Are PSU to SATA internal power cables usually compatible between brands?

[AMcDermott]

Are PSU to SATA internal power cables usually compatible between different PSU brands?

I'm talking about the cable that runs from the PSU to the SATA disk power input - can I use one from an EVGA GS 550w with a Seasonic or vice versa?

 

[Archaic59]

In many cases the plugs are a little different between modular power supply brands and are not compatible.

 

[AMcDermott]

If the plugs are compatible (they fit) is the wiring? I don't want to blow a disk testing it.

 

[unksol]

There's no way to know without looking at the wiring. You might fry something and is NOT recommended.

 

[Archaic59]

If the plugs are compatible (they fit) is the wiring? I don't want to blow a disk testing it.

Yes, the wiring all has to conform to the same ATX 12volt specs. The only caveat there is that some cheaper companies use thinner wire.

 

[AMcDermott]

Hmm. I wasn't even thinking of the thinner wiring...

What I was mainly wondering about is if the connectors are wired into the same ports (if that's the right word) at the PSU end.

Obviously at the disk end they must be in a particular order specified by the SATA specification, but at the PSU end is there an adherence to standard layout?

 

[Archaic59]

Hmm. I wasn't even thinking of the thinner wiring...

What I was mainly wondering about is if the connectors are wired into the same ports (if that's the right word) at the PSU end.

Obviously at the disk end they must be in a particular order specified by the SATA specification, but at the PSU end is there an adherence to standard layout?

I don't have a definitive answer for that. If you can't find out don't try it.

 

[AMcDermott]

I don't have a definitive answer for that. If you can't find out don't try it.

Yep. That's precisely why I'm posting here.

 

[pauls3743]

As someone who has quite a few modular and semi-modular power supplies from different manufacturers, you're walking into a minefield. The connectors that connect to the motherboard , hard drives, graphics cards and any PC side peripherals all use standard connectors.

However, the connections on the power supply end are bespoke. Generally the connections from the same manufacturer use the same pin-outs, but this isn't always the case, for one of my power supplies I bought a short cable set only to find the power supply had been updated and short cable set was for the older power supply, a new short cable set had to be sought. I've found that the different manufacturers go to a number of different lengths to make their cables incompatible with each other. This can range from using different shapes and sizes of connections to using connections with different numbers of pins or using different combinations of plugs to build up the ATX power cable to wiring the connections differently. The popular one I've seen is to use 6-pin connections for the hard drives and optical drive but mix up the locations of the power and ground wires within the connections. If you do use the wrong cable on your power supply the best case scenario is that nothing happens, worst case is you fry something because you're delivering power, or too much power, somewhere you shouldn't be.

I do know there are manufacturers who make bespoke braided cables to either replace their current modular cables or to extend existing cables. You got to make sure if you're getting one of these replacement cable sets that it is compatible with your power supply. The extension cables are a lot easier as they simply extend what is already a standard cable (the pc end of the cable). This is mostly for the people who are into lazily modding their pc. Real modder do it themselves 😉

TLDR: They try their best to make the power supply end connections incompatible. Use only the cables that came with your power supply or 3rd cables that are certified to work with it.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Yeah the modular cables aren't always electrically compatible (if that's what you're trying to ask). You don't want your 12V yellow wire being plugged into a 5V unknowingly, for instance, or a ground.