20/24 pin power plugs for mobo

Zed

Zed

Associate
Joined
25 Apr 2006
Posts
8
Hi all,

Newby here. I am building up my first machine this weekend.

I have an Arctic Cooling Silentium T2 case with the Seasonic 350w (450w) psu. I am putting in the Asus A8R-MVP mobo. For the record, probably not the best combination if you want to install a FDD or a secondary IDE drive as these are blocked by a metal HDD holder. However, my SATAII drive seems to fit as the cables are elsewhere. As an aside, I had to use the legacy power (4 pin) as the Arctic SATA power cable does not have the length to reach the HDD power plug.

I have now hit a snag. I have finally managed to put the mobo into the case but I ain't got no power to switch on.

I am including a picture of the mobo from the Asus which you can enlarge. http://uk.asus.com/products4.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=787&l1=3&l2=15&l3=236

I have plugged in a 4 pin 12V power plug into a square plug. On the picture you see it in the top right corner (to the right of the Asus heatsink which is below the pink rectangle)

Now I would have thought that it needs more than this and there is a 24 pin plug at the bottom (labled EATXPWR on the mobo). The problem is the PSU has only a 20 pin plug. Now, after I switched the machine on with only the 12V plug, nothing happened. After unplugging and earthing myself etc, and much wailing and gnashing of teeth, i noticed that the 20 pin PSU plug might fit into the 24 pin mobo plug. It did although obviously 4 pins short.

in the Asus booklet, the 4 pins without a connection is are a +3V, +12V, Ground and +5V. Now, if I have plugged in the 4 pin square power plug mentioned above and this 20 pin into the 24 pin socket, can I switch the machine on. I am wary of doing this until someone tells me "Fine. Go ahead."

I think it might be because of what the Arctic Cooling website says but their English is a little obfuscated. Here is the text:

Does any motherboard need an ATX 2.0 PSU with a 24 pin plug?
For ATX there is no motherboard that requires an ATX 2.0 PSU or a 24 pin plug. If the PSU provides enough continuous power at the 12 Volt rail (as ours), all configurations will work fine. Our PSU is tested with a 3.8 GHz Pentium 4 and a NVIDIA 6800 Ultra VGA board.
Using the 20 pin mainboard plug at mainboards with 24 pin socket you have to install in addition a 5.25" power plug in case there is such a socket (depending to the mainboard manufacturer) to get the power for the VGA board. Don't use a 20 to 24 pin adapter!
To supply the CPU with power the mainboard uses a 4 or 8 pin socket. 4 pins are fine to supply CPUs up to the Intel Pentium D 840. In case of the 8 pin socket, 4 pins will keep empty. Don't use an adapter.


Bolding supplied by moi. It would seem that a 20 pin plug in a 24 pin socket along with the 4 pin 12V plug in the top right corner for the CPU should work. Just trying to prevent a blown mobo before I even start.

Thanks
 
Hi guys,

I think I may be able to answer my own question. I downloaded a manual from Artic Cooler and it says this:





.

Now, that probably means nothing to you but that is a .pdf problem. Anyway, it does say that the 20 pin connector can be used on any 24 pin connector but that some manufacturers require a 4 pole powerplug (HDD1-3) to be installed.

OK. Thanks for the the input. BTW Dreadi, they say specifically not to use a 20-24 pin adapter.

Cheers for now. maybe later I can tell anyone interested how to install an Artic Cooler Silencer 64 Ultra TC onto an Asus A8R-MVP mobo. With great difficulty but do-able :D .

Cheers
 
Morning Ragnaros and Hlebio,

OK, i'll go downstairs and check on whether that 4 pin cpu plug fits in the 20 pin slot. From memory not but it always pays to see. I did turn the machine on though and the lights came on. Now if only i could find the power cable for the damn monitor :confused: .

Seriously, no freaken power cable :mad: . Searched the house up and down for an old kettle one but no luck as we have a cordless at home.

Then tried hooking up the computer to the TV through the Svideo - RCA converter. No luck. Probably requires some sort of software switch which, without a monitor is difficult to do.

As this build goes on, I might have to turn this into the "War and Peace" sized trials and tribulations of a newbie page!
 
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