Just got my new OCUK PC this morning. I didn't realise it came with its own power cable so I also ordered a Kolink Premium AT/ATX cable. So I've ended up with two power cables. One has a 5A fuse and the Kolink Premium has a 10A fuse. The power supply is a Kolink 700W 80 Plus Bronze. I'm a bit stumped by the difference and wonder which is the right/safer/better cable to use. I've built PCs in the distant past, but have absolutely no idea which cable to plug in today! Maybe it's my age. I'll carry on using my eight year old i7 machine (my first OCUK buy) for now, while I'm too scared to plug the new one in! Many thanks for any advice.
5A or 10A PC power cable
- Thread starter Jase76
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Soldato
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Won't matter to the extent i know of, that being what a high end 1200w PSU going full blast. Think i've had a few from 3A to 13A.
Soldato
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Thanks both. I obvs googled this before posting/bothering people and found similar "how to work out the fuse you need" articles. But I guess I was hoping for a reassuring, specific and certain "I use a cable with a 5A plug and my 700W power supply and it's always been fine". I'm an anxious bloke. I guess I'll use the 5A, since that would have been my only option if I hadn't ordered the separate premium cable. I have never even considered this, in the 25 years I've been using PCs, and probably used variously fused plugs without even noticing.
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Soldato
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They sell fuses at the supermarket if you wanted to change one. But getting a better PSU and a surge protector would be a good call if you wanted overkill/OTT protection for your computer 
You'll be fine with a 5 amp fuse. With 700w, you'd barely get away with a 3 amp fuse at maximum load. I personally wouldn't use a 10amp fuse, as that's enough for 2,400 watts and it would take a while to blow if anything was wrong.
Cable wise, the thicker the cable the better. Use a cable rated for 13 amps if you want minimise dangers. But be sure to swap the 13 amp fuse for a 5 amp one.
When I make my own extension cables, I will almost always buy the thickest 3 core cable from a DIY store. Exceptions are for when I'm running the cable through small holes and I know that I will only be using low wattage items with it.
Cable wise, the thicker the cable the better. Use a cable rated for 13 amps if you want minimise dangers. But be sure to swap the 13 amp fuse for a 5 amp one.
When I make my own extension cables, I will almost always buy the thickest 3 core cable from a DIY store. Exceptions are for when I'm running the cable through small holes and I know that I will only be using low wattage items with it.
Thank you very much, darael.
That's a really good point and something I'd completely overlooked.
I suppose the fuse is there to protect whatever is on the other side of it, both cable and device.
Put it this way. Using a 13 amp fuse in a PC power plug would take a lot longer to pop than the 5 amp one (for a 700W PSU), potentially even resulting in a fire if your PSU was super cheap and nasty.
But I'm not an electronics expert, therefore I could be completely wrong.
