News Custom CableMod 16-Pin Power Adapter Melts on RTX 4090

[Admin]

CableMod's 12VHPWR cable adapter melts, set to be replaced by manufacturer.

Custom CableMod 16-Pin Power Adapter Melts on RTX 4090 : Read more

 

[TechieTwo]

While fully connecting the plug is quite important no one has confirmed this is the real or only issue with melting power connectors. on the RTX 4090 and other models.

 

[2Be_or_Not2Be]

The original design specs should have required a locking connector to ensure it's secured & seated fully. Still basically Nvidia's fault here, although they'll never own up to it.

 

[InvalidError]

No amount of aftermarket wiring will save people from plugging their connectors half-way in.

While fully connecting the plug is quite important no one has confirmed this is the real or only issue with melting power connectors. on the RTX 4090 and other models.

Since you can chop half the connector off and still get no meltdown when the remaining half is fully connected, it seems exceedingly unlikely that there is any other significant issue.

 

[TJ Hooker]

The original design specs should have required a locking connector to ensure it's secured & seated fully. Still basically Nvidia's fault here, although they'll never own up to it.

The 12VHPWR connector does have a locking mechanism.

 

[rz350lc]

If the locking mechanisms were on the ends it would have to be inserted properly to lock.

 

[InvalidError]

The 12VHPWR connector does have a locking mechanism.

A retention tab isn't much of a locking mechanism. He likely meant something with a more positive locking action such as cam-lock levers similar to some DIMM slots where the levers cannot engage the retention notches until the connector is all the way in to make them line up.

 

[Viking2121]

Yeah, them connectors need an overhaul, yeah I know its user error not plugging them in fully, but there needs to be a way to make the user plug them in fully for it to even work to avoid this issue to begin with.

 

[umeng2002_2]

The issue with the new plug is that locking mechanism is much smaller, so it's harder to see and/ or hear it snap into place. With black plastic, in a dark case, close to a heatsink, it's very hard to even get a good view of the two mating surfaces to verify that they are all the way in.

 

[Elrabin]

Yeah, them connectors need an overhaul, yeah I know its user error not plugging them in fully, but there needs to be a way to make the user plug them in fully for it to even work to avoid this issue to begin with.

PCIe SIG has already changed the adapter / cable spec so that if it's not 100% mated, it will throw an error and not power the card.

• PCI-SIG is revising the connector
  • "The currently planned changes will only affect the four Sense Pins, but they are quite a real solution. Due to the shortening of the contacts, the sense pins only become contactable when the plug has been fully inserted"
  • "this means that the graphics card will no longer start without the first two sense pins being assigned or recognized. Only PCI SIG itself knows why this was not planned from the outset. If, in a second step, the shape of the connector housings could be corrected by specifying beveled or chamfered edges, a large part of the problems on the customer side would automatically disappear"

Link to the reddit megathread

 

[Amdlova]

Secure the connector with gaming zip ties lol.
The old 8 pin connector is alot better

 

[TJ Hooker]

PCIe SIG has already changed the adapter / cable spec so that if it's not 100% mated, it will throw an error and not power the card.

• PCI-SIG is revising the connector
  • "The currently planned changes will only affect the four Sense Pins, but they are quite a real solution. Due to the shortening of the contacts, the sense pins only become contactable when the plug has been fully inserted"
  • "this means that the graphics card will no longer start without the first two sense pins being assigned or recognized. Only PCI SIG itself knows why this was not planned from the outset. If, in a second step, the shape of the connector housings could be corrected by specifying beveled or chamfered edges, a large part of the problems on the customer side would automatically disappear"

Link to the reddit megathread

Igorslab (the source of that quote from the reddit thread) is wrong in their assessment of the ECN (engineering change notice) regarding the sense pins. The ECN is about extending the length of the shroud (i.e. plastic housing) of the sense pins in the direction away from the receptacle on the graphics card. It has nothing to do with shortening the sense pins/changing the sense contacts. Unless there's a 2nd ECN that I'm not seeing in PCI SIG document vault.

 

[hgbugalou]

Am I the only one who thinks it's absolutely wild and frankly unacceptable that Nvidia designed and is selling a card with this kind of power draw and price point without a far better engineered power connector? What they went with is barely better (and the is questionable and only based on density) than the older 8 pin pcie connector. For 2 grand we should be getting a plug with all metal housing that has positive clamping pressure provided by a locking mechanism that is manually engaged by the installer.