[SOLVED] Where am I supposed to buy a 6pin to 6pin PCI-E cable?

[SocJusWonder]

I recently picked up a RX 580 graphics card, It has an 8 pin connector and a 6 pin connector, from what I understand the 6 pin is technically optional unless you plan to overclock, but I'd like to get the 6 pin filled if I can. But I'm running into a problem.

My PSU (a Corsair CX 550m) Has about four plugs for PCIE cables, one of which is an 8pin plug, the others are 6 pin plugs. I only have one 8 pin plug, I have the 8 pin plug taken up by the 8pin to 6+2pin I have for the first connector, but I can't find any 6pin to 6pin or 6+2pin to 6+2pin or anything like that I could use. the only 6 pin cables I can find are 6pin to SATA cables, and I don't need that.

I found a 6pin to 6pin on https://www.moddiy.com/products/Cor...-to-6%2dPin-PCI%2dE-Modular-Cable-(30cm).html but i'm not sure if it's legit yet, and most 6pin to 6pins i find online are extension cables, and not power cables.

What am I to do?

 

[Quanticriver]

Your psu is simply not adequate to run that gpu, you can buy adapter pieces similar to the one you posted, but i would not recommend it
Using a modular cable like that is not safe

My advice is to get another psu that's up to the job

 

[SocJusWonder]

Your psu is simply not adequate to run that gpu, you can buy adapter pieces similar to the one you posted, but i would not recommend it
Using a modular cable like that is not safe

My advice is to get another psu that's up to the job

I have checked the Wattage as such on my PSU and the requirements for my Graphics card, My PSU is more than sufficient to Use the graphics card with simply the 8 pin connector, My problem is an inability to find a 6-pin to 6-pin for the optional 6 pin connection on the GPU.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I recently picked up a RX 580 graphics card, It has an 8 pin connector and a 6 pin connector, from what I understand the 6 pin is technically optional unless you plan to overclock

It is not optional.

What am I to do?

Use cable 8pin(PSU) -> 2 x 6+2pin. 6+2pin goes into 8pin on graphics card, 6pin from other connector goes into 6pin on graphics card (2pin remains hanging unconnected).

With wrong/incompatible cable you will cause damage to graphics card/motherboard.

 

[SocJusWonder]

It is not optional.

Use cable 8pin(PSU) -> 2 x 6+2pin. 6+2pin goes into 8pin on graphics card, 6pin from other connector goes into 6pin on graphics card (2pin remains hanging unconnected).

With wrong/incompatible cable you will cause damage to graphics card/motherboard.

In this case, where am I supposed to get this cable?

 

[SocJusWonder]

It is not optional.

Use cable 8pin(PSU) -> 2 x 6+2pin. 6+2pin goes into 8pin on graphics card, 6pin from other connector goes into 6pin on graphics card (2pin remains hanging unconnected).

With wrong/incompatible cable you will cause damage to graphics card/motherboard.

also, It's pretty clearly optional given that I've been using it for about three days with just the 8 pin and it's worked perfectly fine.

 

[SkyNetRising]

In this case, where am I supposed to get this cable?

You're already using this cable. The other 6+2pin connector is hanging unconnected.

 

[SkyNetRising]

also, It's pretty clearly optional given that I've been using it for about three days with just the 8 pin and it's worked perfectly fine.

It is not optional.
Running graphics card without 6pin connector connected can result in melted cables and damaged graphics card.

 

[SocJusWonder]

You're already using this cable. The other 6+2pin connector is hanging unconnected.

No? i'm using one of these
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Prem...NANX7W97QFZ&psc=1&refRID=0QQAT15G5NANX7W97QFZ

 

[SocJusWonder]

It is not optional.
Running graphics card without 6pin connector connected can result in melted cables and damaged graphics card.

first of all, how would it result in melted cables that doesn't make any sense if anything it should result in the card not booting, not getting hot enough to do that. it's less power.

and if it's not optional, then what are everyone on this thread talking about? View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/6dvm5f/rx580_8pin_or_68pin/

 

[SkyNetRising]

No? i'm using one of these

Then find original cable for your PSU.

 

[SocJusWonder]

Then find original cable for your PSU.

I lost the cables during a move, which is why i'm trying to buy replacements.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I lost the cables during a move, which is why i'm trying to buy replacements.

Corsair CP-8920179 Premium Individually Sleeved PCIe Cables With Dual Connectors, Black
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CP...TZPANSB9VTM&psc=1&refRID=EVMS1YYJDTZPANSB9VTM

 

[SocJusWonder]

Corsair CP-8920179 Premium Individually Sleeved PCIe Cables With Dual Connectors, Black
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CP...TZPANSB9VTM&psc=1&refRID=EVMS1YYJDTZPANSB9VTM

okay I bought this. still, how would not using both connectors cause cable melting or damage? there is no logical reason underpowering something would cause melting or permanent damage to me.

 

[ScrewySqrl]

it doesn't underpower but tries to pull all the power through that one cable

 

[SocJusWonder]

it doesn't underpower but tries to pull all the power through that one cable

Okay, But in that case what of everyone who attests to simply only using the 8 pin in this old reddit thread? View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/6dvm5f/rx580_8pin_or_68pin/


or the fact that there are versions of the 580 which only has an 8 pin?

