Question FORTRON FSP400-62PFG PSU with GTX 960

[schlumpf2]

Hello,

So have this 400W psu from FORTRON (FSP400-62PFG) out of a small business server. It seems like a quality psu (Active PFC, TÜV approved), and I would like to run a minimalistic system with a 95W cpu, a hard disk and the afore mentioned gtx 960 with it.
The problem is, it has no pcie-connector. So I would have to use an adapter with the two only molex-connectors it has and convert them to a 6pin. A 400w psu is the minimal recommended psu for a gtx 960. But I am not sure if mine would be strong enough.

I have found an ebay add of the exact same psu I have and a photo of the sticker with the data (https://www.ebay.de/itm/FSP-Group-FSP400-62PFG-400-Watt-ATX-Netzteil-117158-/113659932370).

Help would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[Darkbreeze]

There are no professional reviews I can find of that unit, and it looks to be an older FSP model. So, FSP has historically had some really crappy units, and only in the last few years or so have they upped their game considerably. That fact coupled with the fact that this no PCI/PEG connector on there would lead me to offer you a resounding no on the question of whether or not to use it with your GTX 960, and additionally that GPU card comes with a recommendation for a 430w or higher unit anyhow. So even if that was a very good unit, you would probably technically have sufficient capacity but you'd be running very close to the edge with no or little overhead for comfort when it comes to efficiency, noise or spikes.

More important though is the fact that using adapters for power supplies that don't come with the required six or eight pin connectors is ALWAYS a bad idea. A PSU that does not have a specific connector, does not have one for a REASON. That reason is, it probably cannot reasonably support that connection, because if it could, it would have it.

 

[schlumpf2]

Well, not the answer I hoped for, but thanks anyway.
I thought the reason for the missing pcie-connector might be that the psu is/was mainly used in small business computers / servers which have no need for a strong gpu.

I am still tempted to try it out (because I am a miserly geezer) but I am a little afraid that I will wreck the system. Could that happen? Some years ago I accidentally built in a gpu in a system with a too weak psu, but the only result was that the computer turned off when the gpu demanded too much power from the psu.

Thanks

 

[Darkbreeze]

There could be any number of results from, nothing, to PSU shorts out and takes everything with it.

Obviously, that would not be the typical result, but it IS certainly a result we have seen before from Frankensystems that have been modified or otherwise adapted in regard to PSU connections that were not expressly built into the power supply by design.

Are there people who successfully run adapted power supplies without catastrophic results? Assuredly, there are.

Are there people who toast the whole system trying to do this because the unit is one that does not have the required connections, has poor protections and is incapable of sustaining or even producing the desired capacity? Assuredly, there are.

Your system, your dice. Roll them however you wish. My advice however would be to spend the money on a unit that was designed to do what you want. I cannot, ever, see taking any risk, however small, over a less than fifty dollar investment.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: Corsair - CX (2017) 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($45.29 @ Newegg)
Total: $45.29
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-04-23 15:41 EDT-0400


Or if this is a system running an AMD platform, or an Intel platform older than Haswell 4th Gen (Or if you understand that using a group regulated power supply on 4th Gen or newer Intel platforms requires that you disable the C6/C7 low power states in the BIOS) then you could even get by with this otherwise decent quality unit.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic - S12III 450 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($36.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $36.98
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-04-23 15:43 EDT-0400

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Gold 450 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($64.90 @ Amazon)
Total: $64.90
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-04-23 17:00 EDT-0400