Power supply sockets

[Silhorn]

Hi,

I was just looking at the psu's they supply at an online store.

And i noticed in the specifications it says something like
.....SATAx1,HDDx4

1.Does the HDD mean i can connect 4 IDE devices?
2. i had 2 sata drives i would need 1 sata sockets for each drive right?
3. I notice that it says 1xPCIe. So my PCIe graphics card needs a power socket to it too? (in the old days agp's didnt)
4. I have an old psu like 5 years old. It does not have any pcie or sata sockets. Would i be possible (i dont think so but i ask just in case) to modify it by putting the needed needed new sockets in?

 

[badge]

Hi,

I was just looking at the psu's they supply at an online store.

And i noticed in the specifications it says something like
.....SATAx1,HDDx4

1.Does the HDD mean i can connect 4 IDE devices?
2. i had 2 sata drives i would need 1 sata sockets for each drive right?
3. I notice that it says 1xPCIe. So my PCIe graphics card needs a power socket to it too? (in the old days agp's didnt)
4. I have an old psu like 5 years old. It does not have any pcie or sata sockets. Would i be possible (i dont think so but i ask just in case) to modify it by putting the needed needed new sockets in?

1. IDE hard drives use a 4 pin molex for 12v power from the power supply. 2. Each SATA HD will need a SATA HD 12v power connector. 3.The PSU supplys a PCIE 6 pin connector. Your video card may or may not require a PCIE 12v connector. 4. You can install PCIE and SATA HD power connectors to any PSU.

 

[ausch30]

Here's a good read showing the different connectors and their uses:
http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html

 

[Silhorn]

Thanks for the link very helpful
ok so is HDD and HDD Molex is the same thing?
And about connecting new sockets to the psu, do i just open the cover and plug em in? Or are they all soldered on?

Is there a website that shows how to do it with pictures?

 

[badge]

An IDE HD uses a standard 4 pin power connector from the the PSU. A SATA HD uses a SATA power connector from the PSU. There are both standard 4 pin power connector and SATA connector adapters. No soldering required for these adapters.

 

[ausch30]

And about connecting new sockets to the psu, do i just open the cover and plug em in? Or are they all soldered on?

Are you talking about a modular PSU or adaptors to change the socket?

 

[badge]

Adapter. 4 pin molex to SATA 12v power adapter.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119024

 

[Silhorn]

oh maybe i might be talking about the wrong thing?

I mean the cables that come out of the power supply. I have got an old power supply and there is no SATA power connector comming out from it. What i'm asking is can i modify the power supply to add a SATA connector to it?

 

[badge]

4 pin to split dual SATA 12v power connector.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119010

 

[badge]

oh maybe i might be talking about the wrong thing?

I mean the cables that come out of the power supply. I have got an old power supply and there is no SATA power connector comming out from it. What i'm asking is can i modify the power supply to add a SATA connector to it?

4 pin to split dual SATA 12v power connector.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119024

 

[ausch30]

http://www.satacables.com/html/molex-to-sata-power-15-pin-ada.html

 

[Silhorn]

Ahhh alright alright i understand
So you can just use the convertor cables to change the power sockets
I just thought that SATA and IDE would require different amounts of power so doing that would be impossible but now i know that you can get those things.

One more thing though i have seen for the IDE and SATA data cables you cannot do this but must get an adaptor card if you wanted to?

 

[ausch30]

Correct, IDE and sata communicate differently with the system (IDE=parallel, sata=serial) so if you don't have sata ports you need a add-on card.