Question about SATA Power Cables

D

DiamondX

n00b
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Messages
3
Is there a place that sells a molex to SATA power adaptar that does a Y split into 2 SATA connectors?

I already have an 80gb SATA drive in my system, it has a standard molex connector as well as the newer SATA power connector on it. It is currently using the molex power connector as that is all my power supply has.

I went out and purchased a Maxtor SATA 250gb 16mb cache drive but I didn't look at the power connector on it. Turns out all it has is the new SATA power connector and not a molex one. I have no spare molex connectors in my system anyways.

Since I have no spare molex connections, it would be nice if I could find a molex to SATA x2 connector so that I can power both drives off the same cable but I haven't been able to find any place that supplies them (I heard they exist though). Anyone have any ideas on this? The only other option i could think of is to buy a standard molex Y split adapter, then get a single molex to sata adapter to put on one end for the new HD while keeping the older drive on the molex connector.
 
Of course these adapters only work with today's 5v drives. The SATA power connector also allows for 3.3V and future drives may use that and the molex adapter will be incompatible at that time.

Not a worry at the moment, but something to be aware of down the road.
 
HighTest said:
Of course these adapters only work with today's 5v drives. The SATA power connector also allows for 3.3V and future drives may use that and the molex adapter will be incompatible at that time.

Not a worry at the moment, but something to be aware of down the road.
Click to expand...
Due to the widespread lack of these voltages being supplied in the connector, it wouldn't supprise me much that if in the future manufacturers need 3.3V that they would have to implement their own 3.3V supply.
 
Menelmarar said:
Due to the widespread lack of these voltages being supplied in the connector, it wouldn't supprise me much that if in the future manufacturers need 3.3V that they would have to implement their own 3.3V supply.
Click to expand...

Widespread for those that have power supplies that require an adapter from the molex plug (5V, 12V). All new good quality supplies that have the SATA connectors have the 3.3V in addition to the 5V, my supply has the Molex inline with the SATA connectors but the 3.3V line isn't crimped to the Molex connectors and runs up to the SATA plug.

The argument about the power requirement would be like saying, "a separate 12V line to the Pentium 4 or AMD 64? It'll never happen as most current supplies don't have this" a couple years back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top