How Many Plugs?

[Scarecroh]

I'm working on a new build: Asrock Z77 Extreme 4 board, Intel i7 3770K CPU, and OCZ Stealth XStream 2 PSU (600W). The PSU has a pair of 2x2 connectors marked "CPU1" and "CPU2," and the mobo has a 2x4 socket on the north edge for the ATX 12V power connector. The Asrock manual says "Though this motherboard provides 8-pin ATX 12V power connector, it can still work if you adopt a traditional 4-pin ATX 12V power supply. To use the 4-pin ATX power supply, please plug your power supply along with Pin 1 and Pin 5."

So far, so (kinda) good. I have plugged the "CPU1" cable into the right side of the ATX 12V power connector. The square/semi-circle connectors lined up just fine. The square/semi-circle connectors on the cable-half marked "CPU2" do NOT match up with the remaining four holes in the motherboard connector.

Am I good? Just plug in 2x2, and leave the other "half" dangling? I am really puzzled - what on earth is the "CPU2" connector FOR? Should I force it into the other half of the mobo connector? Does NOT sound like a good idea. I've put together a few computers, and i be fuddle...

 

[LurchFrinky]

Well, for starters, you should be fine letting it dangle. The plugs have the terminals recessed slightly, so it is pretty difficult to get anything in there to short on accident.

And since your manual says 4 pin is OK, I guess everything is OK.

I am surprised the other 4 pin doesn't fit. I think the ones I have seen either had the same pattern of square/circle, or they were all circle. It may have been EPS 12V though.

Hypothetically, since all of the yellow wires should be on the same side of each plug, you could move the plugs around and swap positions if you wanted to. I am not recommending you try this, though, since you are good as you are.

 

[bballkenn]

Can you take pictures and post? They should be matching. I mean they're not two different cables right, meaning they are both sleeved together and only are separated by the pins? They are one cable, sometimes called a 4+4 CPU pin.

Edit: I also would try to insert both of them at the same time. Put them side by side if you are misinterpreting the pattern. I had a hard time inserting the 2nd 4 pin when the first 4 pin was already inserted.

 

[Scarecroh]

Thanks guys. I ended up with both 4-pins plugged in - in spite of the fact that the hole patterns on second connector didn't seem to match up, it plugged in anyway with no forcing (which I found to be just weird). And, so far, nothing has fried or died.:\

 

[LurchFrinky]

I see now that you hadn't actually tried to plug it in.
The rounded plugs will fit into the square holes, but not the other way around.
I think there may have been a time when the extra power standard was a little fuzzy and some psu makers would just make the extra plugs rounded so they could fit all motherboards.
Enjoy your new rig!