PSU to SATA cables, had short circuit w/ 3 pin molex and can't find workaround

[DragonGunner]

Hi guys!

I'm rebuilding my PC (after flying with it from Europe) and while I thought I had all my cables, I'm short on a way to power 3 of my drives. My Seasonic PSU is semi-modular - the available ports are 6 pin ports for SATA / IDE. I've got Molex to SATA, and had a 6 pin to Molex... but the 6 pin leads into a 3 pin Molex, which caused my computer to fail to POST (bc of SCP, I believe). I tried rearranging the pins in the 3p Molex (moving the red to the right, instead of being right of center), but when I powered up my PC it began smoking.

The major problem is that I can't find a 6 pin to 4 pin Molex (male) anywhere online - I've searched Amazon, Newegg, and my local store, BHPhoto. Every 6-pin to Molex I've found is the same, 3 pins. The cables I do have are one SATA to Molex male, (two) Y Molex female to 2 SATA female, and (one) Y Molex male to 2 Molex Female. All the Molex connections on the cables I have are 4 pin. I'd really prefer not to spend a gajillion dollars on cables, but any solution you guys have, or any appropriate product you can find would be immensely appreciated. I've been trying to get this PC back up and running for too long - it's hurting my work life.

Eagerly awaiting a reply. Thanks.

 

[BFG-9000]

At this point finding the correct adapter cable sounds like the least of your worries because you may have sent 5v (the red wire) into the GPU's ground circuitry, possibly destroying it and your PCIe slot on the motherboard. Or, anything else powered by that "6-pin." Hence the loss of magic smoke.

The reason molex to PCIe adapters only actually use 3 wires is because PCIe only uses 12v, which is yellow. When you search for such adapters you find cables for powering a PCIe GPU from one or more molexes, and they don't use 5v.

If you are referring to the 6-pin end of modular cables, then they are not interchangeable between brands or even models of PSUs from the same brand because there is no standard pinout on the PSU end. And while the PSU manufacturer may have used conveniently available commercial PCIe connectors for this end they are definitely not for PCIe.

 

[DragonGunner]

At this point finding the correct adapter cable sounds like the least of your worries because you may have sent 5v (the red wire) into the GPU's ground circuitry, possibly destroying it and your PCIe slot on the motherboard. Or, anything else powered by that "6-pin." Hence the loss of magic smoke.

The reason molex to PCIe adapters only actually use 3 wires is because PCIe only uses 12v, which is yellow. When you search for such adapters you find cables for powering a PCIe GPU from one or more molexes, and they don't use 5v.

If you are referring to the 6-pin end of modular cables, then they are not interchangeable between brands or even models of PSUs from the same brand because there is no standard pinout on the PSU end. And while the PSU manufacturer may have used conveniently available commercial PCIe connectors for this end they are definitely not for PCIe.

"Luckily" the magic smoke was from my tiny ancient SSD, which only holds the OS. I do want to clarify though, that the 6 pin socket in question very clearly says that it's for SATA/IDE, as can be seen here, albeit upside down, and I'm 100% certain the smoke was only from the melted GND wire. If the SSD is fried, so be it, but meanwhile I'd really like to be able to at least reach BIOS - which I can do, currently, but only when three of my 5 drives are unpowered.

Can you help me find an appropriate adapter? Alternately, how many 3.5" drives can be powered from a single (daisy chained) 5v@25A connection?

 

[Karadjgne]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from DragonGunner : "How many HDDs can I connect on one SATA power line?"

Hi guys, I'm at a loss bc my semi-modular PSU (for which I may have tossed some vital cables) doesn't have the connectors to power my HDDs (+1 SSD). The non-modular cable had 2 SATA power ports, but I've got another 3 drives (a 2.5" SSD, a 2.5" laptop HDD, and a 3.5" 2TB HDD) that are absolutely essential and currently unpowered.

My PSU has mini 6 pin slots for SATA/IDE, but nowhere can I find a 6 pin to SATA or 6 pin to 4 pin Molex - which would work, but all I can find is 6 pin to 3 pin Molex, which either results in short circuit protection kicking in, or magic smoke. All the 6-molex I can find have 3 pins on the Molex (SCP), and moving the red cable to the side (to pin 4 from 3) results in smoke and a burnt ground wire.

The PSU (whose model can be seen in my signature text) supports 5v@25a on the 6 pin slots, and (presumably) the same on the integrated SATA power cable. I have three 3.5" HDDs (two 1TB and one 2TB), a 64GB SSD, and a 2.5" 500GB HDD salvaged from a laptop.

My question is, can all those drives be daisy chained on the same SSD power line? Alternately, does anyone have the slightest idea where I can find a 6 pin to 4 pin Molex or 6 pin to SATA cable?

As it stands currently, my computer can POST and get to BIOS without issue, but the unpowered SSD contains my OS, and the two other unpowered drives store all my games and work files. Please, PLEASE respond with a viable solution (rather than telling me how *** I am, which I know very well thankyou) or compatible power cable.

Thanks much,
DragonGunner

<Language, please>

There are custom Seasonic power cables at ModDIY. There are entire Seasonic cable sets on eBay.

I don’t recommend splitter cables hor hard drives but Star-Tech makes great kit. Give the cable below a try:

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Power-Splitter-Adapter-PYO4SATA/dp/B0086OGN9E

Sata hdds use both 5v+ and 12v (red and yellow) so I'm guessing that setting the wrong voltage into the wrong pinout is going to create smoke and burned grounds. Hopefully there's been no internal damage by over-voltage while you were experimenting.