Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: cav58d on February 16, 2017, 09:46:17 AM

Title: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: cav58d on February 16, 2017, 09:46:17 AM
Trying to make sense of what lose wires I have remaining in my computer.  The 6 prong blue is obviously PCI Express.  Trying to identify the 2 prong blue, Large 4 prong black (Molex?) small 4 prong black, and then in the second pic the large black.  Is that SATA?

Also, what would you call all this stuff?  Wiring bundle?  This is all standard off a power supply?

Thanks for the education!

(http://[url=https://postimg.org/image/54mw0p8g9/][img]https://s4.postimg.org/6wfuvlrt9/IMG_3973.jpg)[/url]upload gif from url (https://postimage.org/)[/img]

(https://s4.postimg.org/6wfuvlrt9/IMG_3973.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/54mw0p8g9/)upload gif from url (https://postimage.org/)

(http://[url=https://postimg.org/image/md07fcz3t/][img]https://s12.postimg.org/n2izrpznh/IMG_3974.jpg)[/url]image free hosting (https://postimage.org/)[/img]

(https://s12.postimg.org/n2izrpznh/IMG_3974.jpg) (https://postimg.org/image/md07fcz3t/)image free hosting (https://postimage.org/)
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Skuzzy on February 16, 2017, 09:57:54 AM
That blue one, with the additional 2 pins is usually ear marked for the motherboard.  Some motherboards need 6 some need 8 pins.  There can be two sets of these types of connections on a motherboard (one right next to the main plug, and another near the external connections/CPU: this latter one can be 2 to 8 pins).  It will depend on the design/layout of the motherboard if they are all needed or not.

The small 4 pin connector is usually for a fan.

The Molex connectors are legacy connectors for fans, and other peripherals (floppy drives, CD/DVD drives...).
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Drano on February 16, 2017, 10:24:06 AM
That blue one marked pci-e is for a video card. I have a modular PSU and all of the pci-e cables are set up like that for whether you have a 6 pin or 8 pin power input on your video card. For example recently going from my dual 6 pin 6950 card to my new single 8 pin 1060 all I had to do was remove one of the cables and bundle the 8 pins on that connector and plug them in. They only go in one way as they're keyed to prevent putting them in wrong.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Drano on February 16, 2017, 10:26:39 AM
The flat one with a notch at one end is SATA power (for a SATA drive)

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Skuzzy on February 16, 2017, 10:28:10 AM
Oops, missed the second pic.  Thanks guys.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: cav58d on February 16, 2017, 10:37:40 AM
Thanks guys!

So if I want to install another SSD it looks like I have the about to do so wiring wise.  SATA + data which would then plug into the open SATA express port I have?

How would I go about hooking a case Fan up to PSU?  I am out of fan headers on mobo.  I've read about connecting to molex, but if the Fan is four prong could I just hook up to the small black from pic 1?  When hooked up to PSU fan will run constantly at max RPM, right?

Thanks
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Drano on February 16, 2017, 11:20:44 AM
Ok the SATA drive has the data cable that goes to the SATA port on the mobo. That flat connector with the notch at one end is the power connection for it. The notch is a key so that you can only put it on one way. Hopefully it'll reach. If not they make molex adapters for it and for the fans as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Drano on February 16, 2017, 11:24:20 AM
The fan would only run at full speed yes. On my case I have several fans so I have a 6 channel fan controller so I can vary the speeds manually.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Easyscor on February 16, 2017, 02:31:52 PM
I'd never contradict Skuzzy so this is an addition only.  :bolt:

Isn't that small 4 pin connector a legacy plug for an old 3-1/2" floppy drive?

The large 4 pin connectors in the top picture have become general purpose power tap for fans and legacy ATA hard drives. Some CD/DVD drives still require them. All of them only plug into proper receptacles.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Easyscor on February 16, 2017, 02:38:26 PM
How would I go about hooking a case Fan up to PSU?  I am out of fan headers on mobo.  I've read about connecting to molex, but if the Fan is four prong could I just hook up to the small black from pic 1?  When hooked up to PSU fan will run constantly at max RPM, right?
Thanks

Many case fans come with two speed switches. I've seen after market switches at the Fry's but idk if they still them.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Skuzzy on February 16, 2017, 03:42:33 PM
I'd never contradict Skuzzy so this is an addition only.  :bolt:

Isn't that small 4 pin connector a legacy plug for an old 3-1/2" floppy drive?

The large 4 pin connectors in the top picture have become general purpose power tap for fans and legacy ATA hard drives. Some CD/DVD drives still require them. All of them only plug into proper receptacles.

You could be right.  It has been a while since i dealt with those old legacy plugs.

Never be concerned for calling me out when I make an error.  It is more important people get accurate information.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: cav58d on February 16, 2017, 07:05:33 PM
Dummy question, but since I bought a pre-built I didn't spec anything out.  Typically do you get to choose what type of plugs/wires you get?  Is this something that comes standard with a PSU?
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Drano on February 16, 2017, 07:24:08 PM
If you get what's called a modular power supply it won't have that octopus sticking out. You'll get a bunch of plugs so that you only use what you need for your setup. They're nice for making a clean looking box. Problem you may have is depending on the motherboard you have since it's a pre built it may have a non standard plug on it. Or not.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: ToeTag on February 16, 2017, 10:15:04 PM
You guys are so techy..according to the op thread title....the plugs both blue and black regardless of pin count are for things you do not have. Done! :bolt:
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: AKIron on February 16, 2017, 10:40:28 PM
Be careful not to cross the streams.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Bizman on February 17, 2017, 02:06:48 AM
Dummy question, but since I bought a pre-built I didn't spec anything out.  Typically do you get to choose what type of plugs/wires you get?  Is this something that comes standard with a PSU?

Yepp, they're standard for legacy compatibility. Also, as someone said, the Molex connectors are often used for fan controllers, either front panel ones or simple hi-lo switches. The smaller one used to be a floppy drive connector, lately I've seen it used for 3.5" front panel card readers.

Your PSU doesn't have coloured wires. If it had, you'd see a pattern: Yellow (12V) and red (5V) on the sides, two black (ground) in the middle. But as Easyscor said, they're shaped so you can't connect them wrong.
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: cav58d on February 17, 2017, 10:58:00 PM
Can I connect three 12v case fans to a single molex, or should every individual fan be connected to an individual molex?
Title: Re: What type of wiring am I?
Post by: Bizman on February 18, 2017, 10:24:04 AM
Fans don't usually use much power compared to e.g. hard drives not to mention video cards. It's perfectly OK to connect them all to a single molex. Actually, that's what those front panel fan controllers do, split one 12V molex up to half a dozen fans or even more.

Further, gaming oriented power supplies only have one single 12V rail, the multitude of cables and connectors is just for reaching every device within the case.