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P4 12v plug to molex plug not fitting in motherboard socket

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  • Motherboards
  • Cable
  • Power
  • Socket
Last response: in Motherboards
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February 10, 2014 8:01:02 AM

I am trying to get power to a usb 3.0 card that I bought. It requires power from a molex cable. The only power I have left on my HP Compaq 6005 pro is the sata power that I want to save for a hard drive. I see that there is what looks like a P4 12v plug on the motherboard open. The other P4 12v that is next to it has the 2 hard drive sata power cables plugged into it already.
I have been buying all sorts of molex cables and thought I had the correct combinatinon.
P4 12v (4pin) to male molex, with a female to female molex extension to plug into the USB 3.0 card.
When I try to plug in the p4 12v in the open socket it does not fit. Looking a little closer at the p4 that I am trying to plug in.....it has 2 square sockets diagonal from each other and the other 2 square top round bottom sockets that are diagonal from each other. The mother board has the 2 square top round bottom ones next to each other on the top and the 2 square on the bottom.
This is difficult to explain without looking at it. But basically it looks like the P4 should plug right in but you're actually trying to fit square pegs in round holes.
Anyone have some answers?
Thanks

More about : 12v plug molex plug fitting motherboard socket

a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 8:15:14 AM

Pic please.

If I understand, you want a SATA female Y to 2 male molex 4 pin, and a Molex female Y to 2 SATA male.

You will then end up with 2 SATA male, and 1 4pin molex male.
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February 10, 2014 10:35:53 AM

This is what I bought
http://www.cpustuff.com/images/P/4_pin_molex_4.jpg

This is what I am trying to plug it into
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/directron/p4insa7

The shapes of the socket do not match the motherboard?






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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 10:46:10 AM

That is because it doesn't go there.
That motherboard connection is power in, not power out.
There should be a power supply plug to put power into that socket
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February 10, 2014 10:56:43 AM

That makes sense.
The picture I posted must be of a different motherboard socket.
I just took a picture of my motherboard. There are 2 black 4pin sockets.....one has the sata power for 2 hard drives coming out of it....the other is available.
I don't know how to attach a picture on here?



millwright said:
That is because it doesn't go there.
That motherboard connection is power in, not power out.
There should be a power supply plug to put power into that socket


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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 11:01:24 AM

Can you give us the board brand and number.
Your pic sure looks like they would plug in.
It shows the square hole on opposite corners, for both, and that is what a P4 power plug is like.

My brand new Haswell board still uses a P4 power plug, so the are still used.

But it is power in.

Not sure why you have a second one that is working as power out.
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February 10, 2014 11:08:18 AM

Hewlett-Packard 3047h (XU1 PROCESSOR)
The way it looks to me is that there are the 2 black 4pin plugs. There is a red yellow and black coming out of one of them that has 2 sata power connectors inline....one goes to the hard drive and the other one is free. So that would make me assume these are both power OUTPUTS because I wouldn't run power from the hard drives into the motherboard.....the motherboard is providing power TO the hard drives? right? BUT they are 2 square on the bottom and 2 rounded square on the top....unlike my cable which is square in opposite corners and rounded square in the other corners.
Needless to say this is baffling me.


millwright said:
Can you give us the board brand and number.
Your pic sure looks like they would plug in.
It shows the square hole on opposite corners, for both, and that is what a P4 power plug is like.

My brand new Haswell board still uses a P4 power plug, so the are still used.

But it is power in.

Not sure why you have a second one that is working as power out.


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February 10, 2014 11:16:29 AM

This is the actual picture of my motherboard.
Hope this works and helps
http://imageshack.com/a/img196/1656/4pla.jpg



millwright said:
Can you give us the board brand and number.
Your pic sure looks like they would plug in.
It shows the square hole on opposite corners, for both, and that is what a P4 power plug is like.

My brand new Haswell board still uses a P4 power plug, so the are still used.

But it is power in.

Not sure why you have a second one that is working as power out.


