Do any sata drives use the 3.3volts from the plug?

[nukemaster]

Topic.

I want to use 4 to 15 pin adapters(and re-attach the plugs in the right places) so i can get 90degree sata power cables. This will leave me without the 3.3volt line. None of my current drives use it, but will new drives start to? Do server class drives use it? Raptors?

I know i can mod my PSU to do it, but i would rather not void the warentee on the PSU just yet.

Thanks in advance.

 

[enlightenment]

Molex connectors, as well as Serial ATA power connectors, do not have a 3.3V line, they only have:

0V (black)
+5V (red)
+12V (yellow)

 

[nukemaster]

There is
Red - 5VDC
Yellow - 12VDC
Orange - 3.3VDC (not used on PATA to SATA addapters, and thus the reason for the question)
Black - Negative Ground(common)

Molex(PATA) to sata adapters just do not give 3.3, because it is not there to give. Native sata does. As long as no drives use it then its all good, but i would hate to plug in a drive down the line and have it not work because i did not rob 3.3volts from somewhere.

the last slot for the 3.3 is clearly there on the plug, however there is no power running to it.

native sata with the 3.3volts

you learn something new every day

@beerandcandy
So any clue why they added it to the standard? Just to make me ask?

 

[nukemaster]

BUMP?

You have to be careful about SATA power cables. Some of them are missing the 3.3 volt wire. People with older power supplies often use adapters which convert from 4 pin peripheral cables to SATA power cables. But since 4 pin peripheral connectors only supply 5 and 12 volts, the SATA connector is missing 3.3 volts. There are also some power supplies which have SATA power cables which are missing the 3.3 volt wire (although I can't figure out why since the power supplies have 3.3 volts available). Currently (June 2006), all SATA drives use only 5 and 12 volts. Eventually drives may show up which use the 3.3 volt wire so you need to be careful.

Seems rather safe, but i would like a second opinion on this. Could 2.5 inch drives use the 3.3 since they do not use 12(at least PATA ones do not)?

 

[nukemaster]

Bump....

Its upside down
The cable is done now I just need to make one more.

 

[enlightenment]

BUMP?
Seems rather safe, but i would like a second opinion on this. Could 2.5 inch drives use the 3.3 since they do not use 12(at least PATA ones do not)?

I know no drives who use 3.3V, also no 2,5" disks. You can check the tech specs though for power requirements, it will list only 5V and 12V. So you do not need the orange plug. Maybe it is added for future usage, but for now i think no harddrive producer will use them since that would mean their product runs on few computers. And they have no interest in doing that.

 

[nukemaster]

Why didn't i think of that? The damn label sits right in front of me and it is easy to check on new drives.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

you only need 3.3 volts on sata harddrive ifyour gone use it as plug and play. if you gona install windows on it you don;t need it your good even without 3.3 volts. but you will need 3.3 volts if you want to use sata hot plug and play feature in windows if you plug secondary harddrive. if you don;t have 3.3 volts all u gota do is turn off pC and then connect the harddrive like you do IDE hardrives.

 

[nukemaster]

Interesting....

I used to hot plug on my old Sata 150 (on a via of all things)

Back then i never had 3.3(Antec TP380s with an adapter)...

Ohh well, I will keep an eye out for power requirements for all future drives.

 

[Salvador Flores]

I have a Seagate 1Tb SATA Hard drive that was randomly fault because an SATA power adapter without orange cable, when plunging hard drive to a power supply with full SATA cables the problem dissapear.