ARGH! No 24-pin connector!

[coreywhite]

I have a pretty annoying problem. I'm trying to put together my PC, and I've run into quite a stumbling block: my power supply appears not to have a 24-pin main connector. It only has 20 pins. This does not fit my Asus P5K motherboard, which requires a 24-pin connector; neither the manual for the power supply nor the manual for the motherboard offer any suggestions.

The power supply is an Enermax EG651P-VE 550W with 36 amps on the 12-volt rail, which I think should be sufficient for my needs. The manual said that it was ATX 2 compatible, so I didn't even check the connections before now.

Newegg sells some 20 to 24 pin converters. Does anyone have any experience with these? Is there a reason that they're a bad idea? I'd really, really rather not have to buy a new power supply.

The other thing is that I'd rather get this built sooner than later. Anyone have any thoughts on where I might find one of these locally? I'm in Maine, and there aren't any CompUSA's in the whole state. I have a Best Buy and a small Radioshack nearby. Any idea if these are a common enough item that I could find one at a place like that?

EDIT: Mostly I just want to make sure that everything will run alright if I do get a converter. I read somewhere that this may cause problems for high end video cards, which I assume would include my X1950XT. Any thoughts?

[Krazeee]

If there is any chance of returning it, I'd do that and pick up any one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submit=Property&N=2010320058&minPrice=80&maxPrice=180&PropertyCodeValue=1314%3A14178%2C2954%3A18939%2C2954%3A18938&bop=And&CompareItemList=N82E16817128002%2CN82E16817139001%2CN82E16817128001%2CN82E16817341001

[coreywhite]

There's no chance of returning it. Unfortunately, I already had this and the case . . . I bought it some time ago when I found a particularly good deal. We're talking 8 months ago or something. Thanks for the suggestion though . . .

[bailey]

most 20 power supplies will have another connector that has 4 pins and is square in shape, this would then connect to a 4 pin connector near the cpu.
or sometimes there is another connector that will supply the power that would be on the 24 pin connector.
during this transition most motherboards will have the option to use one or the other type of connector.
if the motherboard does not have the alternate connectors for this power, which is for the cpu then another supply would be required.
but double check these other connectors first.

[mairving]

You can use a converter. The 24pin PSU's are usually for Motherboards with dual processors. Check your other connector. Is it 4pin or 8pin? The adapter usually has an adapter for both.

[coreywhite]

most 20 power supplies will have another connector that has 4 pins and is square in shape, this would then connect to a 4 pin connector near the cpu.
or sometimes there is another connector that will supply the power that would be on the 24 pin connector.
during this transition most motherboards will have the option to use one or the other type of connector.
if the motherboard does not have the alternate connectors for this power, which is for the cpu then another supply would be required.
but double check these other connectors first.

Not totally sure I understood this. My power supply *does* have a 4-pin square connector. However, this is not right next to the 20-pin main the way I've seen in 20+4 supplies. Also, my motherboard has an additional 4-pin slot in the upper left, sort of near the CPU. My understanding was that both a 24-pin main connection and the 4-pin auxiliary connection were needed.

Is that not true?

[Cricket]

How many of those square 4 pin 12v connectors does that PSU have?

Does the 20 pin connector look like you could attach something to one end of it? (see attached image).

:) Cricket

[coreywhite]

How many of those square 4 pin 12v connectors does that PSU have?

Does the 20 pin connector look like you could attach something to one end of it? (see attached image).

:) Cricket

Just one, and no.

EDIT: There is a Radioshack within reasonable driving distance that sells an adapter that looks like what I would need. Can anyone speak from experience or explain to me why this would be a bad idea? The link to the adapter in question is http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2215072&cp=&sr=1&origkw=20+pin+24+pin&kw=20+pin+24+pin&parentPage=search (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2215072&cp=&sr=1&origkw=2.0+pin+24+pin&kw=20+pin+24+pin&parentPage=search)

[bailey]

you would then connect the 20 pin connector to the 24 pin socket and that would leave the 4 connections at the end open, then connect the 4 pin plug to the 4 pin socket and all will work fine.

this is the reason for the extra 4 pin connector.

and the reason the motherboard is able to use either the 24 pin connector by its self, or use a 20 pin connector plus the extra 4 pin connector, both do the same thing and are interchangeable.
hope this is clear.

[coreywhite]

Really? . . . I thought that you were *always* supposed to plug the 4-pin extra connector in, even with a 24-pin connector coming from the PSU. I thought that was why Cricket asked how many of those 4-pin connectors I had: it would be fine if I had 2 of them, like you do (I think) in a 20+4 PSU, so that one would go to the connector on the motherboard up by the CPU and the other would go to supplement the 20-pin main connector.

This is more confusing than it seems like it ought to be.