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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 11:19:17 AM

Until I see what it is, I'm going with even the SATA one that is working doesn't belong there.

It goes to a header to add power to the motherboard, of course there is already power there, the doesn't mean you should be using it for power out.

High end modern mother boards have an 8 pin CPU power in, and it is called a 4+4, but they are usually 1-8 pin plug.

Some really high end boards have 2-8pin CPU power plugs.

But they are all power in.
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February 10, 2014 11:21:36 AM

Another picture of motherboard....black sockets with wires going to hard drives.
This is all factory...I haven't touched anything
https://imageshack.com/i/ghj77xj

millwright said:
Until I see what it is, I'm going with even the SATA one that is working doesn't belong there.

It goes to a header to add power to the motherboard, of course there is already power there, the doesn't mean you should be using it for power out.

High end modern mother boards have an 8 pin CPU power in, and it is called a 4+4, but they are usually 1-8 pin plug.

Some really high end boards have 2-8pin CPU power plugs.

But they are all power in.


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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 11:32:12 AM

Ok that is not a p4 power in.

Even the 8 pin ones have the same opposite patters, for each set of 4.

It could be a propitiatory HP SATA power source.

I've seen thing just as strange on prebuilds, like a Gateway, I have that the power LED, connects to the card reader.
That one has me baffled.

Or the strange way they use to connect CD drives, compared to any aftermarket.

If that is the case, you probably have to get that adapter from HP.

The adapters I posted, will be much easier to get.


I'll look up your board, and see if I can figure it out.
Retirees have plenty of time.

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February 10, 2014 11:39:36 AM

Thanks a ton for your help millwright!
Your deduction makes sense. The P4 cable I have "should" work....but that socket is shaped weird and it makes
sense that it would be a strange proprietary socket for the motherboard.
I could definitely use the sate to molex splitter.....but my goals is to cut down on the mess of cords that creates inside my case (if that makes sense). When I eventually put another drive in this small form factor machine there will be very little wiggle room with a sata splitter. So If I can run power from another source on the motherboard to the usb 3.0 card that would be ideal.
Looks like this will be a challenge to get a P4 with the correct connection to put in that socket.


millwright said:
Ok that is not a p4 power in.

Even the 8 pin ones have the same opposite patters, for each set of 4.

It could be a propitiatory HP SATA power source.

I've seen thing just as strange on prebuilds, like a Gateway, I have that the power LED, connects to the card reader.
That one has me baffled.

Or the strange way they use to connect CD drives, compared to any aftermarket.

If that is the case, you probably have to get that adapter from HP.

The adapters I posted, will be much easier to get.


I'll look up your board, and see if I can figure it out.
Retirees have plenty of time.



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Best solution

a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 12:08:44 PM

Found it!

Yes they are both what they call SATS power 1, and, 2

It also gives the part number of the cable.

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.BIN...
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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 12:12:28 PM

Although it says 1 is for hard drives, and 2 is for optical drives.
Not sure if they are really different.

Edit
There is only 1 cable listed.
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February 10, 2014 12:26:36 PM

Do you think If i bought that cable....snipped the ends off and soldered the ends to a female molex, that would do the trick?

millwright said:
Found it!

Yes they are both what they call SATS power 1, and, 2

It also gives the part number of the cable.

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.BIN...


millwright said:
Although it says 1 is for hard drives, and 2 is for optical drives.
Not sure if they are really different.

Edit
There is only 1 cable listed.


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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 12:36:48 PM

I'd rather use an adapter if possible, but I do stuff like that all the time.
I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Solder and hot glue, if you don't have shrink tube. Goop works good also.
Black tape sucks.
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February 10, 2014 12:47:01 PM

Thanks so much millwright!


millwright said:
I'd rather use an adapter if possible, but I do stuff like that all the time.
I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Solder and hot glue, if you don't have shrink tube. Goop works good also.
Black tape sucks.


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a b V Motherboard
February 10, 2014 12:51:50 PM

You're welcome.
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!