Question How do I connect two 4+4-pin EPS cables into an 8+4-pin motherboard connector?

[revorure43]

Hello, I am quite a newbie and I'm not finding a definitive answer to my question specificially, and my motherboard manual is extremely sparse—I'm really sorry if I am explaining this poorly and I hope this isn't too confusing.

Essentially I am trying to connect two 4+4-pin EPS12V cables into my motherboard's 8+4-pin connector, and I'm wondering whether there is a certain order the cables need to be in or whether I'm safe and A-OK as long as the cables are in the right orientation and physically fit.

4+4-pin cables are keyed differently to the motherboard's connector by design, so that they are compatible across several components, with some D-shaped pins inserting into square holes. This is where my confusion enters as because of the modularity of the EPS cables, they physically fit in a couple ways if you swap their order/position.

For example, I can match the shapes of the 4-pin motherboard connector with one half of my other 4+4 cable, but I can also go with the other half which is ONLY D-shaped pins, which fits just as well. Should I match the shapes or is there any difference as to how they are connected and which 4-pin wire is left dangling?

For context, my motherboard is the MSI Pro B660M-A and PSU Seasonic Focus GX850W, and this is the layout on my motherboard (1), (2).

These are the 4+4-pin cables and their keys.

And this is how I am able to connect my cables naturally with a click in the correct orientation, in their neutral position, and no force.

Thanks for your patience!


EDIT: So just to be clear to any other visitors, my guess is that I just put the 4+4 cable into the 8-pin, and the matching half of the other 4+4 cable into the 4-pin connector.

I just want to be 100% sure that I don't fry any components by mistake lol

 

[kanewolf]

Hello, I am quite a newbie and I'm not finding a definitive answer to my question specificially, and my motherboard manual is extremely sparse—I'm really sorry if I am explaining this poorly and I hope this isn't too confusing.

Essentially I am trying to connect 2x 4+4-pin EPS12V cables into my motherboard's 8+4-pin connector, and I'm wondering whether there is a certain order the cables need to be in or whether I'm safe and A-OK as long as the cables are in the right orientation and physically fit.

To my understanding, being 4+4-pin cables, they are keyed differently to the motherboard's connector by design, so that they are compatible across several components, with some odd-shaped square pins entering solid square holes.

This is where my confusion enters as because of the modularity of the EPS cables, they physically fit in a couple ways if you twist their order/position.

For example, technically I am able to match the shapes of the 4-pin motherboard connector with one of the 4-pin wires on the second 4+4 cable by changing the order/position of them, instead of connecting them in their neutral position with ONLY odd-shaped square pins plugging into the 4-pin connector which is a mix of solid squares and odd-shaped squares. Should I match the shapes or is there any difference as to how they are connected and which 4-pin wire is left dangling?

For context, my motherboard is the MSI Pro B660M-A and PSU Seasonic Focus GX850W, and this is the layout on my motherboard (1), (2).

These are the PSU 4+4-pin cables and their keys.

And this is how I am able to connect my cables naturally with a click in the correct orientation, in their neutral position, and no force (with the 4-pin wire dangling that would match the shapes of the 4-pin connector on the motherboard).

Thanks for patience!

One 4+4 to the 8 pin and one 4 pin to the 4 pin.

 

[revorure43]

One 4+4 to the 8 pin and one 4 pin to the 4 pin.

Right! So one 4+4 goes in the 8-pin as it fits, and a 4-pin from the other 4+4 goes in the 4-pin—it does not matter which half I choose as they both physically fit? i.e the half which matches the shapes vs. the half which is only D-shaped?