Question about power supply cables

[HORNO]

Hey guys! I have a very basic question about the cables provided with my power supply. I'm putting together my first build and I wanted to make sure I understand what these cables are exactly.

I have the Corsair AX1200 which comes with six PCI-E 6+2 pin connector.

Now, I know this PCI-E 6+2 pin connector goes into the 6 pin connector on my GTX 480 but what is the +2 pin for? I don't see where or what this is supposed to connect into... if anything.

Please advise on what to do with the extra 2 pins.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[Oldie]

Several graphics cards on the market use an 8 pin connector now, mostly AMD I believe. I'm not sure of any NV cards using an 8 right now.

 

[dandragonrage]

Yeah, if your video card takes 8 pins then use them else leave them disconnected. But make sure there are no metal pieces from the video card that would poke into the exposed, unused pins.

 

[HORNO]

Thanks for your quick response Oldie! Much appreciated!

 

[Zero82z]

Your GTX 480 has one 6-pin and one 8-pin connector, so make sure you use all the pins for the 8-pin.

 

[magoo]

Some video cards have two six pin PCI-e connectors, a few two eight connectors and some both six and eight. (like the 480 and the Radeon 5870)

Just make sure on the six pin to leave the two loose dangling pins alone, don't use them, and obviously on the eight pin use them all.

The ASUS Ares uses two six and an eight I believe!

 

[HORNO]

Zero82z & Magoo:

Yes it does have the 6 pin and 8 pin connectors. I'm glad you gave the heads up because I was thinking that the EPS/ATX12V 8-4 pin - was supposed to go into the 8 pin connector on the graphics card. Not sure if it would have fit but I'm glad I didn't connect the wrong connector!

First build (potential) woes!

 

[dandragonrage]

You still thought that after what we already said before?

 

[HORNO]

No. Haha! I thought that before I asked the question.

 

[Zero82z]

Some video cards have two six pin PCI-e connectors, a few two eight connectors and some both six and eight. (like the 480 and the Radeon 5870)

The 5870 uses two 6-pin connectors.

Zero82z & Magoo:

Yes it does have the 6 pin and 8 pin connectors. I'm glad you gave the heads up because I was thinking that the EPS/ATX12V 8-4 pin - was supposed to go into the 8 pin connector on the graphics card. Not sure if it would have fit but I'm glad I didn't connect the wrong connector!

First build (potential) woes!

The EPS12V connector is keyed so it won't fit in a PCI-E socket, but it's good that you didn't try.

 

[magoo]

The 5870 uses two 6-pin connectors.

I have the ASUS 5870 E6 model and they use 6 and 8 pin, as do the Sapphire Toxic models and allother brands of the E6 just to name a few.

The vanilla 5870s use two 6 pin connectors, though.

 

[Zero82z]

I have the ASUS 5870 E6 model and they use 6 and 8 pin, as do the Sapphire Toxic models and allother brands of the E6 just to name a few.

The vanilla 5870s use two 6 pin connectors, though.

Custom designs are obviously a different matter. However, the majority of 5870 cards do not have 8-pin sockets.

 

[blacknwhite85]

thanks for the informations

 

[magoo]

Custom designs are obviously a different matter. However, the majority of 5870 cards do not have 8-pin sockets.

Tomato, tomatoe,Katchup,Catchup.......moral of the story is to look at the specs of the card and see what you need before you buy one and find out your PSU and/or cables aren't up to the task......
and never try to pound a square peg into a round hole.

 

[plugwash]

The EPS12V connector is keyed so it won't fit in a PCI-E socket, but it's good that you didn't try.

Afaict they are supposed to be but some of them (particulallly the ones that split in half) are keyed in a way that will fit in either.

It's a really stupid situation that the designers of PC components have used the same connector size and family with only slight differences in keying for two incompatibile connectors.