Do I need to plug in the 8 pin socket on my motherboard?

[Ninjamilez]

I have an Asus Maximus VII Ranger and it has an 8 pin power connector at the top of the mother board.

What is it for and do I need to connect it to the PSU?

Also, if I do need to connect it, do I use a CPU connector? And does it matter if the pin sockets on the male end match up to the female socket? i.e. rounded male pin can go into a rounded or square female socket but not square into rounded?

Thanks,
Miles.

 

[Jake Lloyd]

Your PSU will have a 8 pin connector on it. It's usually a 6+2, or 4+4. Yes all the pins will have to match up. This is to power your CPU.

 

[jitpublisher]

Yes, it must be connected.
If your PSU does not have the correct power supply connections, your PSU is either from an OEM build, or its quite outdated, either way you will need a new PSU.

 

[Ninjamilez]

The PSU is and EVGA Super NOVA 850W

The connector is a 4+4 pin one side and an 8 pin on the other. The shape and arrangement of the pins match up on the PSU side (8-pin) but not on the motherboard side (4+4 pin) Is this an issue.

I want to make it absolutely clear that I have the right amount of connections on the PSU and enough cables. The thing I'm not sure about is, as I said above the shape and arrangement of the individual pins and the fact that they do not match up with the motherboard side.

 

[jitpublisher]

Does it plug in?

 

[Ninjamilez]

I DO NOT MEAN "Can I use a 6+2 pin instead of a 4+4 pin" for example

 

[Ninjamilez]

Does it plug in?

Yes.

 

[Jake Lloyd]

I'm kind of confused on how it "plugs in" but the pins don't line up. If i remember right, the 8 pin connector is all rounded except for pins 1 and 7, which are square (a PCI-E 8 pin power plug). In your first post you said that the rounded and square pins don't match. If they don't match then you shouldn't be able to plug it in without forcing it.

 

[Ninjamilez]

These aren't pictures of my motherboard or 4+4 pin cable. They're just to highlight what I mean by square vs rounded holes

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Tagan/SuperRock_680W_TG680-U33II/images/12v.jpg

http://i.stack.imgur.com/OZrET.jpg

Basically, reason the fit is becasue the pins on the cable that have rounded edges will fit into the holes on the motherboard that also have rounded edges but also fit into the square holes. On the other hand, I don't think the cable would've fit if a square pin on the connector lined up with a rounded hole on the motherboard.

 

[Jake Lloyd]

Ok I got ya. Yeah that's fine. That's a EPS plug and the two 4+4 plugs from your PSU are EPS. The reason they're different is because then can be used as PCI-e if needed (those are the 6+2s you have). The only difference is a PCI-e has has voltage regulation.

So use the 4+4 and you're good to go.

 

[ryan27968]

Your PSU will have a 8 pin connector on it. It's usually a 6+2, or 4+4. Yes all the pins will have to match up. This is to power your CPU.

DO NOT use a 6+2 pin. that is for graphics cards. the 4+4 is for the cpu.

 

[Ninjamilez]

Ok I got ya. Yeah that's fine. That's a EPS plug and the two 4+4 plugs from your PSU are EPS. The reason they're different is because then can be used as PCI-e if needed (those are the 6+2s you have). The only difference is a PCI-e has has voltage regulation.

So use the 4+4 and you're good to go.

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought I'd made a mistake with PSU/motherboard compatibility or something.