EDIT: To be somewhat more clear: I think that the motherboard manual implies that I should both plug in a 24-pin male main ATX connector from the power supply to the 24-pin female connector on the motherboard and plug in a 4-pin 12 volt square male connector to the matching female connector on the motherboard (which is located near the CPU).

This implication is through diagrams only, and vague ones at that . . . the manual actually has very sparse and fairly ambiguous information about power connections and requirements, despite being extremely helpful and thorough in many other ways.

[Cricket]

Rather than trying to adapt your current power supply to the motherboard, you should get a true 24 pin ATX 2.0 (or higher) power supply. Using an adapter is just asking for trouble.

:) Cricket

[piasabird]

Dont be so cheap just get the 24 pin power supply. The 24 pin power supplies are designed to a different specification. They have a different number of pins, because they want you to use the newer power supplies.

[coreywhite]

I just can't really afford a new power supply. If I was going to buy one, I would want it to be decent, which means I'm looking at $100 or so. I'm a college student with a lot of expenses and not a lot of income, and I'm not exactly rolling in cash. I don't really think that's an option at the moment. I appreciate all of your advice, and I'll look at my finances to see if I can make the money stretch somehow, but I'm probably just going to have to use an adapter after all.

I have yet to hear an explanation from anyone, on this site or any other, as to why using an adapter is bad. Some people on other forums advised against it (for other people, not me), but when questioned further it turned out they were actually just advising against using older power supplies. My power supply is actually a fairly good unit, I think . . . it just seems wrong to discard it. Enermax is quite reputable, and 36amps on the 12V rail should be plenty. Also, the manual really does claim that it's "Intel ATX 2.03 compatible", whatever that means.

I know the best thing would be to buy a new power supply. Unfortunately, sometimes the best thing just isn't possible.

On the other hand, that Corsair 520W power supply everyone here always recommends is really calling to me . . . and there are always credit cards . . .

[Cricket]

If the Enermax is ATX 2.03 compatible it should have a 24 or 20 + 4 motherboard connector. Are you sure it doesn't have a square 4 pin 12v connectors that attaches to the end of the 20 pin connector? Any power supply that is ATX 2.0 or higher is supposed to have a 24 or 20 + 4 motherboard power connector. If yours doesn't, it's not really a ATX 2.03 PSU.

I guess you could give that adapter a try...worst that will happen is the computer just won't start up.

:) Cricket

[Strider]

I just can't really afford a new power supply. If I was going to buy one, I would want it to be decent, which means I'm looking at $100 or so. I'm a college student with a lot of expenses and not a lot of income, and I'm not exactly rolling in cash. I don't really think that's an option at the moment. I appreciate all of your advice, and I'll look at my finances to see if I can make the money stretch somehow, but I'm probably just going to have to use an adapter after all.

I have yet to hear an explanation from anyone, on this site or any other, as to why using an adapter is bad. Some people on other forums advised against it (for other people, not me), but when questioned further it turned out they were actually just advising against using older power supplies. My power supply is actually a fairly good unit, I think . . . it just seems wrong to discard it. Enermax is quite reputable, and 36amps on the 12V rail should be plenty. Also, the manual really does claim that it's "Intel ATX 2.03 compatible", whatever that means.

You could get by with using an adapter and have no problems, but it's my opinion (and others) that this could be considered playing Russian roulette by doing this. I realize money is tight for you right now, but if this power supply should go kaput it might take other components with it (That happen to me on my very first build) and thus causing you to spend even more. Save your pennies it'll be shorter than you think before you can purchase a quality psu or purchase a new power supply when you can afford it and replace the current one.

[coreywhite]

Well, for the time being I think I'm going to try the adapter and see what happens. I need to get things up and running quickly if possible, so that I can try out my other components and make sure I don't need to RMA anything. It will probably be a month or so before I can afford a new PSU; I'll plan on buying one as soon as I can, and think of the adapter as a temporary solution.

Thanks, everyone. I really do love this site.

[Katreat]

Just to back up a bit. You do not want to use a non-compliant PSU in a modern system, so if it is not 2.0 you need to replace it. A PSU that is actually 2.0 compliant should have a 24 pin connector or a 20+4 connector and a seperate 4 pin for the CPU.

When you google the EG651P-VE 550W you get to a few reviews and none of them mention the unit being 2.0 compliant. When you view the picture of the outside of the case it says ATX 12V Ver 1.2. When you shop at on-line stores that carry it they say nothing about it being 2.0 compliant, and they do about other units they sell. So, I think you should do a little research before trying to make that PSU work and determine if it is truely a 2.0 PSU or something they just miss labeled in the manual.

Kat

[waxpants1]

just get one of these its only $1.49, problem solved.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119023