Trouble with a molex - Please help!

Snooble

Snooble

Snooble

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Hey everyone, as you can see, it's my first ever post here at overclockers.

I've used the site to order components a lot recently so i thought i'd check out these forums.

My problem is, I have a Arctic 700 PSU, and whilst pulling a molex out of a dvd drive one of the wires came out of the connector. I tried soldering it back but when i turned on the computer it'd turn itself off in a second or two. (the fans would spin for a second). So i simply pulled the cable out. I dont have a camera to show you but see this diagram :)

Code: 
PSU-------MOLEX-------MOLEX--------BROKEN MOLEX

I PULLED THE CABLE FROM THE 3rd MOLEX SO NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THIS:

PSU-------MOLEX-------MOLEX

When I turn on the computer it shuts itself off within a second. As i said - fans spin for a second, lights on, and then turns off. I'm guessing its short circuiting.

Any help at all would be appreciated so much.

And err, try not to laugh.

Thanks
Snoobs
 
Short circuiting more than likely indeed...

Have you turned it on without the cable in? And to be honest, I hope your not trying to turn it on with just half a functioning molex connector...Cause that could trip everything.

Why solder anyway? Have you wripped the cable in two or something =/
 
The molex you "removed" whats on the end at the minute?
Bare wire or the pins?
Make sure theyre insulated and not touching each other or anything metal.

Try and boot the PC with nothing connected to that cable at all.

Still under warranty?
They may argue user damage but tbh if its new the pins should be adequately secured to molex's and shouldnt have come out under light force anyway.
 
well, i say molex. Its a 4 pin, used for the I/O of my soundcard.

I completely pull the whole thing off. the connector and the wires.

So now it doesn't have a 4 pin. But i have a spare so its fine. I just want it to boot first. It's under insurance. But i'd like to fix it.
Code: 
BEFORE

PSU--MOLEX        4 pin
         \       /
          \     /
           MOLEX
Code: 
NOW

PSU--MOLEX             
         \          
          \       
          MOLEX

What happened was, i was pulling the connector out, and one of the wires (yellow one) came out, without the metal head on it, just frayed wire.

Tried booting with it unplugged turns off straight away. re soldered, turns off. And even now without the cable even on the circuit, it still shorts.

Is it possible the PSU can detect it's missing a cable? Because this is attached directly to the PSU. Not an extension or anything.

Thanks for your help, keep it coming!

Snoobs
 
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highly doubtful, its not as if the power to the card is 100% mandatory.

If you really want to rule it out, take the card out and boot it up.
 
i have tried leaving only the motherboard, graphics card and fans plugged in still turns itself off after a second.

So is there anyway I can stop the PSU short circuiting?
 
When did the issue start happening? Or has it always done this?

If it's shorting, you could try turning it on out of the chassis, that will rule out if the chassis is shorting something.
 
O.k then.

Well make sure nothing is connected to that molex connector, and that none of the loose wires are touching eachother either.

Make sure it isn't touching the side of the case as well or anything.
 
I've pulled the connector and the wires off completely. So now there's only 2 molex plugs on the one line from the psu. instead of 3. but everytime i turn it on it turns off in a second
 
How did you 'pull' the connector off, and what did you leave behind when you did? If you just yanked it you may have done more damage.
 
There's two sets of wires going into one molex plug. 4 wires per set. as one draws power from the connector, and the other gives it to the next in the line and i pulled out the set that went to the broken molex.
 
Closely inspect the Molex you pulled from for any damage or loose strands of wire (magnifying glass may help). Yanking the wires like that has probably dislodged wires from the previously good Molex. The pins in the Molex are crimped onto the wires and will not withstand what you've done particularly well.

Better solution would have been to buy a replacement Molex (they're not expensive).
 
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got a picture of the damage? ... aha read the first post again,

just inspect for any thing left in there as has been said, the tinyest bit of wire left could cause it to short out.
 
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superb. I'm going to try it all tonight. Thanks a lot. I'll get a picture of the molex i broke and the one i pulled the wires from. i'll try not using that line at all.

To check for damage, i'd have to pull out the individual wires from the connector, how would i do so without damaging them? tips?

Thanks a lot for the help so far.

Sam
 
No need to pull anything out - no sense doing more damage unnecessarily. Look at the back where the wires go in with a magnifying glass and good lighting. If you have good eyesight you should be able to see any loose or uninsulated wires.

If you really do need to pull the pins out, there's a tool to do that, but I'd assume you don't have one. If you look in the pin end you'll see one or two little clips poking out the side of the pins. Use something thin to push and hold those pins in while gently pulling from the wire side. It's a PITA but it can be done. However, given that the crimps are probably loose now you may pull the wires out doing this.
 
I've tried all the suggestions, and it's still doing the same thing... is there anyway, i can just tape up the connections so that they definately wont be short circuiting. because looking at the 4 wires going into the molex, they are quite loose compared to the others. if i pull them out and tape them individually would they not short circuit?

Thanks people, i don't even need these molex' i just need it to start up properly...

Sam
 
What I dont understand, is why the system is suddenly not working, after disconnecting a molex cable...

Can you tell us again as well, where is the damaged molex from, cause you first said: "whilst pulling a molex out of a dvd drive"

Then you said: well, i say molex. Its a 4 pin, used for the I/O of my soundcard.

If it's a soundcard power, I'm presuming it's more of a Berg connector normally? Like the one on the left in this pic: http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/CDE/_PSCONN.JPG
 
It was the one on the left.

But because it was shorting i pulled the wires and Berg out from the previous molex on the line. And its still shorting now. I've tried not drawing any power from that line, but it still shorts.

Sorry i thought It'd be the same situation whether i said molex or berg, i never knew the name of the 4pin little connections.

Sam
 
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