[SOLVED] Missing Modular PCIe Cables, is buying replacement cables safe?

[mark520fay35]

I have a Thermaltake TR2 RX 500 PSU, I’m trying to power a R9 380 GPU.
As seen in the photo below, I don’t have a PCIe cable. I’m considering to buy a modular PCIe cable from eBay, but I don't know if PSU cables are interchangeable between brands.
Should I buy modular cables from eBay?

 

[siaan312]

yeah that will work just fine dont worry about it

 

[Gam3r01]

PSU cables are absolutely not interchangeable between brands, generic or not.
You need a new PSU. If it dosent have the required connections its a great sign its not up to the task of running the card.
Also of note, Thermaltakes TR2 line is bottom of the barrel bad.

 

[jonnyguru]

I have a Thermaltake TR2 RX 500 PSU, I’m trying to power a R9 380 GPU.
As seen in the photo below, I don’t have a PCIe cable. I’m considering to buy a modular PCIe cable from eBay, but I don't know if PSU cables are interchangeable between brands.
Should I buy modular cables from eBay?

Glad I could come and chime in before you burned your house down.

Different cables from different brands are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE!!!!!

Some times, even the same company will have different pin-outs when you go from one model series to another.

So... other than the obvious "these cables aren't Thermaltake cables", let's look at the options you've listed.

#1: That has an 8-pin that plugs into the PSU. Does your PSU have an 8-pin for PCIe? No. It has a 6-pin. It will not work.

#2: That is a adapter cable to adat one 8-pin PCIe to two 5-pin PCIe's. If you don't even have the PCIe cable in the first place, you can't use an adapter.

Now here is where I have to be brutally honest.... That PSU is TEN YEARS OLD. And it wasn't a very good PSU when it was new 10 years ago. I HIGHLY DOUBT you'll find a cable for it. And even if you do, it's not going to work well. There's only six pins on the PSU. Not 8 like modular PSUs have today. It cannot support much power. An R9 380 needs TWO 8-pin PCIe connections. That PSU was NEVER made to support that.

So chuck the PSU and get one that was made to support a graphics card made in the last decade. ;-)

 

[vov4ik_il]

If the pinout is the same, they are 10000000% interchangeable. Easy to check by colors or ring with a multimeter if you have the original cables.

 

[MadsModsat]

If the pinout is the same, they are 10000000% interchangeable.

That's exactly the point, not all PSUs share same pin out.

I had one Seasonic based PSU until recently, when I bought a newer model. I had had custom cables made for my original Seasonic platform PSU. Hoping to continue using the custom cables, I contacted the manufacturer, and eventhough I had two almost identcal PSU from the same manufacturer, the modular cables was not interchangeble.

Of course PSUs with identical pin outs can share cables, but it is difficult to find out, what exact pin out it is. It is usually not described in the general information regarding a PSU

So it is a bit risky saying they are compatible as earlier in this thread, without including that fact that it depends on an identical layout, which is not given for any brand or model, except exact make and model

 

[vov4ik_il]

Of course PSUs with identical pin outs can share cables, but it is difficult to find out, what exact pin out it is. It is usually not described in the general information regarding a PSU

Not that difficult if you have a multimeter. Just plug the cables and measure what comes from the sockets on the other end against what it should be before you connect it to something. To power it on without anything connected just connect power-on pin to any of the grounds using a paper clip or wire.

 

[MadsModsat]

It is possible, I never suggested otherwise.
Just make sure to find a trustworthy shop, which provides detaild info about their replacement cables configuration on a compatibility chart perhaps. I've seen that on several stores that make high end cables, but i suspect you won't find many low priced cables with that info readily available. It could probably be researched, but some people would likely not put that much effort into it

So yes, if you take the neccessary precautions, it is certainly possible, I never denied that.

What I was actually intending to focus on, is that I find the advice provided earlier, saying that any cables will be just fine regardless, is borderline malicious (even despite good intentions), since OP - pretending he or she would just buy the first cbales they come across in good faith - actually risk damaging expensive hardware, if the pin layout was in fact different - which wouldn't be unlikely. No warranty would come into play either

I never said impossible, and it wasn't my intention to say much about that really, but when making recommendations concerning hardware that can make everything go really bad quickly, you should at least make sure you don't mislead the one asking for advice, or give an in depth explanation to make OP aware of possible exceptions to that advice so he or she can make a well thought out decision.

 

[vov4ik_il]

It is possible, I never suggested otherwise.

I am not arguing, just supplementing 🙃

 

[MadsModsat]

I thought I might have failed to properly say what I wanted, english is not my first language, and sometimes my choice of words is not exactly perfect.

You provided good information, and even if OP doesn't go down that path, your information will most likely be useful for someone at some point in the future, I often come across 10 year old threads, which turns out to solve some strange issue. I've actually made sure to save your chart, it might come in handy some other time

But I was just afraid I had explained myself poorly, and I didn't want to come across all wrong

 

[jonnyguru]

I am not arguing, just supplementing 🙃

Your "supplementing" is not useful considering the OP doesn't know the difference between one cable or another.

You're correct, however. You can check the pinout with a DMM and you can rearrange pins. But that's neither here nor there as OP has a 10 year old PSU that can't support his new graphics card. Your contributions are a moot point regardless.