Solved!
Go to SolutionSATA Power
I recently purchased a 7960 workstation from Dell. I believed the configuration included NVMe and SATA, but later discovered the workstation had 1 DVD (top) and 2 NVMe backplanes on the front... NO SATA. Dell Support said my only option was to return and reconfigure, but there is no inventory of 7960s with the configuration I want, so I decided to keep it and add SATA.
I bought a kit to add cages and SATA backplanes to the rear bays, but then I discovered that there was no SATA power connector on the Power Distribution Board --- and this is where the wheels came off the cart!
The reseller told me to use the 'Y' splitter they provided to connect to the NVMe backplanes and the SATA backplanes. I did some research and found that the NVMe backplane power connector only has 12v power, but the SATA backplane requires both 12v plus 5v.
I chatted with Dell Parts Support, and their "required" parts list for this modification includes a Power Distribution Board, but part 95VHD is out of stock, with no date for when it will restock or whether it will restock.
Does anyone have a solution for this? Is it safe to use the NVMe power source for the SATA backplanes?
Are there any good supply houses that are likely to have the parts and understand the issue?
I would really appreciate your ideas on this problem.
4
0
Posted September 11th, 2026 23:41
OP can add back SATA/SAS module available on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/168341708171?
ND6JG
https://www.ebay.com/itm/168587193940?
(edited)
6
0
Posted September 11th, 2026 23:47
ND6JG is specifically built for the Dell Precision 7960 Tower Workstation.Capacity: It supports two hard drives (2HDD) using either SATA or SAS interfaces. Alternative Designation: It is cataloged by Dell under the component name ASSY, MECH, FLEXBAY0, SATA, MB
install procedure
Precision 7960 Tower Service Manual | Dell US
4
0
Posted September 12th, 2026 04:08
@anne_droid My system came with two NVMe backplanes in the middle and bottom rows in the front and no SATA. I saw many conflicting reports about the need for a power distribution board that had SATA power connectors - my PDB did not have a SATA power connector. I bought a kit that included the cages for the rear bay, the SATA backplanes, the SATA data cable, and two 'Y' power connectors.
When I realized that I had not SATA power connector on the PDB, Dell said I need a different version of the PDB that had the SATA power, but they were out of stock, and not expected date for restock. The reseller where I got the kit told me to 'daisy chain' the power from the NVMe backplanes to the SATA backplanes. I checked out the electrical requirements and found that NVMe needs 12v and SATA needs 12v PLUS 5v so the 'Y' cable didn't seem like a safe option.
Long story short, it turns out that the 'Y' cable is configured to provide each device the proper voltage on the proper pins. So problem solved. The illustration in the Dell support manual only makes sense once you've already figured out how to do it. They don't show the full wiring path using the 'Y' dongle.
Thanks for the detailed options for the various configurations. Mine was the simplest of all, except for my reluctance to use a 'Y' cable powering two different technology backplanes.
5
0
Posted September 12th, 2026 04:13
@redxps630 The SAS configuration requires a controller, but the SATA configuration is supported by the onboard controller.
I was on the phone for over an hour with tech support and then parts support trying to identify the power distribution board with the SATA power connector. Apparently, the 'Y' connector to supply power to both SATA and NVMe is not well known or understood.
anne_droid
6 Operator
•
2284 Posts
•
8437 Points
0
0
Posted September 11th, 2026 23:04
Hi
The internet may help, but I think you already know all this..........
You have three realistic options:
If your chassis isn’t already fully populated with SATA/SAS modules, you can:
Add the appropriate front or rear SATA/SAS module (and matching drive cage/caddy) as per the service manual.dell+2
Connect:
SATA data from the motherboard or RAID controller to the module.
SATA power from the power‑distribution board to the module using the Dell power dongle/cable specified in the manual.dell+1
This is the clean, supported way to get more 5 V/12 V SATA power inside the system.
If you already have a SATA power lead from the distribution board that’s not fully used:
You can use a SATA power Y‑splitter (one female SATA power → two or more male SATA power) to feed extra drives, as long as:
Total current on that rail stays within the PSU/distribution board rating.
You don’t daisy‑chain too many high‑power 3.5″ drives off a single lead.dell+2
For low‑power 2.5″ SSDs this is usually fine; for multiple 3.5″ HDDs, be conservative and spread the load across multiple power leads if possible.dell+1
If you’re adding drives outside the standard cages (e.g. in an external enclosure or non‑Dell cages):
Install a PCIe SATA/SAS HBA or RAID card.
Power the drives from:
Existing SATA power leads (via splitters if needed), or
A separate, properly rated internal PSU or external power solution for the enclosure.
The 7960 has plenty of PCIe slots and headroom in the higher‑wattage PSU configs for this.delltechnologies+2
You cannot directly wire 5 V/12 V SATA power to the PSU or motherboard; the 7960 PSU connectors are proprietary and not meant for user modification.dell+2
Avoid tapping random 12 V‑only connectors (e.g. some PCIe power points) and trying to derive 5 V with regulators; that’s unreliable and risks damaging drives.dell+1
Open the system and identify:
Which SATA/SAS modules you already have (front/rear).
How many SATA power leads from the distribution board are unused or under‑used.dell+1
Decide whether you need:
More official drive bays/modules (order the correct Dell SATA/SAS module and caddy), or
Just a few extra SATA power connectors (use a quality SATA power splitter).
Kind Regards
anne_droid