Using multiple connectors on a single PCI-E cable

[Rukia]

Installed my new M12II EVO power supply today and it had a note saying not to use multiple connectors on a single PCI-E cable for high consumption graphics cards, and instead to use two PCI-E cables.

I have an overclocked MSI GTX 970 Gaming and I used 8+6 connectors from a single cable, is this bad?

 

[Headfoot]

The 520 or the 620?

 

[MrTeal]

Installed my new M12II EVO power supply today and it had a note saying not to use multiple connectors on a single PCI-E cable for high consumption graphics cards, and instead to use two PCI-E cables.

I have an overclocked MSI GTX 970 Gaming and I used 8+6 connectors from a single cable, is this bad?

More is always better, but even with an OC you'll be fine pulling 250W from a single cable with dual ends.

 

[Rukia]

The 520 or the 620?

620.

 

[Headfoot]

According to NewEgg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095, your unit has two 24 amp rails. The GTX 970 needs roughly a 30a~ connection according to rumor over the internets. I'm having a hard time finding a hard current number for your model though.

I'd say be safe and use both rails, so plug in the other 12v cord and use one off of each. One rail is probably going to work fine provided your CPU and GPU aren't highly overclocked on that same rail, due to the fact that Seasonic PSUs are typically very high quality and conservatively rated, but its not a lot of effort to switch it over.

 

[MrTeal]

According to NewEgg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151095, your unit has two 24 amp rails. The GTX 970 needs roughly a 30a~ connection according to rumor over the internets. I'm having a hard time finding a hard current number for your model though.

I'd say be safe and use both rails, so plug in the other 12v cord and use one off of each. One rail is probably going to work fine provided your CPU and GPU aren't highly overclocked on that same rail, due to the fact that Seasonic PSUs are typically very high quality and conservatively rated, but its not a lot of effort to switch it over.

That newegg data disagrees with Seasonic's own numbers. It might just be a regulatory thing, as the SS units don't have OCP on the individual rails.

If it did have OCP on each rail limiting it to 24A though just using another cable wouldn't help, as dual rail PSUs almost always have 12V1 dedicated to the CPU and 12V2 split to the PCIe and MB/Molex/SATA connectors.

 

[Headfoot]

Unsurprising! Good catch on that. Retailers seem to contradict with manufacturer specs more often than you'd think...