So I got my new GTX460 two days ago, and I used the Molex to 6-pin connectors for the two 6-pin power connections on the card. My power supply is modular and I didn't need them when I first put it in this case, and now I can't find where I put the extra PSU cables.
Anyway, card ran fine, I even overclocked it quite well and it's been running wonderfully through benchmark after benchmark and about 2 hours of Modern Warfare 3 over the past two days.
Then today, I was looking at the EVGA site and realized that those two molex connectors were BOTH for each 6-pin adapter...and I had simply assumed they were a pass-through like a fan adapter.
So, I have been running for two days with only 3 of the 6 pins providing power to the card in each of the 6-pin ports.
Of course, now I have shut the machine down and properly connected them.
Two questions.
1) Did I hurt my card...I'm doubting that I did, since it ran completely stably, even overclocked, through hours of benchmarks and gaming, without a single lockup.
2) Why did it run just fine? I'm assuming that there are two ports because it requires more power than a single one can put out....but apparently that's not the case. My educated guess (I'm an electrical engineer, though not an electronics engineer) is that I had connected the top pins on the one connector and the bottom pins on the other, therefore providing the right inputs to the card, but at a reduced maximum power. It is also my guess that it was pulling more current on each of the two connectors than is advisable for long term use. Enough to power the card, but likely somewhat exceeding the rated current for the conductors (though I don't know how much current these ports draw, nor the AWG of the wires, though they look like they're probably 14-16AWG.)
Anyway, card ran fine, I even overclocked it quite well and it's been running wonderfully through benchmark after benchmark and about 2 hours of Modern Warfare 3 over the past two days.
Then today, I was looking at the EVGA site and realized that those two molex connectors were BOTH for each 6-pin adapter...and I had simply assumed they were a pass-through like a fan adapter.
So, I have been running for two days with only 3 of the 6 pins providing power to the card in each of the 6-pin ports.
Of course, now I have shut the machine down and properly connected them.
Two questions.
1) Did I hurt my card...I'm doubting that I did, since it ran completely stably, even overclocked, through hours of benchmarks and gaming, without a single lockup.
2) Why did it run just fine? I'm assuming that there are two ports because it requires more power than a single one can put out....but apparently that's not the case. My educated guess (I'm an electrical engineer, though not an electronics engineer) is that I had connected the top pins on the one connector and the bottom pins on the other, therefore providing the right inputs to the card, but at a reduced maximum power. It is also my guess that it was pulling more current on each of the two connectors than is advisable for long term use. Enough to power the card, but likely somewhat exceeding the rated current for the conductors (though I don't know how much current these ports draw, nor the AWG of the wires, though they look like they're probably 14-16AWG.)
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