Using 6-pin power converter

[The Mysterious Warrior]

I've bought a used ZOGIS nVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 (DDR3 version) but I didn't have a 6-pin power connector from my power supply directly.
So, I bought a 2x4-pin molex to 6-pin power converter then I connected the two sides with the power supply. My PC booted but the screen was blank.
When I've returned to the salesman He told me that I've "wrecked" the graphics card with this way and I should have connected only one side!
Finally, He replaced It with another one with the exact same model But this time He tried it with only one side and It just worked flawlessly!
Now I have been using It for about two weeks with only single side but ALL my friends say that I am risking the graphics card & the power supply with this way and I should connect the two sides because the first one was already faulted.
The question is did I really "wrecked" the graphics card ? If not, Should I connect the two sides now ?

 

[junkeymonkey]

pci-e slot =75w--- 6-pin pci-e plug =75w -- 8-pin pci-e plug= 150w molex =???

so is that nolex going to supply the correct power to the card as required??? is it at 75w or 35w or 80w ??

all you can do is hook it up and see how and where it goes from there

 

[RealBeast]

The idea is that you are supposed to connect the two molex to different output cables from the PSU, not simply two on the same chain. Molex connectors have one +12V, one +5V, and two ground wires. A PCIe 6 pin has 3 +12V and 2-3 ground (they do not use +5V at all). Each 18ga +12V wire is rated to carry 2.083A (so 75W total) on a 6 pin PCIe power connector, so by using an adapter you are increasing the current carried over the fewer number of +12V wires.

In practice though, I have never seen an issue using the adapters. You should, however, be connecting both Molex connectors to different cables from the PSU, using one Molex or both on one cable results in all the current going over one wire.

I doubt that you wrecked anything, and the salesman is just a tool. Any change in your connections should be done with your power off of course.

 

[junkeymonkey]

also it now kinda falls down to your psu is not designed to run modern cards or capable to power the card correctly out of the box

so you see where this could go?? its like your now jacklegging the card in to work so your banking on the hope it will [fingers crossed]

 

[RealBeast]

It really depends on the PSU power and quality.

I have a couple of old Power PC & Cooling 750W units that are more than adequate using adapters, and I usually just make them myself from spare parts and wires. Even a modern low quality PSU can endanger your equipment though, and certainly many older PSUs were not made with current gear in mind.

(It's funny how many people are willing to spend $500 on a video card, but won't spend a little more to get a high quality adequately powered PSU to run it.)

edit: although for the OP, I would not be very concerned running that card on an older PSU with an adapter as long as it is a decent old PSU.

 

[The Mysterious Warrior]

So connecting both molex cannot harm the graphics card under any condition ?
Because I just feel that I cannot take the risk

 

[junkeymonkey]

you do these things at own risk it wiil work and be fine or it will work and degrade it down the road or it black screen .....



so the card needs 150w to work correctly as said 75 -pci-e slot + 75w 6-pin =150

so now you got 75w pci-e slot + ??? molex = ??? so lets say the card at full load is needing to pull 150w and the molex is only doing 50w that's 125w so its short 25w

this is why you get compatasbile items to use like I said it may be fine but right off we know the psu is not designed to run these cards that require the 6 or 8 pin pci-e power

so you do this at your own risk and keep them fingers crossed

 

[RealBeast]

So connecting both molex cannot harm the graphics card under any condition ?
Because I just feel that I cannot take the risk

While we have given you best answer possible, there are no guarantees in life. When you buy a used card and have no warranty you took a risk.

Do some research on your own and come to you own conclusion. Not using the adapter properly could have consequences. Your choice.

 

[junkeymonkey]

ya , really theres no guarantees with nothing any more .. it works or it don't

 

[The Mysterious Warrior]

OK, I'll force myself to try this and will update the discussion with the results

 

[junkeymonkey]

that's all you can do.. try and hope