Melted Molex/Sata Adapter Riser...Is My Setup Safe?

dl87

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Quote from: bathrobehero on June 19, 2017, 12:05:15 PM

Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:01:43 PM

Seems like you guys suggest running it directly with the Molex chain that came with the Lepa.

I was told that the Molex chain it came with isn't standard (it looks exactly like the burnt end on the link pic he posted to the other thread as it came from same Lepa model).

If I run the 3 PSU Molex chain cables, I can only run 3 1080 TI cards if each cable is dedicated to one card. The 4th card would have to be either be connected to a Molex > sata adaptor to the PSU sata chain cable, or share a cable with another riser (2 risers on this cable).

Looked online don't see an extra molex cable sold. Any ideas or solutions?

Also, how would the pcie cable connector look, or where would it plug as it doesn't seem to come with one. I'm rather new at this and have trouble identifying the right cables.

Using 3 cards on 3 separate molex chains and the 4th card with a sata#molex should be fine.

Try it, run them for like half an hour and check if they get hot where the others have burned.

Hi Bro,

I'm having the exact same issue with this 1200W PSU: https://www.bequiet.com/en/powersupply/477
Could you advise how I can connect sata connector on the riser to this PSU, I used the drives port on the PSU for 2xGPU only and the PSU cable burned out. I'm not sure whether my PSU is being degraded.Thanks

pickleburglar

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you can put 3 if the PSU uses 16 AWG cables or if you know for a fact that the cards won't drain more than a lesser cable can handle

leonix007

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Grow with community

Quote from: NOLA on June 21, 2017, 03:44:24 PM

The EVGA850 came with one Perif Cable which is 6 Pin to PSU x Molex with 3 molex on the cable.

Can I put 3 USB risers to that one cable or should I go buy 2 more 6 Pin x Molex cables for the other 2?

Don't put the 3 USB risers on one cable molex, this is a bad idea, been there and melted the wires, best is to have 1 is to 1 rule, 1 molex for 1 riser.

here is the guide, kudos to blog owner

http://www.gpuminingresources.com/p/psu-cables.html

pickleburglar

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I think this is the 5th time I'm writing this...

1. PCIe slots are designed for 75W max
2. peripheral power connectors are designed for 132W max
3. SATA power connectors are designed for 54W max
4. AWG16 wire is designed for 264W max
5. AWG18 wire is designed for 192W max
6. AWG20 wire is designed for 132W max
(these wattages apply for 12v only)

Don't trust what random nobrand adapters say on their wire about the gauge, cut it open and measure it yourself.

Find your bottleneck (obviously the connector and fake wire gauge adapter in this case).

sid_engel

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From what I've seen they can be safe or unsafe. Depends on the manufacturing quality...
https://cryptovoid.net/sata-power-adapters-safe/

hungrybits

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Quote from: NOLA on June 21, 2017, 03:44:24 PM

The EVGA850 came with one Perif Cable which is 6 Pin to PSU x Molex with 3 molex on the cable.

Can I put 3 USB risers to that one cable or should I go buy 2 more 6 Pin x Molex cables for the other 2?

I'm inclined to say buy more 6 pin x molex cables that are from EVGA. Then again, I'm CLEARLY no expert. Grin

hungrybits

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Here are my molex chains that came custom from Lepa G 1600w.

http://imgur.com/a/V6hWK

It seems like we have contradicting info on this.

Putting 2 card risers on one molex chain (as shown in imgur), or put a dedicate one cable to a Molex>Sata...

I'm leaning towards putting 2 cards on one molex cable for now. However, would the non-standard molex chain found from the PSU be an issue onto itself?

I also have a second rig that'll be facing this same issue. I have x6 XFX 570 RX and need to decide if putting 2 risers on one cable is safe.

Ideas on safe wattage on those?

NOLA

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The EVGA850 came with one Perif Cable which is 6 Pin to PSU x Molex with 3 molex on the cable.

Can I put 3 USB risers to that one cable or should I go buy 2 more 6 Pin x Molex cables for the other 2?

poby

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Quote from: NOLA on June 19, 2017, 06:34:52 PM

Sooooo did i just buy these for no reason and just to put my UPS driver to work?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3UVJHM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bad purchase?

Not at all. Throw away the included sata adaptors and use the power supply molex connectors.

Juggar

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Quote from: NOLA on June 19, 2017, 06:34:52 PM

Sooooo did i just buy these for no reason and just to put my UPS driver to work?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3UVJHM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bad purchase?

I dont see the problem, just directly hook your power supply molex to the molex on the risers....

NOLA

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Sooooo did i just buy these for no reason and just to put my UPS driver to work?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3UVJHM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bad purchase?

poby

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Quote from: bathrobehero on June 19, 2017, 04:03:49 PM

Quote from: poby on June 19, 2017, 02:53:42 PM

Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:45:06 PM

Okay. So the 4th card on the riser but "use" the molex>sata adapter, and sata chain to PSU?

Double checking in case it melts again.

Strongly advise don't do this. Sata connectors are designed to safe for up to 4.5 amps. The risers could draw up to 6 amps especially using 1080ti. Much better to use 2 molex on one string. Each molex won't have a problem as each can do 11 amps. The only issue is the wire will get a little warm but not enough to be dangerous.

On paper you'r right, but from experience the specs are not very accurate.

I'm confident in saying that Molex can't handle 132 watts without getting very hot or even melting due to poor connectivity and +30°C at 11A is not exactly intenteded for 0-24 use. In a 30°C rig that's already 60°C which is just on the borderline of being too painful to touch for more than a few seconds.

