Question How to turn on PSU without shorting it?

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
Hello! I have a PSU, and because it lacks a connector for an old motherboard, I improvised one from a dead PSU and a sata cable but after doing it I realized that the working PSU doesn't send power to the sata cables if it is not turned on. Can anyone help me find a solution to start a PSU so it can send power to the sata lines? The 20 pin connector is also used and I cannot do the paperclip method, is there another method?
 

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
No, it doesn't, i said it wrong, sorry, I cut a sata connector on the PSU and wired the 6 pin auxiliary that the old motherboard needs but it doesnt get power because the PSU is off and I cannot turn on the MB if the auxiliary (on sata wires) doesn't get power.
 

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
I'm expecting to see a small mushroom cloud from the back of your PC.
=) I am actually thinking that too but I don't have any other solution and I really want to get that motherboard working, it has a 20 pin ATX power connector and a 6 pin AT power connector, with 3 grounds, 2 3.3V lines and one for 5V. I don't know where to find a PSU with those connectors, or even an adapter.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
=) I am actually thinking that too but I don't have any other solution and I really want to get that motherboard working, it has a 20 pin ATX power connector and a 6 pin AT power connector, with 3 grounds, 2 3.3V lines and one for 5V. I don't know where to find a PSU with those connectors, or even an adapter.
You have 2 options:

1. Do this, and carry a significant risk of it blowing up.
2. Don't do this.
 
=) I am actually thinking that too but I don't have any other solution and I really want to get that motherboard working, it has a 20 pin ATX power connector and a 6 pin AT power connector, with 3 grounds, 2 3.3V lines and one for 5V. I don't know where to find a PSU with those connectors, or even an adapter.
Most 24-pin connectors can break off the 4 pins at the end to plug into a 20-pin on. Barring that, you can just plug a 24-pin connector in a 20-pin plug anyway assuming the shell isn't thick.

You're also not going to find a PSU mixing AT and ATX specs. Just get the correct PSU for the job.
 

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
Most 24-pin connectors can break off the 4 pins at the end to plug into a 20-pin on. Barring that, you can just plug a 24-pin connector in a 20-pin plug anyway assuming the shell isn't thick.

You're also not going to find a PSU mixing AT and ATX specs. Just get the correct PSU for the job.
I have also tried finding a PSU that has both connectors but I cannot find any. Thanks for the help anyways.
 

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
You're going to lose more mutilating the PSU blowing everything up vs just getting a proper one.
Yes, but I cannot find any PSU that has the connector anywhere in my country nor any adapter, the last option is to buy a motherboard that doesn't have the connector but still has Slot 1 for pentium 3.
 
Yes, but I cannot find any PSU that has the connector anywhere in my country nor any adapter, the last option is to buy a motherboard that doesn't have the connector but still has Slot 1 for pentium 3.
Last I checked all Pentium III boards were ATX. Heck I have a Pentium II board that uses ATX.

If you're trying to wire an AT PSU to an ATX board, stop. Just buy a cheap ATX power supply and call it a day.
 
That is NOT the same as either AT power connector. It's an ATX Aux power connector primarily designed to supply 3.3v and 5v for those Slot-1 and Slot-A CPUs that drew most of their power from lower voltages, and the common thing to do nowadays is just to use an adapter:
s-l500.jpg

Because the 20-pin input is floating in free space there's plenty of room to plug a 24-pin into it, even if the 4 extra pins don't detach.
 

CiprianColegu

Prominent
Nov 30, 2022
24
0
510
Thanks everyone for the answers, I have found adapters for it but the site looks sketchy and it's old. I will keep on searching for a PSU that has the 6 pin AUX connector and the 20 pin one. The PSU I have only has the 20+4pins but it doesn't start without the aux connector plugged in.