6+2 PCI-E Polarity Wrong?

[timeconsumer]

This is probably nothing, but my paranoia is getting the best of me. I'm assembling a build for someone right now that includes an R9 390. This card needs a 6-pin and an 8-pin. The EVGA 850w B2 PSU has plenty of 6+2 pin PCI-E connectors, no big deal right? Well....

If you look at the pins they are not shaped the same on the +2 portion. The receptacle looks like most other 6+2 pins where the +2 section is a square pin over a rounded one. However my EVGA 6+2s are a round over a round on the +2 side. WTF? I know they are both ground wires, and I can fit the round peg in the square hole. But I really don't feel like catching things on fire if I can avoid it.

I can't for the life of me figure out why both are rounded.

 

[clutchc]

Odd indeed. Btw, I don't think both are grounds. One row should be +12V and one row ground (clip side). Is that not how the PCIe power cables are wired?

 

[whassup]

Are you sure that power cable is PCI-E 8 pin and not the 8 Pin EPS cable ?

 

[clutchc]

Are you sure that power cable is PCI-E 8 pin and not the 8 Pin EPS cable ?

The 8 pin CPU cable would be split 4+4, not 6+2.

 

[timeconsumer]

100% it's the PCI-E cable (labeled VGA and I have 4 of them).

They both appear to be grounds (black wire). Top row is 3 yellow+1 black. Bottom row (clip side) is 3 black + 1 black.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

It's unlikely, but if this is a modular power supply could you have installed the cable backwards?

 

[timeconsumer]

It's unlikely, but if this is a modular power supply could you have installed the cable backwards?

I didn't. I'm actually not even using the modular cables I'm using the hardwired ones (semi-modular PSU).

Odd thing about it though, if I look at the modular PCI-E cables the PSU side is square over round (both ground wires) while the GPU side is the same as the one pictured above. Perplexed.

 

[cst1992]

It seems the cable you've pictured is faulty. It may not be an issue, but here is a picture of a PCI-E 8-pin cable:

Looking at that, it indeed is the case that the top part is round, and the bottom is square. Both are black cables too, though.

 

[timeconsumer]

I'm sure there is something wrong with my cable, I just don't know if it is merely a problem with the shape of the plastic or if there is a problem with the wiring. And even then, how long has EVGA been shipping units like this? How could I be the first to notice this?

I know I can fit the plug in, but it really makes me nervous with that round over round deal, even if they are both grounds. I put in a thread on EVGA's forum, but they probably won't be able to help me much though since all these were manufactured by Super Flower.

 

[Gam3r01]

There is nothing wrong, the connection can be either round or square if the port is square, it dosent matter.
By making the plug round they can ensure it will fit in any port, round or square.

 

[RobCrezz]

There is nothing wrong, the connection can be either round or square if the port is square, it dosent matter.
By making the plug round they can ensure it will fit in any port, round or square.

Exactly this.

 

[clutchc]

Hey! I learned something today. Didn't know that the round connector was a universal shape. Makes sense. Thanks.

@ timeconsumer
You can verify by testing the voltage between the top row and bottom row of wires. Should be ~+12v between any yellows and any blacks. 0 volts between like-color wires.

 

[timeconsumer]

Hey! I learned something today. Didn't know that the round connector was a universal shape. Makes sense. Thanks.

@ timeconsumer
You can verify by testing the voltage between the top row and bottom row of wires. Should be ~+12v between any yellows and any blacks. 0 volts between like-color wires.

Yeah, I figured that was probably the case, but I had never seen or heard of anything like it before and my paranoid personality kicked in.

And I don't own a multimeter.

I'll update with a final 100% answer when I get home tonight and plug her in.

 

[Gam3r01]

I have the 750w B2, and my 760 has the exact same pinout, 1 6 pin 1 8 pin all in the same shapes as yours.

 

[cst1992]

I don't own a multimeter.

You could get one; it's pretty cheap. I don't think it'll be more than a couple of dollars at most.

 

[clutchc]

Don't buy a cheap multimeter. That's worse than not having one. You get what you pay for when it comes to electronic testing instruments.

 

[junkeymonkey]

like what this guy ran into here ??

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2892285/problem-connecting-asus-strix-gtx970-evga-supernova-750.html

being a quality psu like evga I don't get why they used 2 rounded and not the true keyed rounded and square as normal ?? like I joked evga must like the round peg in the square hole

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2892285/problem-connecting-asus-strix-gtx970-evga-supernova-750.html

I mean how hard or more expense could it be to give you the correctly keyed plug ??

 

[timeconsumer]

^ Pretty much. I was just so perplexed by this because I couldn't really think of any reason why they would intentionally use two rounded ones when I have never seen a GPU with that configuration. BTW i still haven't plugged it in and turned it on yet, been really busy. I'll update tonight hopefully.

 

[junkeymonkey]

they found a heck of a deal on them to pass the savings on to you ??? but still it can only go in the one way anyway [of course you could still force it in wrong ] the round part will fit in the full square female but the square part of the male should not fit the rounded part of the female

but ya, I found that to be ''cheap'' on evga's part / behalf

 

[timeconsumer]

Well, it starts. Problem Solved.

Of course a whole new problem has reared its head now. I'll be starting a new thread if I can't figure that one out.

 

[cst1992]

Of course a whole new problem has reared its head now. I'll be starting a new thread if I can't figure that one out.

Which is?

 

[timeconsumer]

Of course a whole new problem has reared its head now. I'll be starting a new thread if I can't figure that one out.

Which is?

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2894774/gpu-signal-wit-end.html