power supply or mainboard? 20+4 but wrong 4pin connector?

NHHokie

Junior Member
Aug 12, 2003
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Do I have the wrong power supply for this mainboard?

I have a Fortron Source Group 450W SAGA power supply (vers 2.2) and it says it supports K8 mainboards.

I have an ECS nForce3-A K8 mainboard.

I put the 20 pin power socket together fine. But the 4 pin seemed to have the wrong orientation...and when I did connect it the way it fit, the Power supply detected a short and shut down almost immediately.

The specs on the power supply say dual 12 volt. The pins on the 4 pin supply in the mainboard manual say 12v 12v Grnd Grnd.

The computer runs fine without attaching the 4 pin auxilliary power connector...but I feel like either I got the wrong power supply, the wrong information or something.

Can anyone explain to me how this 4 pin auxilliary power connection is SUPPOSED to work? And why does the mainboard run without it. I'm comfortable with tech issues, but I'm not that knowledgeable about hardware.

Anyone help?
 

cubby1223

Lifer
May 24, 2004
13,518
42
86
Either you fit the 4-pin P4 connector in the wrong direction - or there is a problem with either the power supply or the motherboard, more likely the power supply.

If the system boots up without the P4 connector, then you're just gambling whether the system will be stable or not.

Check the motherboard manual's description of the P4 connector, and the yellow wires from the psu fit into the 12v spots, and the black are the ground.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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Note that the 4-pin section of a ATX 2.0 main cable :camera: has one yellow wire, one red wire, one orange wire and one black wire. If your motherboard doesn't have a continuous 24-hole receptacle (2 x 12), then do NOT plug the extra 4 pins into ANYTHING.

An ATX12V cable :camera:, by contrast, has two yellow wires and two black wires, zero orange wires and zero red wires. This is what goes in that separate 4-pin hole. Your PSU should have one of these cables.
 

NHHokie

Junior Member
Aug 12, 2003
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Originally posted by: mechBgon
Note that the 4-pin section of a ATX 2.0 main cable :camera: has one yellow wire, one red wire, one orange wire and one black wire. If your motherboard doesn't have a continuous 24-hole receptacle (2 x 12), then do NOT plug the extra 4 pins into ANYTHING.

An ATX12V cable :camera:, by contrast, has two yellow wires and two black wires, zero orange wires and zero red wires. This is what goes in that separate 4-pin hole. Your PSU should have one of these cables.

Okay. my power supply has an ATX 2.0 cable with orange and red along with black and yellow and my board has an ATX12v socket. So I got the wrong power supply for my mainboard.

The descriptions of power supplies and mainboards on NewEgg.com did not provide that level of detail or at least those designations of ATX 2 vs ATX12v. They had "dual 12v" yes/no. So now I know what I need.

I hope I can do unto others as you have done for me!

Dave:eek:
 

NHHokie

Junior Member
Aug 12, 2003
11
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0
Originally posted by: NHHokie

Okay. my power supply has an ATX 2.0 cable with orange and red along with black and yellow and my board has an ATX12v socket. So I got the wrong power supply for my mainboard.

The descriptions of power supplies and mainboards on NewEgg.com did not provide that level of detail or at least those designations of ATX 2 vs ATX12v. They had "dual 12v" yes/no. So now I know what I need.
Dave:eek:

Geez, I just found the ATX12v cable. :eek: It was NOT bundled with the mainboard power cable (that was the ATX2.0 cable) but it WAS separate. It had gotten lost in all the extra cables and bound up with a molex cable so I hadn't noticed it. Talk about embarrassing.

I must not have had enough sleep. :confused: