-pin connectors. The psu I am using has 6 6+2 connectors (950w corsair) so I will need to utilize sata or molex adapters. Which of these options provides the most headroom? I found a lot of mixed info regarding watt/amp spec for each connector from google.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-2-Pack-2xSATA-Power/dp/B01DV1Z5S6/ref=sr_1_24?s=electronics&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1499521469&sr=1-24&keywords=pcie+power+6+pin&refinements=p_72:1248879011,p_85:2470955011

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-2-Pack-Molex-Power/dp/B01DV1Z22K/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1499521469&sr=1-9&keywords=pcie+power+6+pin&refinements=p_72:1248879011,p_85:2470955011

the molex version has an extra ground which is nice, but which adapter is technically rated to deliver more power? Are both suitable to deliver 75 watts?
Click to expand...

keep in mind both types *should/will suggest/recommend* you use two separate perf. "strings/cables" ie. for every 1 of those you best having 2 connections to the PSU. or what you're doing is drawing all of the 3 pin 12v (thats in a 6 pin pci-e power) from ONE 12v line from the PSU. and speaking of the connections to the PSU; if those six 6+2 cables are daisy chained, 2 on each cable . . . you might be better off getting another PSU; not for power but for connections!

but getting back to sata/molex difference; molex has one 12v line and sata has 3; the terminal for the molex connection is rated 7amps (low quality) -11 amps (better quality) per pin (84-132 watts for 1 pin) whereas sata is 1.5 amps for 54 watts total ( 12v*1.5a*3pins).

that 7/11 amp rating for molex goes the same for 8 pin to 2x6 pin PCI-E adapters. but as i mentioned before, if ALL your connections goes back to just 3 power connections on the PSU . . it might be a challenge.
 
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thanks. I ended up ordering a different PSU, but will still need the adapters. I think I will be OK, 4 pcie connectors from 2 strings, and 8 SATA connectors from 3 strings. That should give me 8 total connectors, not quite as much as I wanted, but I will make it work. Since each sata connector is rated for 54 watts, the 2 sata to 1 pcie 6 pin adapters should be more than capable of the 75w spec.
 
looniam said:
keep in mind both types *should/will suggest/recommend* you use two separate perf. "strings/cables" ie. for every 1 of those you best having 2 connections to the PSU. or what you're doing is drawing all of the 3 pin 12v (thats in a 6 pin pci-e power) from ONE 12v line from the PSU. and speaking of the connections to the PSU; if those six 6+2 cables are daisy chained, 2 on each cable . . . you might be better off getting another PSU; not for power but for connections!

but getting back to sata/molex difference; molex has one 12v line and sata has 3; the terminal for the molex connection is rated 7amps (low quality) -11 amps (better quality) per pin (84-132 watts for 1 pin) whereas sata is 1.5 amps for 54 watts total ( 12v*1.5a*3pins).

that 7/11 amp rating for molex goes the same for 8 pin to 2x6 pin PCI-E adapters. but as i mentioned before, if ALL your connections goes back to just 3 power connections on the PSU . . it might be a challenge.
Click to expand...

PCIe 6pin spec actually only requires two +12v lines.


mnewxcv said:
thanks. I ended up ordering a different PSU, but will still need the adapters. I think I will be OK, 4 pcie connectors from 2 strings, and 8 SATA connectors from 3 strings. That should give me 8 total connectors, not quite as much as I wanted, but I will make it work. Since each sata connector is rated for 54 watts, the 2 sata to 1 pcie 6 pin adapters should be more than capable of the 75w spec.
Click to expand...

Before you buy any SATA adapters, check this video out. I don't know if what the guy says has any merit, but it's worth thinking about.
 
I'm not sure I buy his theory, as the source of the fire seems to always be on the pin side of things, not the wire side. Given that the adapters I am buying are the receiving end, and the pins are external and visible (male end), I should be able to see if they are going to be an issue. In any event, using a 2 sata to 1 6 pin adapter is going to be safer than the 1 sata to 1 6 pin adapters coming with my risers.
 
mnewxcv said:
I'm not sure I buy his theory, as the source of the fire seems to always be on the pin side of things, not the wire side. Given that the adapters I am buying are the receiving end, and the pins are external and visible (male end), I should be able to see if they are going to be an issue. In any event, using a 2 sata to 1 6 pin adapter is going to be safer than the 1 sata to 1 6 pin adapters coming with my risers.
Click to expand...

His previous video dismantled some of the molded connectors and showed some spots that could have potential to be failure points. Most of them were where the wire solders onto to pins, in one case there was a +5v and Ground wire that had melted together well before they connected to the pins. Like I said something to think about. If it were me, I'd go with an adapter with crimped pins that I can inspect.
 
ryan_975 said:
His previous video dismantled some of the molded connectors and showed some spots that could have potential to be failure points. Most of them were where the wire solders onto to pins, in one case there was a +5v and Ground wire that had melted together well before they connected to the pins. Like I said something to think about. If it were me, I'd go with an adapter with crimped pins that I can inspect.
Click to expand...

I don't believe a single manufacturer makes a sata to pcie adapter with crimped connectors. Though I can always make my own or solder some.
 
IMG_0469.JPG
This is from the PCIe end of a SATA-PCIe adapter that came with my riser. Definitely crimped. The other end is a molded SATA connector.

The ribbon cables for my Seasonic power supply also have crimped connectors as far as I can tell. As far as I can remember, I don't think I've ever seen a soldered removable pin in a PSU or adapter.

Either way though, I'll trust a crimped connection I can see over a soldered one I can't, especially when it's in a part that's made as cheaply and quickly as possible in a place with very lax attitudes toward quality and safety.
 
ryan_975 said:
View attachment 30034
This is from the PCIe end of a SATA-PCIe adapter that came with my riser. Definitely crimped. The other end is a molded SATA connector.

The ribbon cables for my Seasonic power supply also have crimped connectors as far as I can tell. As far as I can remember, I don't think I've ever seen a soldered removable pin in a PSU or adapter.

Either way though, I'll trust a crimped connection I can see over a soldered one I can't, especially when it's in a part that's made as cheaply and quickly as possible in a place with very lax attitudes toward quality and safety.
Click to expand...

yes, I meant I haven't seen a sata to pcie adapter with a crimped connector on the sata side.
 
There are server supplies with custom wire harnesses specifically sold for mining. They are not even badly expensive as the PSUs in question come from off lease servers. I saw PSUs with 10 PCie connectors below $150.
 
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