In addiction, in my experience Sata is getting sold short; it can handle way more than 54 watts without even getting slightly warm.

Personally, I would much rather use each Sata port with a Sata to Molex cable at 60W then putting 2 cards on one Molex cable.

I agree in as much as I wouldn't feel comfortable pulling 11 amps through a molex even though it is rated for such. But the max a riser will take is 6.24 amps and at that level, the molex shouldn't get warm at all. No matter how many connectors being used on a string, the amount of current each connector handles doesn't change. The main issue with multiple connectors on a string is the wire is carrying more current resulting in increased heating and temperature drop.

I would never put more than the rated current though a sata connector. Yeah usually they are over engineered to handle a bit more but then you're relying on the quality of manufacture to exceed the spec sufficiently. Also, the surface area of the 3 12 volt contacts in the sata is so small compared to the molex pin, if one contact fails or gets dirty or something then it will heat up rapidly as it tries to suck the current though the 2 remaining.

A lot of people use sata connectors to power risers and it's rarely a problem - until it is. I just don't want to take any chances and prefer to just buy a big enough high quality power supply so I don't need to even consider it.

Elder III

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Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:01:43 PM

Also, how would the pcie cable connector look, or where would it plug as it doesn't seem to come with one. I'm rather new at this and have trouble identifying the right cables.

A PCI-E connector is the type that you plug into your GPU, either 6 pin or 8 pin (usually 8 pin are actually 6+2 on newer model PSUs). Some powered risers have a PCI-E connector instead of molex and if you have enough cables from your PSU it's best to use them to power the riser and GPU both.

CarlOrff

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Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 09:16:29 AM

Just noticed that some of the Molex>sata adapters started to deform from being overheated. I feel like a fire is about to break out every time I leave the house.

No, you're not safe, and you know it !

bathrobehero

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Quote from: poby on June 19, 2017, 02:53:42 PM

Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:45:06 PM

Okay. So the 4th card on the riser but "use" the molex>sata adapter, and sata chain to PSU?

Double checking in case it melts again.

Strongly advise don't do this. Sata connectors are designed to safe for up to 4.5 amps. The risers could draw up to 6 amps especially using 1080ti. Much better to use 2 molex on one string. Each molex won't have a problem as each can do 11 amps. The only issue is the wire will get a little warm but not enough to be dangerous.

On paper you'r right, but from experience the specs are not very accurate.

I'm confident in saying that Molex can't handle 132 watts without getting very hot or even melting due to poor connectivity and +30°C at 11A is not exactly intenteded for 0-24 use. In a 30°C rig that's already 60°C which is just on the borderline of being too painful to touch for more than a few seconds.

In addiction, in my experience Sata is getting sold short; it can handle way more than 54 watts without even getting slightly warm.

Personally, I would much rather use each Sata port with a Sata to Molex cable at 60W then putting 2 cards on one Molex cable.

poby

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Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:45:06 PM

Okay. So the 4th card on the riser but "use" the molex>sata adapter, and sata chain to PSU?

Double checking in case it melts again.

Strongly advise don't do this. Sata connectors are designed to safe for up to 4.5 amps. The risers could draw up to 6 amps especially using 1080ti. Much better to use 2 molex on one string. Each molex won't have a problem as each can do 11 amps. The only issue is the wire will get a little warm but not enough to be dangerous.

hungrybits

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Okay. So the 4th card on the riser but "use" the molex>sata adapter, and sata chain to PSU?

Double checking in case it melts again.

bathrobehero

legendary

Activity: 2002

Merit: 1051

ICO? Not even once.

Quote from: hungrybits on June 19, 2017, 12:01:43 PM

Seems like you guys suggest running it directly with the Molex chain that came with the Lepa.

I was told that the Molex chain it came with isn't standard (it looks exactly like the burnt end on the link pic he posted to the other thread as it came from same Lepa model).

If I run the 3 PSU Molex chain cables, I can only run 3 1080 TI cards if each cable is dedicated to one card. The 4th card would have to be either be connected to a Molex > sata adaptor to the PSU sata chain cable, or share a cable with another riser (2 risers on this cable).

Looked online don't see an extra molex cable sold. Any ideas or solutions?

Also, how would the pcie cable connector look, or where would it plug as it doesn't seem to come with one. I'm rather new at this and have trouble identifying the right cables.

Using 3 cards on 3 separate molex chains and the 4th card with a sata#molex should be fine.

Try it, run them for like half an hour and check if they get hot where the others have burned.

hungrybits

newbie

Activity: 12

Merit: 0

Seems like you guys suggest running it directly with the Molex chain that came with the Lepa.

I was told that the Molex chain it came with isn't standard (it looks exactly like the burnt end on the link pic he posted to the other thread as it came from same Lepa model).

If I run the 3 PSU Molex chain cables, I can only run 3 1080 TI cards if each cable is dedicated to one card. The 4th card would have to be either be connected to a Molex > sata adaptor to the PSU sata chain cable, or share a cable with another riser (2 risers on this cable).

Looked online don't see an extra molex cable sold. Any ideas or solutions?

Also, how would the pcie cable connector look, or where would it plug as it doesn't seem to come with one. I'm rather new at this and have trouble identifying the right cables.

Vann

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How many connections are you making with each strand? Never use more than two connections per PSU strand and with the power hungry 1080 ti, you probably should only use one.

Topic: Melted Molex/Sata Adapter Riser...Is My Setup Safe? (Read 1595 times)