4 VS 8 PIN ATX 12v
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jsc
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I don't think that it is a matter of load balancing. I think that more wires can carry more current with less voltage drop. I also think that if your PSU has both 4 and 8 pin connectors and multiple 12 volt rails, they are tied to the same rail. OTOH, I am not quite curious enough to open up my 680i system to check.
If you have a choice, use the 8 pin connector.
If you have a choice, use the 8 pin connector.
Grimmy
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Err... sounds like your disagreeing with yourself as well as me. :lol:
I mean you said "I don't think that it is a matter of load balancing. I think that more wires can carry more current with less voltage drop." is a way to balance a load, when there are more wires to carry the current.
But then again, it doesn't make sense that PSU out there today with EPS12V plugs if they didn't offer any load balance. I don't see why there would be 8 pins, if it didn't balance the current for cleaner power to the system.
You still can get the power you need from a reg 4 pin, and use an adapter for 8pin, but that means your drawing more power off a particular 12v rail, or 4pin CPU molex. So in a sense its kind of becomes a safety issue of drawing too much current on those wires.
In my mind, it would offer perhaps a cooler running PSU when users OC their quads that will push the system on power consumption. But then again, its the quality of the PSU, that would perhaps make the most difference.
I mean you said "I don't think that it is a matter of load balancing. I think that more wires can carry more current with less voltage drop." is a way to balance a load, when there are more wires to carry the current.
But then again, it doesn't make sense that PSU out there today with EPS12V plugs if they didn't offer any load balance. I don't see why there would be 8 pins, if it didn't balance the current for cleaner power to the system.
You still can get the power you need from a reg 4 pin, and use an adapter for 8pin, but that means your drawing more power off a particular 12v rail, or 4pin CPU molex. So in a sense its kind of becomes a safety issue of drawing too much current on those wires.
In my mind, it would offer perhaps a cooler running PSU when users OC their quads that will push the system on power consumption. But then again, its the quality of the PSU, that would perhaps make the most difference.
in the server motherboard environment, you will need the 8 pin plugged in, other wise you wont be able to turn on the machine, havent tested it out in desktop environment, but PSU with 8 pin plugs are expensive but generally offers good performance and reliability.
the HD2900XT have 6 pin and 2 x 4 pin. its a power hungry monster, i've got one of those in my rig, people being saying its noisy, but i havent heard anything bizzard yet. evening running the latest DX10 games like World in Conflict, maybe Crysis will make it cry
the HD2900XT have 6 pin and 2 x 4 pin. its a power hungry monster, i've got one of those in my rig, people being saying its noisy, but i havent heard anything bizzard yet. evening running the latest DX10 games like World in Conflict, maybe Crysis will make it cry
Grimmy
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jsc
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Grimmy,
We are getting away from the original topic of this thread, but I think I see what is happening here.
We need to define what each of us means by "load balancing".
For example, in a three phase primary power system (high powered military electronics for example), you want to try to keep the loads on the separate phases within 10% of each other. The equivalent for a multi-rail PSU would be to try to equalize the loads on the various 12 volt rails.
Unless an EPS connector is sending power from two rails to the motherboard's regulator - it might, I don't know, it doesn't qualify as load balancing just because you are using more wires in a 8 pin cable. Four pairs give you greater current capacity, less voltage drop, more safety, and more redundancy in case of a bad connection, but you still have only a single source and a single destination.
I have a 650 watt Antec TP3 with three 19 amp rails (total 52 amps). You now have me curious enough to see how they are wired for me to open the new box, pull the PSU, and check. Unfortunately, that will have to wait another week because my DMM is at work and I am on a forced vacation.
We are getting away from the original topic of this thread, but I think I see what is happening here.
We need to define what each of us means by "load balancing".For example, in a three phase primary power system (high powered military electronics for example), you want to try to keep the loads on the separate phases within 10% of each other. The equivalent for a multi-rail PSU would be to try to equalize the loads on the various 12 volt rails.
Unless an EPS connector is sending power from two rails to the motherboard's regulator - it might, I don't know, it doesn't qualify as load balancing just because you are using more wires in a 8 pin cable. Four pairs give you greater current capacity, less voltage drop, more safety, and more redundancy in case of a bad connection, but you still have only a single source and a single destination.
I have a 650 watt Antec TP3 with three 19 amp rails (total 52 amps). You now have me curious enough to see how they are wired for me to open the new box, pull the PSU, and check. Unfortunately, that will have to wait another week because my DMM is at work and I am on a forced vacation.
Grimmy
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Heh, ya it would help to explain how we would interpret load balance.
Whelp, the PSU has changed allot. Although I've never really studied the circuit in detail but have a okay understanding on how it works.
I kinda wonder how the PCI-E 6 pin, as well as the 4-8 pin CPU molex are balanced. With newer MB's / Video / CPU needs, kinda makes it pain to be sure, that you know your PSU can handle it.
I'm using a Aerocool Zerodba 620W myself. After seeing that 2900XT haveing a 6 pin and 8 pin, makes my head spin. :lol:
Whelp, the PSU has changed allot. Although I've never really studied the circuit in detail but have a okay understanding on how it works.
I kinda wonder how the PCI-E 6 pin, as well as the 4-8 pin CPU molex are balanced. With newer MB's / Video / CPU needs, kinda makes it pain to be sure, that you know your PSU can handle it.
I'm using a Aerocool Zerodba 620W myself. After seeing that 2900XT haveing a 6 pin and 8 pin, makes my head spin. :lol:
Videoguy16
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Videoguy16
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The two 450 watt ATX power supplies I have use 4 pin connectors. My new mo bo is MSI A970-G46, it requires an 8 pin connector. In addition to that the 4 pin & 8 pin are reversed in polarity. I accidentally pugged the 4 pin on a 450 watt P.S. into the 8 pin socket before I realised it was reversed polarity. It took out the first filter cap; no telling what else, just hoping the new AMD quad cpu was not affected.
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