 

[MadsModsat]

Just because there are versions with only one pci-e power connector required, it doesn't mean you can buy a card that is desinged to use two power connectors and decide to use only one of them. The card's power cirquitry is designed differetly, and if your card has two pci-e power connectors, it is designed to use both.

 

[SocJusWonder]

Just because there are versions with only one pci-e power connector required, it doesn't mean you can buy a card that is desinged to use two power connectors and decide to use only one of them. The card's power cirquitry is designed differetly, and if your card has two pci-e power connectors, it is designed to use both.

and what of the results here, with the exact same card and the exact same question, and the conclusion was that the worst that could happen is a crash at heavy load, and the 8 pin being all that is truly necessary especially if one undervolts (which I am doing anyway) View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/a0j97o/rx_580_red_devil_with_86pin_power_connector/

 

[MadsModsat]

I don't know why you are asking advice, if you only care for answers that confirm what you want to hear.

As long as you are also aware of these paragraphs quoted from the thread you are linking to, especially the highlighted part

"...the 8-pin and 6-pin connectors on the RX 580 Red Devil are connected in parallel which means that card has no idea if both are plugged in or only one of them is, so it is technically possible to run it with a single 6-pin. AMD cards also don't micromanage power draw like Nvidia cards do and only care about how much power is going into the GPU"

"If you want to be extra safe lower the power limit below 100% and undervolt it. "

In short - be aware that the card can draw excessive power from one connector, maybe a quality PSU made from high grade components can deliver good results, but don't be too surprised if you experience GPU / system instability or a malfunctioning / melted power connector.

They even recommend reducing the performance of your graphics card, "to be safe".
So you buy a performance GPU, but have to undeervolt etc. just because you don't want to connect a second pci-e power connector as required by the design of your specific card

 

[SocJusWonder]

I don't know why you are asking advice, if you only care for answers that confirm what you want to hear.

As long as you are also aware of these paragraphs quoted from the thread you are linking to, especially the highlighted part

"...the 8-pin and 6-pin connectors on the RX 580 Red Devil are connected in parallel which means that card has no idea if both are plugged in or only one of them is, so it is technically possible to run it with a single 6-pin. AMD cards also don't micromanage power draw like Nvidia cards do and only care about how much power is going into the GPU"

"If you want to be extra safe lower the power limit below 100% and undervolt it. "

In short - be aware that the card can draw excessive power from one connector, maybe a quality PSU made from high grade components can deliver good results, but don't be too surprised if you experience GPU instability or a malfunctioning / melted power connector.

It's not that I only want answers for "What I want to hear" It's that i'm being told that it's literally going to melt stuff in my computer, and damage the card, when that doesn't make sense, when there are no cases i'm seeing of that occuring, and in fact. I only see people saying that it is optional outside of this thread.

and don't forget that the original question was where I could get the cables I need Not if it was even possible to use just the 8 pin temporarily, which I already knew it was. Which was thankfully answered, Now i'm simply trying to verify if the stuff about damage is accurate, or if I'm safe in the moment, because i've benchmarked with this current setup and there's been no issue whatsoever, So it seems like all cases of what i'm doing being "dangerous" are anecdotal at best

 

[MadsModsat]

So just because you personally never have seen damaged PSU connectors, it doesn't happen?

It is good to hear it works now. But have you seen how many posts there are, not only here, but on all PC related forums, where people have a terrible PSU paired with a high performance GPU, and when it breaks down, they all write. I don't know what happened, it worked perfectly yesterday.

You run the risk of premature failure of your GPU or PSU, maybe even both. And when a PSU breaks, you run the risk of damage to a lot of components.

It is for you to decide if it is worth the risk, but a least people have tried to make you aware of the risk.

 

[SkyNetRising]

So it seems like all cases of what i'm doing being "dangerous" are anecdotal at best

It is anecdotal only until bad stuff happens.

Why do cables melt? Because current going through them gets higher than specification allows it.
Same thing with traces on a graphics card. If you're omitting necessary connector, remaining connectors have distribute additional current between them. Traces burn, components burn, hardware gets damaged.

You want to risk it? Well - it's your hardware. You can certainly do that.

 

[Quanticriver]

I have checked the Wattage as such on my PSU and the requirements for my Graphics card, My PSU is more than sufficient to Use the graphics card with simply the 8 pin connector, My problem is an inability to find a 6-pin to 6-pin for the optional 6 pin connection on the GPU.

(I never spoke of wattage)
Unless you can find a cable that is specifically meant for your PSU, you can never be sure that it won't give you grief afterwards

 

[Zizo007]

Don't stress the GPU with just one 8 pin as you will overload the cable and it will burn with time. If you don't play games or benchmark you will be fine until the 2x6pin to 8 pin arrives.

Your GPU can use 200W during load and a single 8 pin only provides 150W so the GPU will pull 200W from a 150W cable. You see the issue? Its like overvolting a card above safe levels which will damage it.

 

[Zizo007]

You PSU should have the required cables for an RX580, what are you missing?