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Area-51 R5, 1500w Single GPU PSU VGA Cable 3?
Hi, for cable management purposes, is it OK to plug in a single GPU (260W Card) using the 1500w VGA #3 Power Cable? Is there enough power on that rail to support it? Thanks for any help!
Here are the PSU Specs but I don't understand them:
Cass-Ole
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March 24th, 2019 00:00
The GRFX portion of this power supply has two 12volt 'rails', each rated @48Amps; no one has disassembled to find out which black headers belong to which rails, that I'm aware of (all we need to know is the x6 black GRFX headers are on two rails) so we'd theorize that perhaps R1 R2 R3 are on a 48Amps rail (avg 16Amps per header or 'per cable' = 192watts each), R4 R5 R6 on their 48Amp rail w/same specs. Suffice it to say, your card needs two cables (each has a 150watt rating so two cables = 300w of potential output) & so the PSU is fine, cables are fine, in fact 260watts is still relatively low. It won't matter which black headers you plug into, just use a pair of cables to do it with --> if you were asking if one cable is ok - it isn't - & likely the card would fail to work by design with just one present, e.g. a 260w card running attempting to run off one 150w cable is designed not to work, it needs two cables to meet specs. Single-card scenario, to reduce heat build-up between headers, perhaps try R1/R3, or R1/R4, R2/R4 etc
Cass-Ole
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March 24th, 2019 11:00
Your message: "What I meant by using one cable: R5 ~ R6 with both stems into the single GPU. Does this sound ok?" --> stems, you mean connectors
Connector ends: the GRFX cables are a 6+2 = 8pin design, so they're 'universal'; some cards need 6pin power, some need 8pin --> if u need 6pin power, use a 6pin (lay 2pin to the side unused) --> if u need an 8pin, couple the 6+2 together
Cable Counts: Some low-powa cards have no power ports & run off just the PCI-E slot & no cables are needed | Mid-powa cards have one power port, need one cable | Hi-powa cards have dual-ports & need two cables
In this disassembly video (see photo below also) we see triple cards with dual-ports (dual 6pins) & all 6 cables are deployed, 2-cables-per-card (this vid, GRFX card has one port, needs one cable connector)
Generally the vid-cables are zip-tied into pairs, so if your card has two power ports, if your R5 R6 are zip-tied into a 'pair'. then yes, use both
(if these were Titans they'd be dual 8pin design, and we'd couple the 6+2s together; above, the 2pins are laid to the side unused)(if these were 1080Ti they'd be a 6+8 design)
photo: below we see a mid-powa card, a cable 'pair', one cable is in use & it is a 6pin with the 2pin laid to the side unused > (the other unused cable is a 6+2)
note: if this GRFX card was an 8pin design we'd incorporate the 2pin | if it was a dual 6pin, a 6pin + 8pin, or a dual 8pin type we'd deploy the other cable
jk4dell
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March 24th, 2019 11:00
My man Cass-Ole, you continue to astound!
I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. What I meant by using one cable: R5 ~ R6 with both stems (8 pin + 8 pin) into the single GPU. Does this sound ok?